A walk to the waterfall at Carding Mill Valley
This walk starts at Carding Mill Valley at the heart of the Long Mynd and takes you on a gentle ascent along the stream to the four metre cascade at the picturesque Lightspout Waterfall.
Map
Start:
Carding Mill Valley, grid ref: SO445945
1
If you are starting from the Chalet Pavilion follow the stream uphill to the top car park
Early geology of the Long Mynd
Notice the almost upright strata of hard grey rock here in the streambed and protruding from the hillside turf. These, originally horizontal, sedimentary shales and mudstones were laid down in shallow sea around 590 million years ago, when simple marine algae were the only life on earth.
2
Continue up the valley (following the red trail markers) on the stony track to the left side of the stream.
3
When the valley divides 500 metres later, take the left-hand fork, up crude "pitched" stone steps into the narrow Lightspout Hollow.
Lightspout Hollow
The sound of tumbling water fills the deep V-shaped valley whose billberry, bracken and heather clad slopes are dotted with hawthorns and mountain ash. Watch out for brown trout in the pools and noisy stonechats, buzzards and red kites overhead.
4
Rising above the stream, the rocky path snakes uphill around interlocking spurs before opening out, 500 metres on, below Lightspout Waterfall. Return downhill by the same route.
Reverend Carr
It was here that Reverend Carr nearly plunged to his death, lost in a snow blizzard in January 1865. To Victorian visitors the Lightspout was a "miniature Niagara"; and after prolonged rain the four metre cascade is spectacular.
End:
Lightspout Waterfall, grid ref: SO431951
