The Roberts Family

Up'n'Over++

Bishops Castle → Welsh Street → Bankshead → Shepherdswhim → Moat Hill → Kerry Lane → Bishop's Castle.
5.5 miles. Circular. Tarmac.

What Is It?
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This walk is a bit of a cheat really, as it is just the 'Up 'n' Over' walk listed above, but with the exploration of the town at the beginning removed and a choice of beautiful extensions added up on top. The views up near Shepherdswhim really are excellent. My wife and I cannot agree which is prettier - to do these walks clockwise or anti. I have chosen anti-clockwise, but feel free to do it ‘backwards’ if you wish.

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Outwards
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As always, we start in front of the church. Go left up Kerry Lane. Walk for a couple minutes until to see the entrance to the town park on the right. Go up the slope into the playing fields then follow the path in front of you up to the far end. Go down under the arch and down on to Union Street.

Turn left and head up hill. Wave as you pass my house. Pass the police station and Stonehouse care home, then turn left into Billingsley Close. Walk to the end of the close then down the steps at the end into Oak Meadow. Go straight ahead until you get to a T-junction by a kiddies' play park, then turn right. Walk up to the far end of the street then pass through a mini alley and onto Welsh Street. Turn left - we are going up hill!

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Keep left and head upwards. Pass through Cabin, and carry on up hill till you get to Bankshead. You will see big animal sheds on the right. Ignore the turning on the right signed Seven Wells then you are at the junction. Here you have a decision to make.


The Options
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Here there are four options you can choose from. All are worth doing.

  • Route 1 is off road, on fields, over the highest point in this immediate area. Maybe a bit of mud initially, then on grass. Possibly the best views of the four.

  • Route 2 is probably the shortest and has minimal descent and ascent. It is all off road, so is pretty, but it can get muddy if the weather has been really bad. This is our default choice. We do this maybe once a week.

  • Route 3 is also off road, but is a little lower down the hill than 2).

  • Route 4 stays on tarmac all the way. It is the longest option and goes furthest down the hill, so has the most descent and ascent. Nonetheless the views are great.

Don't fret. You can't go wrong with any of them.

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Route 1
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At Bankshead stay left and continue up hill on the main lane. Eventually you will get to the top, and the lane will level out and straighten. Opposite the buildings at Moat Hill turn right into the field and take the left hand track. Enter the field and proceed uphill to the reservoir. Pass between the main reservoir 'hump' and the pump house(?).

Walk parallel with the hedge and through the next gate. It is the views here that make this option worth doing. Now bear left and go down the slope. The gate out is in the bottom left corner of the field, near where the hedges meet. Pass through the gate and turn left. You have now joined route 2. Walk along the 'green lane' until you get to tarmac, then turn left up hill.

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Route 2
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At the Bankshead junction take the right fork, then ignore the turn to the right but go straight ahead - past the 'dead end' sign. You pass a house on the left with a red barn then the tarmac ends and you are on a farm track. Just follow your nose. The views to the right here are wonderful - you look over to the hills in the ‘Four Tops’ walk.

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Eventually the path narrows and goes downhill a little and you pass along a wooded hillside. Then you walk through a huge badger set - be careful not get you foot in any of the entrance holes! Follow the path until eventually you come to tarmac. Turn left, up hill.


Route 3
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Take the right fork at Bankshead then turn right, as with option 2). In a hundred yards or so you will see a grassed track off to the left - this is your path. As with the other routes the views to the right are splendid. Follow the path down with the wood on your left. Here's the view to the right. Eventually you will pass a pretty cottage and the path bends to the right. A little further and you will back to tarmac. Turn left and head up hill. You will go around a hairpin bend to the left and then up the hill to join the other routes.

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Route 4
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At Bankshead take the right hand fork then turn right on the tarmac road. Follow the lane downhill, being sure to catch the views to the right. Go on down through the hamlet until you reach the T-junction at the bottom. Turn left and continue uphill, ignoring turnings to left and right. You will know you’re on the right road when you get to a hairpin left. Continue up hill and eventually you will join the other routes.

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Back Home
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All four routes are now united. Carry on up hill to Shepherdswhim. Be sure to check out the view across Wales from the gate to the right of the farm. Carry on along the lane and don’t miss the views over your right shoulder. Eventually you will climb gently up to Moat Farm and arrive at a T-junction. Turn left and head towards home along the long straight road in front of you.

(On a summer’s evening I love this bit of the walk - it feels like you're on top of the world.)

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In a while you will pass the road down to Upper Woodbatch Farm, then come to a junction where you turn right downhill back to BC. (For some reason this is sign posted ‘Lydbury North’.). Nice views to the right here. Just follow this lane all the way back to the Six Bells. Should I happen to be in, tell me about your walk.

If you have Google Earth installed you can use it to view the routes:

  • This file to see route 1
  • This file to see route 2
  • This file to see route 3
  • This file to see route 4

Here are links to the 4 .gpx files used to create the maps:

  • Here is the .gpx file for route 1.
  • Here is the add-on .gpx file for route 2.
  • Here is the add-on .gpx file for route 3.
  • Here is the add-on .gpx file for route 4.
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