Shropshire's Hidden Gem - Hawkstone Follies
25 people attending
0 places left
1 person waitlisted
Set in 100 acres of Parkland, The Follies is a range of dramatic and rugged natural sandstone hills that were developed to include gullies, caves, towers and bridges, becoming one of the most visited landscapes in Britain during the 19th Century. However, throughout the 20th Century this romantic landscape became forgotten, overgrown and ruinous, unvisited by all but the locals.
Now recognised as a masterpiece of the School of Naturalistic Landscape and designated as a Grade I listed landscape by English Heritage, this magical and exhilarating landscape had a new lease of life with a multi-million pound restoration project enabling it to re-open to visitors in 1993. Overgrown but never fully forgotten, pathways were cleared, gullies re-opened and handrails reinstalled to allow visitors to enjoy the spectacular views and surprises that the Follies reveal around every corner.
Hawkstone’s history as a place to visit started in 1556 when Sir Rowland Hill, the first protestant Lord Major of London, purchased the Hawkstone estate for £700, starting the family's 340 year association with Hawkstone.
You will need to purchase a ticket for entry which costs £9.50. This can be purchased in advance or on the day at the entrance. Admission tickets can be purchased in advance here: Hawkstone Park Follies.
Well behaved dogs are welcome.
New Members
Please feel free to join this as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".
If there are no places left on this event, join the wait list as people frequently drop out during the week before an event and you are likely to get a place.
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All pictures taken by the ODL leaders and permission is granted to ODL for their use.
What to bring
A torch small torch maybe useful when walking through the caves and grottos.
Good footwear is recommended due to the nature of the paths and ground in places.
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain. There is possibly areas of boggy or wet ground if weather has been wet close to the walk date.
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Food & drink
Please bring lunch snacks and any refreshments you will require for the day.
Weather permitting there maybe a kiosk open at the picnic point for the opportunity of purchasing drinks, ice creams etc.
The Tearoom at the Orangery by the entrance sells snacks, sandwiches, toasties, ice cream etc.
There will be opportunity to visit the tea room on the decent from the follies