Stiperstones Winter Solstice Group hike with Ray of Sun Adventures - Shropshire скачать в хорошем качестве

Stiperstones Winter Solstice Group hike with Ray of Sun Adventures - Shropshire

There is something quietly powerful about setting off before sunrise and walking straight into the unknown. This hike was organised by Ray of Sun Adventures to celebrate the Winter Solstice and what should have been the welcoming of the sun on the year's longest day! The weather, however, had other plans and we set off in thick fog with zero visibility where the world felt reduced to just sound, breath and the rhythm of footsteps. No sweeping views today just a slow calm ascent as the light crept in and the landscape stayed hidden. Foggy mornings like this turn a familiar trail into something completely different and otherworldly, remind us that not every hike is about what you can see. Sometimes it is about being present trusting the path and enjoying the stillness. As we arrived at the summit of the Stiperstones, we paused to celebrate the solstice with mince pies and bucks fizz while listening to winter stories by professional storyteller Danielle Free. The Stiperstones are a dramatic quartzite ridge and National Nature Reserve in the Shropshire Hills, known for its jagged, weathered rock formations (tors) like the Devil's Chair, shaped by Ice Age freezing/thawing. This unique landscape (usally) offers stunning views, diverse wildlife (including rare Red Grouse), historic mining remnants, and popular walking trails, attracting hikers and nature lovers to explore its ancient geology and folklore. We will definitely be back in better weather to explore the landscape more, but in the meantime this was certainly a brilliant and memorable way to bring in the beginning of winter.