Major's Leap walk
Enjoy this circular walk along an old packhorse route and through woodland footpaths, taking in far-reaching views and flourishing wildflowers. It's named after the legend of a Royalist major who is said to have galloped off Wenlock Edge on horseback to escape pursuers during the English Civil War.
Near to
Wenlock EdgeStart point
Much Wenlock National Trust car park. Grid reference: SO613 996.Trail information
Difficulty
Full trail
DistanceMiles: 3.5 (km: 5.6)Total stages: 6
Total stages: 6
Start point
Much Wenlock National Trust car park. Grid reference: SO613 996.
Stage 1
Follow the path from the car park and turn left up Blakeway Hollow.
Stage 2
Walk along the path until you reach the woods. Once in the woods, turn left and immediately left again back out into the fields. From here a track runs south along the narrow ridge with the steep wooded scarp slope of Wenlock Edge on the right, and the deep workings of Lea Quarry on the left.
Stage 3
This viewpoint looks out towards Shrewsbury and is the spot where Major Smallman is said to have leapt off the edge on horseback, to escape from the round heads who were pursuing him.
Stage 4
Here you will find another viewpoint which looks out at the Wrekin.
Stage 5
Continue along the quarry lip and take a broad track that cuts back down to Blakeway Coppice.
Stage 6
Ignore the track leading off to the left almost a mile later, and carry on to emerge at the junction with Blakeway Hollow. Then follow the sunken lane back to the car park.
End point
Much Wenlock National Trust car park. Grid reference: SO613 996.
Trail map
Major's Leap walk map, Wenlock Edge | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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Lea Quarry walk at Wenlock Edge
Get a feel for the scale of the industrial quarrying which has characterised the landscape at Wenlock Edge on this circular walk through the woodland.
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