Midlands Marilyns Challenge – Caer Caradoc, Shropshire Hills 459 m/1,506ft

Just looking at the elevation profile for this hike, I know I was in for a ride. At 459 m/1,506ft, this it wasn’t the highest Marilyn on my list but that definitely doesn’t mean its an easy hike, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Starting out at a layby commonly used as the trailhead for those heading up to Caer Caradoc and the neighbouring hills, you first skirt around theedge Helmoth hill into the valley below…

…and that’s when the fun starts.

Now faced with the steep sided Three Fingers Rock hill, you now have around 200m of pure, straight up ascent to wake your thighs up and make you wish you’d never been born. The ascent includes sections with a significantly steep incline. When I say significant, I mean it. In parts tge incline gives difficult rise of up to 45 degrees, translates to a 100% gradient. While that 45 degree section is thankfully short, in the grand scheme of things at least. It is a nasty, sharp ascent. The climb itself being described by many online as “unforgiving” and I would wholeheartedly agree.

It was about here where my soul left my body and I wished for the sweet release of death

If you make it to the summit of Three Fingers Rock without having a cardiac event, it is entirely worth the effort, with sweeping views over Church Stretton and stunning rock formations and a welcome break to catch your breath.

Carrying on across the ridgeline, you’re faced with numerous false summits just in case you’d fallen into a welcomeing sense of security thinking that the worst was left behind you on the slope. As we began being battered by 45mph winds (so much for the 20mph gusts forecast…) and rain, you realise just how exposed the ridge in and thanks to the landscape of the surrounding hills and valleys, Caer Caradoc a bit of a wind tunnel. Eventually reaching the summit, the wind chill started to bite and so we hunted around Caradoc’s Cave (or more accurately, Caractacus’ Cave) for a bit of respite out of the wind and to grab a snack.

The cave is small, shallow and located just below the summit of Caer Caradoc hill in Shropshire, England. According to local legend, this site is where the Celtic chieftain Caractacus hid after being defeated by Roman forces. The cave is often associated with the mythical Cauldron of Di-wrnach, believed to contain Britain’s treasure.

Originally I had planned to do a 10km route to include nearby Hope Bowdder and the Gaer stone, but with a biting wind and rain we retraced our steps back to the layby, where there is a little farm shop/snack hut which is very welcome after a long hike. They even sell ice cream! Just what you want after a busy days hiking in the beautiful Shropshire Hills.