Long Mountain

Long Mountain rises on the border between Powys and Shropshire, east of Welshpool. Its summit, Beacon Ring, stands 408 metres above sea level and is the highest point of this long ridge. The hill is classed as a Marilyn because its topographic prominence reaches 305 metres. Sedimentary rocks from the Silurian period form the mountain, with layers of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone visible in the slopes. Glacial deposits from the last ice age lie around the edges, and small patches of till remain in the valleys. The hill carries traces of ancient routes and defences. A possible Roman road once crossed its length, linking Wroxeter to Forden Gaer. Offa’s Dyke runs along the southern and western sides, marking the boundary built in the 8th century. At Beacon Ring an Iron Age hillfort stands, later reused in medieval times and now owned by the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. In 630 the Battle of Cefn Digoll was fought here between Northumbria and an alliance of Gwynedd and Mercia. Nearby Caus Castle, built by the Normans on an earlier hillfort, overlooks the eastern slopes. Walkers follow the Offa’s Dyke Path and the Cross Britain Way to the summit, where wide views stretch across Wales and England. The National Cycle Network Route 81 crosses the ridge between Welshpool and Shrewsbury. Open access land at Walton Hill and Heldre Hill offers further walking, while Gunley Wood provides woodland paths at the southern edge. Public rights of way link the minor roads that cross the mountain, making it a quiet place for exploration.