Pictures of Clun Forest Pictures of Clun Forest Pictures Accommodation Towns Attractions Reviews Map Upload The beautiful Clun Forest lies in a remote part of Shropshire, it was once a Royal hunting ground for Kings, Princes and their fair ladies. Much of the old woodlands of those far off days has vanished with new woods being replanted mostly to the east of Clun. This is a spacious lonely area where wide moorlands are roamed by hardy Clun sheep. Endless miles of tranquillity are disturbed only by the call of the plover or the sweep of rising buzzards and ravens. Looking around it is difficult to think that this peaceful bracken covered area, dotted with farmhouses was once the scene of fierce fighting in the days of Border skirmishes. Offa's Dyke runs through here, and close-by stands Sowdley Wood, one of the most picturesque of all Shropshire's woodlands. These woods are delightful places to visit, they share between them a wealth of flora and fauna, showing mosses, lichen and ferns. A stark contrast to the fresh green leaves of summer is provided by the autumnal showing of scarlet toadstools and puffballs.

Nearby, bathed in sunlight, the Clun meanders on its way, watering fertile valleys and golden corn fields hemmed in by wood-capped hills. Essentially a place of peace, these woods bordering with the Welsh marshes provide a paradise for walkers. There is much to explore and discover. The hills are full of Bronze-Age remains, stone circles, fragments of forts, hilltop settlements and long buried weapons and tools. It is a solitary place appealing to naturists and those with a sense of the mystique of long ago. Clun Forest and nearby woodland provide a perfect place for a family day out or a romantic woodland walk. Please upload your photos of Clun Forest or see below for towns & villages near Clun Forest and a list of other nearby attractions to visit. Clun (19 Pictures) (6.1 miles, 9.8 km, direction SE) Rising at the side of the River Clun from which the town takes its name, this charming little place offers much of interest... (13.9 miles, 22.3 km, direction E) The village of Stokesay lies amid the soft rolling fields and wooded valley's of shropshire...

Little Stretton (3 Pictures) (14.5 miles, 23.3 km, direction E) Little Stretton lies in a charming rural area a short distance from the old town of Church Stretton... Rhayader (23 Pictures) (19.1 miles, 30.8 km, direction SW) Several roads converge on this peaceful market town on the upper Wye. It is an historic town which is renowned as an angling, pony trekking, walking and touring centre, it is also the nearest town to the beautiful Elan Valley Reservoirs... Ludlow (107 Pictures) (19.8 miles, 31.8 km, direction E) Nestling on the banks of the rivers Corve and Theme Ludlow is a joyous town to visit at any time of year... Clun Castle (15 Pictures) (5.6 miles, 9.0 km, direction SE) Late in the 12th-century, the wooden fortification built at Clun in the 11th-century was burnt down by the Welsh. The land then.....

Stiperstones (9 Pictures) (11.5 miles, 18.5 km, direction NE) The Stiperstones lie amongst the magnificent hill scenery of Shropshire and at 1,762 feet are the second highest range in the..... Powis Castle & Garden (32 Pictures) (12.5 miles, 20.2 km, direction N) Powis Castle is a magnificent dramatic building rising above a hauntingly beautiful landscape. The castle sits on the borders of..... (13.2 miles, 21.2 km, direction E) .. Stokesay Castle (45 Pictures) (14.0 miles, 22.5 km, direction E) This extremely attractive building is not a castle in the traditional sense, but rather a fortified manor house and as such is..... Clun Forest | The Spinning Loft The Spinning Loft S-Z Clun Forest The Clun Forest originated in the mountainous district of South West Shropshire in England, adjoining the Welsh Border, and is the most numerous sheep breed of the Marshes of Wales. They take their name from the ancient market town of Clun.

Some authors attribute the breed to a combination of Hill Radnor and Shropshire, with Kerry Hill breeding also introduced in about 1865. Cluns are considered a hardy, moderately prolific, easy care breed of medium size. They are a relatively new breed in the United States, first imported in 1959. Clun Forests are dark faced with no wool on the head and legs. They produce a medium wool fleece and are known for their longevity. Breed categories: medium wool, meat Distribution: United Kingdom, Europe, North America Some of the reasons for keeping Clun Forest Sheep: if you are looking for ewes with extraordinary mothering characteristics -­ ease of lambing, eagerness to mother, plenty of twins, plenty of milk -­ look to Clun Forests. if you want lambs that get to their feet fast, that know what they want and go after it, look to Clun Forests. if you want eager foragers and easy keepers who make good gain on grass alone, look to Clun Forests. if you want responsive sheep that handle easily, look to Clun Forests.

if you want ewes that can live productively into their second decade, look to Clun Forests. if you want lambs with lean carcass quality that can bring premium prices, look to Clun Forests. if you want a consistent fleece free of black fiber -­ and easily worked by handspinners -­ look to Clun Forests. if you want a ram that can impart such qualities to his crossbred daughters ­- look to a Clun Forest! The Clun Forest sheep has a very ancient lineage, for it is descended from one of the oldest types of sheep found in England, a distinction it shares with the other Uplands breeds of the Welsh English border, and also with the sheep of the Welsh mountains. The immediate forbearers of the Clun as we know it today were for many years little more than an obscure local type of sheep. Then, at the turn of this century, the Clun began to spread to other parts of England, especially to the eastern lowlands.

As one historian put it, “the Clun began to expand dramatically in numbers.” By mid-century, the Clun Forest sheep was the third most numerous pure breed in Britain and was outnumbered only by the two great mountain breeds ­ the Welsh Mountain and the Scottish Blackface. Many British sheep producers choose to use heavy milking English breeds, often the Clun Forest, for they find that these animals are both hardier and simpler to manage than are the more fragile imported dairy breeds. The 18th century saw the emergence of most of the British breeds that we know today ­ including the Clun Forest. Early in this period of innovation there emerged two breeds, both of which were to play a very important role in the development of the modern sheep industry, and directly in the history of the Clun Forest sheep. Around 1740, in the Midlands of England, Robert Bakewell crossed two local long wool breeds, and after some forty years of careful selection there emerged the New Leicester ­ the first true mutton breed. This animal has not survived, for it eventually proved to be both too costly to feed and too fat. However it was the improving breed used on most of the long wool breeds.

In addition, its two descendants, the Border Leicester, and Hexham or Blue Faced Leicester, are the sires used in the Stratified Cross-breeding System. It is these animals that have always presented the major challenge to the Clun ewe as the preferred breed for use in the commercial flocks of the English lowlands. It is interesting that the two types of sheep favoured by commercial producers, one a crossbred, the other a pure breed, have in common a background of mountain or rough moorland breeding. The locality in which the Clun Forest breed was developed, and with which it is now still identified, is part of southwest Shropshire, centred among the towns of Clun, Craven Arms and Knighton. The forbearers of the breed ranged over a wider area extending west to the open moorlands and into the two Welsh counties of Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire, and to the east, extending across the south Shropshire heath-lands as far as the river Severn.

In the Clun area, the land rose from east to west from 600 to 1250 feet, and until the middle of the 16th century, this was one of the wildest and most desolate regions in England, for it was an area of conflict between the Welsh and the English. The lower altitudes were covered by several large forests (one of which our breed is named after), interspersed with swampy marshlands, while at the higher altitudes, the forests gave way to equally swampy moorland. Fortunately, there are extant medieval records which describe the kind of sheep that were general to the entire region. These were a small tan-coloured (by this is meant reddish-brown) animal that foraged through the forests, swamps and open moorlands. Historians believe that these animals are relics of a very ancient type of forest sheep that had once been found all over England, but by this period were found only in the most desolate parts of south west England. These animals were closely related to the sheep of the Welsh mountains, for they both are relics of the same ancient type.

Today there are a number of variants of the Welsh Mountain type, many retaining the tan-coloured face. There must also have been local variants among the moorland sheep, but we do not know much about them. Oral histories suggest that there was a speckled face type found in the Kerry hills area, whilst in the Clun area the local sheep were polled and had dark tan faces and legs, and further east on the heath-lands of Shropshire were found two dark faced types that were horned, known as Longmynd and Cannock Chase. Common sense and circumstantial evidence, and later direct evidence, make it clear that over time there must have been a considerable admixture of mountain and moorland breeding in the western part of the region, but it hardly matters, for all these types were very similar, and all had evolved over the centuries in a harsh environment, in response to the most basic of adaptive pressures ­ survival of the fittest.

Today’s improved breed bears little resemblance to its early 19th-century progenitors, but it is from these animals that it must have inherited so many of the traits that we value so highly: its hardiness and adaptability; the ability to survive on poor forage and prosper on good forage; the strong bond between ewe and lamb; the drive to survive that is shown by the lambs; and the ewe’s capability for heavy milking. This last quality is found in many mountain breeds, for the lamb’s continued survival depends to a large extent on rapid growth during the first two months of life. One final point of interest is that the prominent eyes that are so often seen in the Cluns are also seen in the Welsh mountain sheep, which suggests the continued vitality of those ancient mountain genes. Early in the 19th century, Southdown rams were introduced into the region that includes both the Clun Forest area and the heathlands to the east, and by 1840 there had emerged a distinctive new type of sheep that was general to the region, and ancestral to both the Clun Forest and the Shropshire.

There are portraits of Shropshires that were painted between 1845 and 1870, and they show a sheep with a woolen topknot and a dark face that is totally clear of wool. A number of observers have noted that these animals appear more like the modern Clun than the modern Shropshire. Following this period, the history of the two breeds diverged, and the type that was to become known as the Shropshire was further improved and vigorously promoted by two farm families who lived in the Severn valley. Historians believe that a third breed may have been introduced, probably the New Leicester, and over time, the Shropshire was subject to very different selection pressures than was the Clun Forest. The Clun remained an obscure local type for another fifty years, and it would seem that it changed very little over these years ­ the breed type was essentially set around the middle of the last century. Various sources state that both Shropshire and Kerry Hill rams were used by farmers in the Clun area, but as this occurred at a time when the three breeds were still very similar, it seems unlikely that it resulted in any significant change in the breed.

Other unrecorded genetic infusions may well have occurred during this period, for this was the age of experiment, but judging from the portraits, we see that the breed changed very little. In the last few decades of the 19th century, the Clun was gaining recognition as a distinctive type of sheep, and beginning to spread beyond the local area. Clun flocks were found on some mixed dairy farms in Wales and on similar farms on the grasslands of the West Midlands, but the breed’s real opportunity arrived at the turn of the century. In 1880, grain prices collapsed in Britain due to the introduction of cheap imports, while at the same time lamb production was becoming increasingly profitable. As a result large areas of arable land were returned to grass and sheep, especially in the lowland regions of eastern England. The arable farms did not find it profitable to produce their own replacements, and thus required a steady supply of young ewes that were hardy, prolific, heavy milking, and capable of raising a pair of well-muscled twins off grass. These requirements were met by the Clun Forest type.

To meet this huge demand for commercial breeding stock, Clun numbers began to increase dramatically and the traditional flocks of the Clun valley were transformed: they became “multiplier” flocks. They not only had to increase numbers rapidly, but the sale of large numbers of young ewes was a constant drain on their breeding stock. To compensate they continually drafted in hardy ewes from the upper moorlands, and these were graded up to Clun Forest. Most of these ewes were essentially of the same type, but mountain-type ewes that were both cheap and plentiful would certainly have been included. This practice continued in some flocks until the early 1940s. With the vast numbers of animals involved, it is inevitable that within the breed there is a considerable degree of genetic diversity which can express itself phenotypically, and it is recognized today that there are a number of distinct strains within the breed, but at the same time, the continued infusion of so much high country breeding has ensured that the breed has not lost the virtues of its early moorland progenitors.

The Clun of this period might be called the “Classic Clun,” and there were many pictures taken of this animal as it was between 1950 and 1970. All have a distinct woolen topknot and a brown face, though all were not so dark as became fashionable in show flocks at a later date. Some rams have wool on their face, especially on the cheeks, and of course, we see this in North America, especially on young rams, but it is generally accepted that clean faces are to be preferred. The faces are not so long as became fashionable at a later date, and they tend to be quite wide across the eyes. The ears are generally small to medium in size, though there are animals with larger ears, and they are always held upright, though many are set at a forty-five degree angle. In recent years, show breeders have selected for close-set, very upright ears, but this is not a general characteristic of the Classic Clun, and perhaps we should remember that it is the Classic Clun that established and sustained the breed’s reputation as a highly productive grassland ewe breed.

It is the Classic Clun which provided the foundation of the breed in North America when Tony Turner imported two rams and thirty-nine ewes in 1970, to be followed by one further ram. Readers may well ask why it is that a breed that was so important in Britain did not arrive in North America until 1970. Suffice to say that between 1914 and 1950 there were virtually no exports from Britain, for this period saw two World Wars, the Depression, and a number of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain. When exports were allowed, the quarantine regulations had become so formidable and expensive that only the most determined breeder would attempt to import sheep to north America. Clun breeders owe a considerable debt to Tony, who coming to Canada in the 1960s, had the experience and foresight to recognize that the Clun Forest sheep was very well adapted for use on the grassland farms of North America. Right from the beginning there developed a nucleus of enthusiastic Clun breeders, but in general, acceptance of the breed was slow.

Perhaps this was in part due to poor promotion (including the lack of university sponsorship), but this was not a period when there was great interest in grassland farming. Shepherds were advised to increase productivity by introducing new and more complex production systems. All too often these systems involved increased labour, running, and capital costs which the returns could not justify. This became increasingly evident in the slump of the 1980s, and interest in low cost operations based on grass and forage began to increase, and with this, so did interest in Clun Forest sheep. This last decade has seen a significant increase in the numbers of Clun breeders scattered right across the continent, and we trust that it will continue. While all these developments were taking place in North America, the situation was changing in Britain. Clun numbers began to decline, and today many of the great pedigreed flocks have disappeared, as their owners have been forced to turn to other forms of farming. There are, of course, many Clun flocks remaining in Britain, some pedigreed and others commercial, and though the numbers have declined substantially, the breed still rests on firm foundations.

The reputation of this most versatile pure breed rested on its ability to function as a superb commercial ewe breed on grassland farms, but it has also been used as a crossing breed, and already is a foundation sheep for two new breeds: the Colbred and the Cambridge. Recently, the Clun has been developing a reputation as a dairy sheep. It has been said of the Clun breed that it was bred in the 19th century to 20th-century specifications. Perhaps we should change this and suggest that the breed was bred in the 19th century, improved in the 20th century for what will be 21st-century North American specifications. Standard Head and Face: A clean open faced sheep ranging from tan to black; top of head nicely covered and free from dark wool. Ears: Not to long and carried high. Body: Strong, muscular neck, lengthy good back, deep rib, strong loin, good hock, deep and well-rounded thighs, good through heart, strong bone, standing square on its legs. Legs: Fairly free from wool from hock and knee down. Wool: A tight fleece, fine texture, free from kemp and dark or gray wool.

Skin: A nice pink or red skin, free from black or blue spots. A sheep which meets you with a good head and a bold walk, that stands squarely on its legs, with plenty of heart girth and a good constitution. Shop For: Shropshire - UMHC Hiking Guide Mailing List Shropshire Shropshire is the largest inland county in England, yet is somewhat forgotten (though once there it is easy to see why the Salopians keep it secret). Wales is to the west and parts of the county are Welsh in appearance and even have Welsh placenames. The north of the county is generally flat, similar to Cheshire to the north. However it is the south of the county which is more interesting to hikers and walkers. A mix of true English countryside and unpopulated hill country. The main hill ranges are the Stiperstones, the Strettons, the Clee Hills, and Clun Forest. There is also Wenlock Edge, The Wrekin and Ironbridge Gorge which are popular destinations for their own reasons. The best part of south Shropshire, about a third of the whole county, is covered by the Shropshire Hills AONB.

Contents [ edit ] Stiperstones The Stiperstones are a ridge of hills only a few miles south west of Shrewsbury. The highest peak is 536m and the ridge is considerably higher than the countryside to the west and north which is typically at 70-90m. Therefore the views over the Severn valley out towards Powys and north Shropshire is exceptional. The Stiperstones are close enough to the Strettons for a combined long walk encompassing both hill ranges. Paths on the Stiperstones are rocky and they feel rather more mountainous than you would expect for their modest height, so allow extra time. [ edit ] Strettons A valley in the Long Mynd area At the centre of the Strettons lies the town of Church Stretton and on either end the villages of All Stretton and Little Stretton. The valley in which these settlements are located in is sometimes called "Little Switzerland". Church Stretton has a railway station on the Shrewsbury to Hereford line and it is possible to go direct by train from Manchester Piccadilly. From the town you can walk either east or west.

To the west is the Long Mynd, a high plateau around 450-500m, with a peak at Pole Bank of 516m. Up there you will find a gliding club airfield, firing ranges and archery ranges! Quite a popular place for locals to climb (or drive) up and wander around the top. The plateau is moorland and there are some wild horses. The eastern edge of the Long Mynd (towards Church Stretton) has some steep slopes and deep valleys -- a very different feel from the central plateau. [ edit ] Clee Hills The highest peak in Shrophsire is Brown Clee Hill at 540m. It lies amongst other Clee Hills in a very rural English setting. The small town (very small) of Cleobury Mortimer is on one end, near the border with Worcestershire. Ludlow, which has a railway station with trains to Manchester, lies on the other, west end of the hills. The highest public house in Shropshire, and one of the highest in England, can be found near the village of Clee Hill (yes, confusing I know). The Kremlin at 390m.

[ edit ] Clun Forest Not so much hiking to be done, but if you are after long country walks through the land that time forgot, then the Clun Forest area of Shropshire is for you. This area is really Welsh which was annexed to Shropshire some centuries ago and the population are sparsely settled and are very "local". The nearest towns are Clun and Bishop's Castle - both are very small and unless you are going by car/coach then forget it (public transport is non-existent). The weather out here can be very wet too (personal experience in both winter and summer). A treat though for those who enjoy the ancient Welsh Marches countryside, unspoilt. The second highest public house in Shropshire, the most westerly public house in Shropshire and the most westerly public house (and indeed settlement) on the English-Welsh border is the Anchor, in Anchor (the hamlet doesn't really consist of much else) at 385m. [ edit ] Getting there Travelling to Shropshire from Manchester is easy and also reasonably near.

Shrewsbury, the county town, is 75 minutes by train (hourly direct service with Arriva Trains Wales). The same train continues towards Cardiff and calls at Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Ludlow in south Shropshire. If going by car or coach, use the M56 then the A49 - to Shrewsbury it is 70 miles from the centre of Manchester. Depending where in south Shropshire you want to go, change direction at Shrewsbury (though sticking to the A49 towards Leominster is most likely). [ edit ] Real ales Finally, local beers - there are many local breweries in Shropshire. In Wem, north Shropshire, there is Hanby Ales. In Shrewsbury, mid Shropshire, there is the Salopian brewery. In Craven Arms, south Shropshire, there is Woods. The Three Tuns brewery in Bishop's Castle, near Wales, and in Cleobury Mortimer, southeast Shropshire, there is Hobsons. If you go to a pub in Shropshire, look out for their ales!

About: Clun Forest About: Clun Forest An Entity of Type : AnimalGroup107993929 , from Named Graph : , within Data Space : dbpedia.org Clun Forest is a remote, rural area of open pastures, moorland and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodland in the southwest part of the English county of Shropshire and also just over the border into Powys, Wales.It was once a large forest covering an area that stretched from Ludlow up the Clun Valley. It now is only forested in some wooded areas, such as Radnor Wood, though a fairly large area of forest exists on the Wales–England border north of Anchor (the planted Ceri Forest).The ancient Offa's Dyke runs north-south through the area (and can be walked by the Offa's Dyke Path). Property English Counties Walking Guide Books Avon The old county of Avon now comprises the authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. Attractions include part of the Mendip Hills in the south of the region, the Avon Gorge, Elegant Bath and part of the Cotswold escarpment in the east.

Bedfordshire Rural Bedfordshire offers some delightful walking. There are areas of gentle wooded scenery and many attractive unspoilt villages. Part of the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty sweeps across the south and centre of the county. Dunstable Downs provides open country walking while, on the western border, the Grand Union Canal towpath provides a waterside route. Berkshire Berkshire holds many delights for the walker. The rolling Berkshire Downs provide open space and broad vistas. Ancient trackways including the Ridgeway and Icknield Way cross this bracing landscape, golden with wheat fields in summer. In the east Windsor Great Park provides pleasant walking and interesting wildlife. You will find additional guides covering the Thames Valley and Chilterns areas listed in the English Regional Guides/SE England section. Buckinghamshire A large part of the Chiltern Hills lies within Buckinghamshire and walking guides to this lovely region are included here. Much of the Chilterns are covered in dense Beechwood, dark green and cool in summer, a flame of glorious russets and gold in autumn. In springtime glades of bluebells provide a misty blue carpet in dappled sunlight.

Fine views are to be had at summits such as Ivinghoe Beacon in the extreme south west of the county. Walking the Chilterns is an experience not to be missed. Cambridgeshire Much of northern Cambridgeshire is fenland, in which a watery landscape of meadows and streams predominates, as at the Isle of Ely. In what was once Huntingdonshire cattle graze on drained pastures that are flat, but not always featureless. There are lovely riverside villages along the Greast Ouse. The beautiful colleges and riverside walks of Cambridge University are well worth exploring. South of Cambridge the land rises to the cereal growing uplands which provide a very different walking landscape. Cornwall Sun, sea and spectacular coastlines. Idyllic coves, sandy beaches, picturesque fishing villages and a footpath that connects them all. Cornwall makes a great walking destination, either walking parts of the SW Coast National Trail or exploring the inland Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty such as Bodmin moor, the peaceful Helford River or the Camel Estuary, or the Lizard and Roseland Peninsulars. County Durham Much of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty lies within County Durham.

Sweeping heather clad moors provide wilderness walking and a sense of space. Discover the Durham Dales, Weardale, Teesdale and the Derwent Valley which offer a blend of rugged upland, majestic waterfalls, gentle river valleys, wildflower meadows and drystone walls. In the east there is a stunning coastline with sandy beaches and exhilerating cliff top walking. there are numerous country parks, forests and, of course, Durham city home of the Prince Bishops. Cumbria Most of Cumbria is included in the Lake District National Park. For guides to the Lakes see the National Parks Section. This section includes the Eden Valley, the Howgill Fells, Lunesdale and other areas of Cumbria outside the National Park Boundary. These areas offer glorious scenery and tranquillity away from the summer crowds in the Lake District National Park. Derbyshire Explore the beautiful scenery of the Derbyshire Dales. Routes from all of the unspoilt pretty villages are included in our guides. Add interest by following one of the many trails such as the Tissington Trail, the High Peak Trail or the Monsai Trail which all follow disused railway lines.

Explore intriguing rock formations including Black Rocks at Cromford, Stanton Moor, Rowtor Rocks at Birchover or High Tor at Matlock Dale. Please go to National Parks / Peak District section for lots more titles with Peak District walks Devon Glorious Devon rightly deserves to be one of England's favourite holiday destinations. It has everything from the the warm English riviera of the south coast to the dramatic rugged cliffs of the north coast. Protecting the southern coast is the wild and brooding mass of Dartmoor National Park, a stunning contrast and providing a unique walking experience. In the north east, part of the softer fissured moorland of Exmoor tumbles over the county boundary. Central Devon is also enchanting with it's rolling green hills, narrow winding lanes and sleepy villages. The East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty provides a rich coloured tapestry of red, lush green and chalk white. The Blackdown Hills AONB, a series of ridges on the Devon / Somerset border, provide easy pleasant walking with very few people. The only problem with Devon is being spoilt for choice. Please also see Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks sections for more books on these areas.

Dorset Dorset, Hardy's Wessex country, is perhaps the most rural and unspolit county in southern England. As such it offers many delights for the country walker. Our guides point you towards all the best locations and routes to explore. The Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is typical of this rural landscape with heaths, chalk downs, pastoral vales and deep country lanes. The Dorset Heritage Coast include such unmissable delights as Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door, Chesil Beach and the sweeping cliffs of Lyme Bay. Essex Epping Forest, final outpost of a vast Saxon and Norman hunting ground, provides splendid walking close to the capital. Explore its sunlit glades and magnificent hornbeams. The willow lined river Stour, north of Colchester, provides beauty and peaceful walking past water meadows and historic churches. The Colne Valley provides woodland walks in farming country and the lonely coastal marshlands are a bird watchers joy. Gloucestershire Gloucestershire has three distinct landscape regions, each providing enjoyable walks. The Forest of Dean, one of the oldest forests in England, draws the walker along its semingly endless forest trails.

This enchanting unspoilt region is one of England's woodland gems. Severn Vale in the centre of the county offers pleasant riverside walks. Gloucestershire's most glorious region is the wooded Cotswold escarpment with stunning views over the Vale. The escarpment and much of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty fall within the county. You will find Cotswold titles listed here. Greater London If there's one thing you can be sure about when walking in London, it's plenty of interest. Here, in the Capital, you are surrounded by history, great architecture and delightful parks. You'll be surprised how much open space and peaceful countryside the guides in this section reveal in addition to some facinating excursions in the built environment. If you are looking for walks a little further out from London check the home county pages as well. Hampshire Hampshire is a county of contrasts and many aspects. In the south east the woodlands and heaths of the New Forest offer endless pleasure, and with luck you might spot a wild deer. In the north and west stretch the open chalk uplands of the North Downs, big sky walking country.

In the east the more intimate landscape of the hangers, beech woods clinging to the steep chalk slopes and seen at their best near Selborne, provide great walks with literary interest. The Isle of Wight is also included in this section and has much to offer the walker with beautiful coastal and country walks and the best maintained footpath network in the UK. Herefordshire One of England's most rural counties, Herefordshire offers peaceful walking through rich green farmland, idylic woods and coppices. In the south west you can walk among hills and meadows with the backdrop of the Welsh Black Mountains. There is beautiful riverside walking along the Wye Valley and the River Dore along the Golden Valley. East of Hereford is a land of cider apples, hops, chestnut Hereford cattle and sheep. Kent For centuries this quintessentially English county has been known as the 'Garden of England', with its famous orchards, hop fields, vineyards and gently wooded countryside. Surrounded by a beautiful coastline, this is a landscape dotted with pretty villages, stately homes and gardens, ancient castles and traditional oast houses. Endless scope for enjoyable walking!

Lancashire Lancashire's Hill country is by far the most attractive and interesting for walking. The beautiful countryside in this region embraces the rugged and varied terrain of the Forest of Bowland, a designated AONB, and the secluded open moors in the South and West Pennines. Pendle, famous for its witches, and the Ribble Valley are both great locations for walking in Lancashire. There are stunning views, attractive villages, lovely rivers and streams, woodland, reservoirs, canal side paths and much else to explore and enjoy. Our guides have walking routes to take you to the most attractive locations, whatever part of Lancashire you want to explore. The Isle of Man is also included in this section. Leicestershire Leicestershire, part of the North Midlands, is a county of surprisingly varied landscape. Charnwood Forest provides facinating and dramatic walking amongst the ancient pre-cambrian granite outcrops and remaining oak woods. The county has many rural areas with quiet sleepy villages and rolling countryside ideal for walking. This section includes Rutland.

Shropshire There are endless walking possibilities within Shropshire's 5,000km of public paths, but the most important areas are the hills of the south west between Ludlow and Shrewsbury. Church Stretton, roughly in the centre of this area is an excellent base. The hills of Long Mynd, Wenlock Edge, Stiperstones, Clee Hills and Clun Forest all offer spectacular open walking and panoramic vistas. The quiet, green valleys and Dales between these ranges are also beautiful walking country. Somerset Five ranges of hills, the Mendips, the Quantocks, the Poldens, the Blackdowns, and the Brendons, provide wonderful walking and spectacular views. South Somerset is a rural idyll with gentle landscapes, sleepy villages and colourful beauty in the fields, orchards and woods. The important and hauntingly beautiful Somerset Levels provides a complete contrast to the deep and dramatic Cheddar Gorge with its soaring limestone cliffs, and yet these different landscapes are but a few miles apart. For more books with Exmoor walks see National Parks/Exmoor section. Staffordshire The Staffordshire Moorlands, in the north of the county, has to be the best area for walking.

Situated on the southern fringes of the Peak District it's an ideal base for everything from gentle strolls to energetic hill walking. Other attractions include the Manifold Valley and the western side of Dovedale. Surrey The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty provides many of the best walking locations in the county. From west to east the sandy heaths, beech clad hills and rolling chalkland of the North Downs provide open space and very pleasant walking. Surrey may be a crowded county, but these guides will take you to places of delightful countryside and peaceful tranquility. Sussex East and West Sussex offer a facinating choice of landscapes in which to walk. Behind the coast lie the South Downs, a chalk ridgeway of sweeping grassy slopes, the location of an ancient route, The south Downs Way, walked by stone age man. Beyond, northwards lies The Weald, an affluent countryside filled with glorious woods, pretty villages, orchards and hop farms. Warwickshire Warwickshire lies at the very heart of England, a county of leafy lanes and paths, remnants of the once vast forest of Arden. The gentle wooded countryside has many old manor houses, and picturesque villages of black and white thatched cottages.

Stratford-on-Avon and Shakespeare country typify this image with lovely riverside walks. To the south there is a taste of the Cotswolds. Wiltshire The wide expanses of the Marlborough Downs and Salisbury Plain provide exhilarating big sky walking with a real sense of ancient history at Avebury and Stonehenge. The Vale of Pewsey and Savenake Forest, part of the Kennet District, offer a complimentary landscape which also has many enjoyable walking opportunities; and the Kennet and Avon canal, joining the two rivers, provides delightful waterside rambling through peaceful rural countryside. Worcestershire Worcestershire is one of the lovely rural counties of the heart of England, stretching from the Malvern Hills to the Cotswolds. Worcester, with its Severnside setting, splendid cathedral and world famous porcelain, is surrounded by wonderful walking countryside. The county has many other facinating riverside towns such as Bewdley, Stourport on Severn, Pershore, Evesham and Upton on Severn. There is glorious woodland in the ancient Wyre Forest and fruit orchards in the Vale of Evesham, a magnificent sight during Spring blossom time.

Yorkshire Yorkshire is a vast and varied county in which the walker is truly spoilt for choice. Two National Parks, The North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales are both, in very different ways, stunning walking landscapes. North of the Humber the Wolds are peaceful and unspoilt. And as if this was not enough there are also two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Nidderdale and the Howardian Hills. For a fantastic selection of books based on the National Parks please refer to the seperate sections on the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. Clun Forest Sheep Club Czech Republic For Sale About Breed The Clun Forest is a breed of domestic sheep originating from the area surrounding the Clun Forest in Shropshire. Similar to many of the British breeds of upland sheep, Clun Forest are hardy, adaptable, good foragers, and are long–lived. With sleek heads and wide pelvic structures, Clun Forest ewes lamb easily. The breed has a short to medium–length wool and dark brown faces. They are a multi–purpose animal, kept for meat, wool, and milk. Like other dark faced sheep, Clun produce quality lamb and mutton.

However, in contrast to more common meat breeds such as Suffolks, their wool is free of undesirable black fibres and kemp, and is suitable for handspinning. The breed's alert and stylish appearance, together with its reputation for hardiness and fecundity have made it popular with hobby farmers and large commercial flock owners alike. Origins of the Breed (from the (UK) Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society Flock Book) The breed takes its name from ancient market town of Clun, situated in the beautiful Clun Valley in the south-west corner of Shropshire and near the county of Powys. The Clun Forest is a mountainous district, running to an altitude of 1,630 feet above sea level. It is a natural sheep walk with signs of "Pounds" and "Druid Circles" still remaining. Offa's Dyke runs through the lower part of the Clun Forest. It has been suggested that the original Clun sheep were bred by the pastoral or semi-nomadic shepherds who lived in the Forest about a thousand years ago. As far back as 1837 reference was made to the many excellent qualities of the Clun.

The virtues of hardiness and fertility were the products of natural selection and sheep-lore based on the geological structure of the area. In 1892 W. J. Malden wrote, "In Clun Forest sheep there appear to be all the essentials necessary to produce a breed which cannot fail to add to the renown of a County which already occupies a leading place in the annuls of sheep breeding." Many Clun flocks are maintained at altitudes of 1,000 to 1,500 feet above sea level, whilst others thrive on rich lowlands. The British climate and geographic conditions are so varied that the Clun scores all along the line because of its adaptability and hardiness, whilst its prolificacy and ease of management account for the great demand of the breed for various systems of management and fat lamb production. The contented nature of the breed is a valuable asset, for the Clun is a good forager and will range over large pastures without attention. It is at home on the hills or moorlands and will fend for itself like a mountain breed.

The Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society was founded in 1925 with the object to 'secure in the future, absolute purity of lineage and fixity of type, also to get this grand breed of sheep still more widely known and recognised among the leading breeds of the United Kingdom.' This was stated in the first Flock Book, published in the year 1925. A Flock Book has been published every year since. Source: - Clun Forest Clun Forest Contact The Wrotham Flock of Clun Forest Sheep Our Wrotham Flock of Clun Forest sheep was established in 1995 with a small number of breeding ewes from the Burrington Flock. With carefully selected rams from the Withy, Hondu & Sarnesfield Flocks we breed sizeable, robust Cluns with strikingly dark faces and legs and erect pointed ears. We aim to breed large, strong, bold Cluns which are visually impressive and commercially valuable. We also occasionally breed Clun Forest or English Mules by crossing with the Bluefaced Leicester. Since we began showing our Clun Forest sheep in the Summer of 2013 we have enjoyed a great deal of success.

In the first year our Clun Forest Shearling Ewe ‘Zante’ won 4 Championships at various shows and since then several of our Cluns have won a number of Champion and Reserve Champion Rosettes at shows including Hertfordshire County Show, Suffolk County Show, Kent County Show, Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, Bucks County Show and Royal Berkshire County Show. Of particular note in 2015 was winning both Male & Female Champion and Overall Champion and Reserve Champion at Suffolk County Show and Winning Shortwool Champion and Reserve Supreme Champion with our Ram Lloyd at Royal Berkshire County Show. As with our other breeds we strive to turn out our Cluns to the highest standards to really emphasise the size, quality and presence of these impressive sheep. About the Breed The Clun Forest breed takes its name from the old town of Clun and the surrounding forests situated in the southwest corner of Shropshire and it is thought that the Clun Forest Sheep originate from the sheep that semi-nomadic shepherds bred over 1000 years ago in that area.

Since that time the breed has changed substantially evolving from a white faced sheep; under the influence of crossing with breeds such as the Longmynd, Radnor and Shropshire to a dark faced sheep. Even during the development of the breed it was noted that ‘A well bred Clun ram, as it now stands, is an imposing animal, one which demands admiration for all those who possess an eye to a sheep’. In 1925 the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society was formed ‘to secure the purity of lineage and fixity of type’ and also to promote the virtues of the breed throughout the sheep industry. Over the past 90 years the breed has retained all the positive attributes which has made it popular worldwide. However, the ears are now carried slightly higher and the face is increasingly dark. A good Clun should have a clean open dark-brown face, free from speckles with the top of the head nicely covered and free from dark wool. The ears are not too long or broad, free from speckles and carried high set at '5 to 1'. The body should have a strong muscular neck, a lengthy wide back, deep ribs and sit upon deep well rounded thighs and strong boned square legs.

Legs should be strong and correct with no twisting or execessive length in the pasterns and visually they should be free from speckles and free from wool from the hock down. A full breed standard and more information about the breed can be found on the Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society Website Pictures of Clun Pictures of Clun Pictures Accommodation Towns Attractions Reviews Facts Map Upload Ancient town, surrounded by low hills, forests and streams which thousands of years ago were occupied by Stone-Age people. At the beginning of the Bronze-Age a trade route had been established across the Clee Hills, to the River Severn and on to the South of England. Clun was also an important part of Roman Britain but when the Romans departed, Shropshire became the scene of violent, bloody fighting, as man for man, the Celtic Welsh and Saxons fought the long and bloody battles of centuries. The arrival of the Normans heralded a new dawn and in medieval times, the sombre landscape took on a fresh shape and acquired a lighter atmosphere.

Castles were built to keep out the marraudering Welsh and thus, this charming town which had begun to develop as a settlement around a Saxon church in the 7th-century, began to flourish. Late in the 12th-century, the wooden fortification built at Clun in the 11th-century was burnt down by the Welsh. The land then came into the ownership of the Earls of Arundel, who built a great stone fortress in the 13th-century. Now, naught but a romantic ruin sitting on a ledge above the town, the once impressive castle, continues as the town's most famous landmark. Rising at the side of the River Clun from which the town takes its name, this charming little place offers much of interest. The 14th-century packhorse bridge crossing the Clun, is the oldest of its kind in Shropshire. No market exists but there is a pleasant Market Square around which are set a mixture of delightful buildings. There are Almshouses dating 1614 and Trinity Hospital was built at about the same time. Small but lively, Clun offers an interesting experience for visitors.

A local History Museum tells the story of the town and its people and each May, the town stages the Clun Green Man Festival, said to ensure the safe arrival of Summer. The town makes an ideal base for exploring Clun Forest, Bury Ditches, Offa's Dyke and distant Brown Clee Hill which at 1,800 feet is the highest hill in Shropshire. Planning a visit to Clun? Please support the Pictures of England website by booking your Clun hotels & accommodation through this site. in the county of Shropshire (8.6 miles, 13.8 km, direction E of Clun) The village of Stokesay lies amid the soft rolling fields and wooded valley's of shropshire... in the county of Shropshire (11.4 miles, 18.3 km, direction NE of Clun) Little Stretton lies in a charming rural area a short distance from the old town of Church Stretton... in the county of Shropshire (13.9 miles, 22.4 km, direction SE of Clun) Overton lies on a bend of the River Test a short distance from Ludlow...

a Historic Market Town in the county of Shropshire (13.9 miles, 22.4 km, direction E of Clun) Nestling on the banks of the rivers Corve and Theme Ludlow is a joyous town to visit at any time of year... in the county of Herefordshire (15.0 miles, 24.2 km, direction SE of Clun) Pembridge, is one of the prettiest villages in Herefordshire, it is thrice blessed for it stands in a trio of black and white villages famed for an abundance of quaint cottages and graceful houses... Clun Castle (15 Pictures) (0.6 miles, 0.9 km) Late in the 12th-century, the wooden fortification built at Clun in the 11th-century was burnt down by the Welsh. The land then..... Stokesay Castle (45 Pictures) (8.6 miles, 13.9 km, direction E) This extremely attractive building is not a castle in the traditional sense, but rather a fortified manor house and as such is..... (11.2 miles, 18.0 km, direction NE) ..

Stiperstones (9 Pictures) (11.5 miles, 18.6 km, direction N) The Stiperstones lie amongst the magnificent hill scenery of Shropshire and at 1,762 feet are the second highest range in the..... Carding Mill Valley & Long Mynd (11 Pictures) (12.4 miles, 20.0 km, direction NE) The bleak, heather clad Long Mynd lies to the west Of Church Stretton. It is a long lonely stretch covering some 10 miles in..... (13.3 miles, 21.4 km, direction SE) Castellated manor house set in stunning countryside with panoramic views... (13.6 miles, 21.9 km, direction E) Information Coming Soon..

Question: Clun Forest lies in which English county?
Answer: SHROPSHIRE