2 Hills and 2 Hill Forts: Pontesford and Earl's Hill Walk in Shropshire

Hiking Trail

3.4 km long.

Difficulty:  Medium

This route takes you up two hills: Pontesford Hill and Earl's Hill in Shropshire. Well, they're two hills, but joined together! Earl's Hill is a Nature Reserve managed by the local Shropshire Wildlife Trust, with woodlands covering a lot of the hillside.

As with many hills in Shropshire, there is an Iron Age hill fort on the top, and another one lower down, near the car park.

The walk starts at the upper end of the car park. There are two route markers with an upper route and a lower one. Take the upper trail; the lower one takes you around the hill. As you walk up the hill you will see some steps on your left with a signpost to the summit. This part of the route is very steep. There are also plenty of rocks and routes underfoot, so please take care.

Eventually, you will leave the woodland behind, and cross over onto the open grassland of Earl's Hill. As you go through the gate, you cross part of the outer defences of the hill fort. Carry on up the past, which takes you through the old entrance gate to the fort. Eventually, you will reach the summit at the trig point.

Carrying on the path and descend the other side of the hill. At the bottom, you will reach a path. Take the path to the right that goes around the base of the hill. From here, the route is much flatter. You will reach or fork in the path, with a path to the left through a kissing gate. Take this path.

Continue along this path and you will reach the signpost for the lower hill fort. Follow that path through the remains of the fort, and you'll end up back at the car park.