Hope House Way

Great gift idea!

Only £9.95 (plus £1.05 postage if ordered by post). Available from all Hope House Shops & selected bookshops.

Welcome to this new long-distance walk, one of the longest and most picturesque in the United Kingdom. Planning for the walk started in 1998 when three members of the Rotary Club of the Wrekin in Wellington, Shropshire, had the vision for a new walk to celebrate the Millennium. Indeed, the original title for the walk was the 'Wrekin Millennium Way'. Delays caused by Foot and Mouth and the magnitude of work associated with the creation of a walk of 539km (335 miles), together with the required funding, meant that final completion was not possible until 2004. At the same time, the name of the walk was changed to 'Hope House Way' not only to reflect that all the funds from the sale of this guidebook are being donated to Hope House but also to give publicity to the wonderful work performed by this children's respite hospice. By purchasing this guidebook you are contributing to the funding of the hospice, and by participating in the walk you are helping to boost the local rural economies. Whether you are undertaking the whole walk at one go, or just sampling the smallest of sections, I really hope that you enjoy the diversity of the terrain and the beauty of the scenery.

Sir Chris Bonington CBE

To purchase your copy of the Hope House Way, please email info@hopehouse.co.uk or call 01691 671671. All proceeds go to Hope House Children's Hospices. Alternatively you can purchase Hope House Way from a number of local bookshops.

What is Hope House Way?

Hope House Way is a circular walk from the historic market town of Wellington in Shropshire. It is a walk, or if you prefer a series of walks, which offers a broad and diverse opportunity to all. It is varied in terrain and rich in history. The walk uses a combination of established paths, parts of other long and shorter well known routes, linked together by less well known, and little used, tracks, byways and footpaths.

The walk begins with an ascent of the Wrekin which, although a modest 407m, seems much higher because of its splendid isolation. From the top on a clear day, many of the features and high points of Hope House Way can be picked out. Soon after leaving this first of many tops ahead, the walk leads to Ironbridge, a World Heritage Site; then on to Wenlock Edge and the Clee Hills to reach Ludlow.

Much of the subsequent way is in mid Wales. From near Presteigne the route coincides with the Offa's Dyke Path National Trail through Kington to reach Hay-on-Wye. From here beautiful riverside walking lies ahead following the Wye Valley Walk up to Rhayader. After winding through the Elan Valley and on to Devil's Bridge, the route encounters the wild terrain of Plynlimon to reach Machynlleth. From here it is a short hop into the Dysynni Valley and the most westerly point of the walk.

The next few sections are probably the most challenging. They take in the high mountain terrain of Cadair Idris and the Arans to Bala, and then continue on to Llangollen via the Berwyn Mountains. Offa's Dyke Path is soon picked up again through to Welshpool and on to Montgomery. The walk then heads back east into England over the Stiperstones, the Long Mynd and the Stretton Hills. The return to Wellington once more tops the Wrekin, this time from the west, before dropping into town. In these parts we have a toast 'to all friends around the Wrekin'. When you have completed Hope House Way, you will have met many friends, and certainly been 'all around the Wrekin'.