Caer Caradoc

Caer Caradoc is a hill in Shropshire that overlooks the town of Church Stretton and the village of All Stretton. It stands on a narrow ridge called the Stretton Gap and reaches the highest point on a long, whaleback-shaped ridge. The hill rises sharply from the valley and shares its shape with the Wrekin, another hill some 16 kilometres to the north-east. It is formed from volcanic rocks thrust upwards along the Church Stretton Fault, a line running from Staffordshire to Pembrokeshire. The fault can be seen on Ordnance Survey maps as a line of springs on the hill.

The summit holds an Iron Age or late Bronze Age hill fort, which gives the hill its name. In Welsh it is called Caer Caradog, meaning Caradog’s fort. Local legend claims this was where Caratacus fought his last battle against the Romans. It is said he hid in a cave near the summit after the fight. Tacitus, however, mentions a river in his account, and no river is found near the hill.

Visitors climb Caer Caradoc from Church Stretton or the gentler route from Cardington, two miles to the east. The ascent from Church Stretton is steep, while the path from Cardington offers a more gradual walk. At the top, the remains of the hill fort can be seen, along with wide views north to the Wrekin, east to Wenlock Edge, and west over the Long Mynd. The rocky summit and the fault-line springs below add to the hill’s rugged character.