Chris Bagley Walk

Chris Bagley was the Parish Paths Partnership (P3) liaison officer  with Shropshire County Council until his untimely death at the age of 53 in November 2009. He was responsible for helping many P3 volunteer groups get started. His friendly manner and great sense of humour made him very easy to get on with. Chris was a good friend to Pontesbury P3 group when it started in 2006. 

Prior to his work with the Council Chris was Assistant Farm Manager at Longden Manor Farm so it is appropriate that this walk dedicated to his memory is centred on his home ground.

The 10 1/2 mile route takes in the finest countryside in the area. It is a circuit of Pontesford Hill and Earls Hill, the 'sleeping beast'that is such a prominent feature of the Shropshire landscape. It is marked with a special waymark disc - Chris Bagley Walk.

The walk heads south out of the village through Poles Coppice to Eastridge Wood before swinging northeasterly to Habberley. It continues into the valley south east of Earls Hill before climbing through Oaks Wood. A descent to Longden Manor is followed by a loop through parkland with views across Shropshire to the Wrekin and Ironbridge Gorge. The route back to the village is via the Radlith and the beautiful Lyd Hole waterfall.

Shortcut options have been built into the walk as well as an extension to increase the length to 12 miles

In preparing the walk  Pontesbury P3 group replaced 16 stiles with gates leaving only 2 stiles on the entire route and helped the Shropshire Council Countryside Access team erect a new footbridge over the Pontesford Brook. The bridge has been signed Bagger's Bridge in Chris's memory. They also negotiated with land owners to open up permissive paths. 

 The group launched the Walk on Saturday 29th May 2010 with a charity walk in aid of the Severn Hospice. Despite very wet weather over 120 people took part and over £900 was raised.

The route will bo on this website to download very shortly and in a short while a printed leaflet will be available