The Stiperstones, Shropshire

Welcome to the Stiperstones, a strange but beautiful landscape not far from the border between England and Wales.

The Stiperstones is a five-mile-long ridge in Shropshire, England. The ridge is remarkable for the strange rocky outcrops that occur at intervals along its length and for the diversity of its wildlife. The views from the ridge are stunning, and a walk along any part of the ridge is a very rewarding experience, especially if the weather is good!

Geological background

The ridge is composed of quartzite, which is a metamorphic rock that was originally quartz sandstone but was later “baked” by volcanic activity and pressure. The rock of the Stiperstones was created during the Ordovician era, some 480 million years ago.

During the most recent Ice Age, which ended about 10,000 years ago, the ridge would have stood above the ice sheet that enveloped the lower land on either side, which meant that the exposed rock would have been subject to constant freezing and thawing, causing it to fracture and fall away as scree with the most resistant parts standing proud as they are today.

Myths and legends

Needless to say, the eerie landscape of the Stiperstones has led to many local myths and legends. One of these is that, when the ridge is swathed in fog, which is often the case, the Devil comes and sits on the rocks that have been named the “Devil’s Chair”. His aim is to push the rocks back underground and, should he ever succeed, England will be conquered by its enemies. Either he is not trying hard enough, there is not enough fog, or England is made of much sterner stuff – the latter, one hopes.

Another legend concerns “Wild Edric”, a Saxon earl whose ghost rides the hills whenever England is threatened by invasion.

Although one is unlikely to spot either Edric or the Devil as one walks the ridge, there is every chance of seeing red kites and ravens perching on the rocks or wheeling overhead. Other birds to be seen include red grouse, wheatears and whinchats.

Most of the Stiperstones area is a National Nature Reserve in which the heather vegetation is carefully preserved to ensure the survival of a number of endangered species, including the emperor moth, green hairstreak butterfly, common lizard and common frog.

© John Welford