Hawkstone Park

We were dog sitting Ella again this weekend and so we needed to go for a long walk. We asked around and Hawkstone Park was the one that we decided to do! 

We loved this walk because it was different and there was quite a lot to see and coming across them felt a bit like a treasure hunt. There were bridges, monuments, towers and caves. It was £16 for 2 adults to get in and we went around in about 3 hours. They give you a map at the beginning and it is all very well signposted for different routes. 

The weather helped for us, but we'd still recommend hiking boots for the most strenuous trail, because it does go through the wood and we were quite muddy. Ella didn't look to impressed when her belly almost touched the mud! 

You were able to walk up the monument, but there wasn't much room up there, or on the spiral staircase. We would love to tell you how many steps there was, but we counted 180 on the way up and only 150 on the way down - so it could be anywhere between the two! Whilst looking at the tower was pretty, the views when you got to the top were spectacular. On a clear day, apparently you can see a whopping 12 counties. This view really does speak for itself. 

What we found really unique about this walk was that you could choose a route completely tailored to you. If you wanted to cross the 85ft high bridge, you could - if it was a bit too high, then there was an alternative and it was really easy to find! 

This walk had some many different caves and quirks,. There was a cave that you could walk right the way through,  it was only when we came out that we saw a couple more exits, so it would be something that you could just keep exploring. 

The cleft was probably the most difficult underfoot, it did get narrower and was uneven. There are chain railings either side to offer you support, but it's something to bear in mind. The strenuous walk back was okay underfoot, it was just very steep in places. 

This is one that we would do again, but probably look ahead and make sure the weather is nice and it is a clear day. It was a bit more then we usually pay,  but you can see that a lot of upkeep would be needed so it could continue being a lovely walk and that made us feel it was worth it. We noticed there was a couple of picnic areas on this walk with a couple of tables/open space to use. 

There is a cafe at the beginning/end and we had a well deserved treat on the way back!