IN ASSOCIATION WITH kommot
LUDLOW AND THE CLEE HILLS
CLASSIC RIDE
Shropshire isn’t all about the Long Mynd. Steve links up some hidden gems.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE CHAPMAN
Illustration by BEATE KUBITZ
If you’ve heard anything about the riding in Shropshire it’s probably been about the Long Mynd. It’s an iconic venue and regularly features in lists of the best singletrack in the UK. As a resident ‘Shropite’ I can tell you that the Long Mynd is just the tip of the iceberg for good places to ride in Shropshire. As riding venues go, it’s pretty much won the bike riding lottery. Anyone who has a strong connection with a place is always keen to share it with others, and for those looking to branch out and take the path less travelled, Shropshire has a ridiculous amount of great riding locations – none that are particularly busy and certainly not crowded like some of the National Parks can be in peak season.
The plan was to stitch together some of the best of the unknown areas of South Shropshire, all in one loop. Joining me on the route were two local riders (and friends), Eilish Gilbert, accountant during the week and elite cross-country racer riding for Torq Performance at the weekend, and Ben Yarnold, singlespeed aficionado, local framebuilder and owner of Teme Frameworks. We’ve all ridden together plenty of times before, but never linked all of these hidden gems together.
Oh for scratch and sniff
No tittering at the back
Dammit, pedal
This route starts and finishes in Ludlow, a town known predominantly for its culinary delectations and beer – it’s also the home of the classic downhill venue Bringewood. As towns go, Ludlow is borderline showing off. It’s a medieval market town with a castle, a beautiful array of architecture, and more than a smattering of great places to eat, drink and be merry. We started the ride slightly off route from my house near the summit of Clee Hill. I’d promised coffees and there was also ready access to tools for the inevitable bike faff. The weather was looking good, a chilly start with damp air, but the forecast had promised some sunshine for later in the day with a bit of a blip of mid-afternoon rain, before ending well with some evening sunshine.