Up the Wrekin

On Friday we went with the YSA on a nighttime "Torch Hike" up the Wrekin. (pronounced "Ree-kin.")  The Wrekin is the tallest hill anywhere near Birmingham, a little over 1300 feet above the surrounding farmland.   We started hiking at twilight, when it was nearly 9:00 p.m.  About a third of the way up there is a junction, a rope swing, and a few seats. There is a signpost at the junction. When we had hiked it in the daylight we saw the three signs nailed to the post.  They read "This Way," one "That Way," and "The Other Way." We are glad we went "This Way," as it is the most direct route to the top!   At the top we walked through a V cut in the terrain.  We later learned that was the entrance to an Iron Age fort!  As one gets near the top of the hill, the trees get more and more sparse. On the ridge by the old fort it is bare, affording good views of all of the countryside.

When we got to the top the sky all around the Wrekin was clear and we could see the stars and the bright half moon.   We had brought a high powered set of binoculars, loaned by a man in Lichfield who uses them for star gazing, and everyone had a chance to look at the stars and the bright moon.  It was cold and windy, but all seemed to enjoy it.  We had Snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies for refreshments before heading down. 


 

The Wrekin Hill-fort

"The Wrekin was probably first settled in the Neolithic or Bronze Age but the visible defences are some time between 2000 and 2500 years old and date from the Iron Age.  It sands out over 50 such sites in Shropshire and is likely to have been tribal capital of the Cornovii.  It comprises an inner (3 ha.) enclosure encircling the summit and outer (8 ha.) enclosures encircling the outer slopes.  Its fortifications point clearly to defence, but it probably  served a range of functions such as tribal meetings and and/or ritual centre.  It seems to have been abandoned (perhaps taken by force) around the time of the Roman conquest and there is no archeological evidence for later  re-occupation."

My favorite sign, "This Way, That Way, The Other Way"

Allen and I are standing on top of the Wrekin on a lovely morning a few weeks ago.  We are at the beginning of the fort.

This monuments is a large compass, and points to to various villages and cities as well as N, S, E and W/

Here is the same monument at night.  Allen andAndrew.

Jessica, Stacey, and Maddie

Charlotte

Megan, Jess, Stacey, Maddie, and Amy

We were happy to have been offered a pair of high powered binoculars to use on the hike. 
The stars and moon were beautiful.

The kids said "We have the coolest Stake President,"
when they saw Pres. Gardiner on the tire swing.