The walk was devised in 1962 by Vivian Bird, an author and feature writer for a
Birmingham newspaper, the Sunday Mercury.
He describes the route in his book Bird’s Eye View*:
The Midlands published in March 1969 by The Roundwood Press, Kineton.
“I was preparing a marathon walk to cover the six Shropshire summits over 1,500 feet in one day. They are Corndon Hill (1,684 ft.), a mile across the Montgomery border but inseparable from the Shropshire hill massif; the Stiperstones (1,731 ft.); Long Mynd (1,695 ft.); Caer Caradoc (1,506 ft.) – the highest of them all, Brown Clee (1,790 ft.) – and Titterstone Clee (1,750 ft.). I wanted the Midlands to have a stamina-testing walk comparable with great walks like the ‘Four Inns’ Walk in the South Pennines and the ‘Lyke Wake’ across the North Yorkshire Moors, and the ‘Six Shropshire Summits’ Walk would be a tough 35 or so miles with the pull up Wenlock Edge flung in. Hence the reconnaissance on the day this book was born. Hence the start on 13th May 1962”.
An account from Brian Wakefield on the first running of the event.
*We have attempted to contact the copyright owners of A birds eye view, the Midlands in order to gain permission to use the above extraction. Round wood press are no longer trading.
If you are the copyright owners please contact Mark Phillips.
Birmingham newspaper, the Sunday Mercury.
He describes the route in his book Bird’s Eye View*:
The Midlands published in March 1969 by The Roundwood Press, Kineton.
“I was preparing a marathon walk to cover the six Shropshire summits over 1,500 feet in one day. They are Corndon Hill (1,684 ft.), a mile across the Montgomery border but inseparable from the Shropshire hill massif; the Stiperstones (1,731 ft.); Long Mynd (1,695 ft.); Caer Caradoc (1,506 ft.) – the highest of them all, Brown Clee (1,790 ft.) – and Titterstone Clee (1,750 ft.). I wanted the Midlands to have a stamina-testing walk comparable with great walks like the ‘Four Inns’ Walk in the South Pennines and the ‘Lyke Wake’ across the North Yorkshire Moors, and the ‘Six Shropshire Summits’ Walk would be a tough 35 or so miles with the pull up Wenlock Edge flung in. Hence the reconnaissance on the day this book was born. Hence the start on 13th May 1962”.
An account from Brian Wakefield on the first running of the event.
*We have attempted to contact the copyright owners of A birds eye view, the Midlands in order to gain permission to use the above extraction. Round wood press are no longer trading.
If you are the copyright owners please contact Mark Phillips.
Shropshire Six Summits is realised A keen walker by the name of David Ramsay; a Station Officer in the Birmingham Fire and Ambulance Service; working at Divisional Headquarters wanted his co workers to enjoy the benefits of hiking. After a few discussions of when and where to go, he suggested the six Shropshire summits would make a grand day out for all.
Popularity growsDespite the initial aches and pains, the day was a success and constantly discussed. David decided then that it would become an annual event.
Initially it was only open to members of the Fire Service, but the walks popularity soon spread and it was open to all. |
Fire Service Sports and Athletic AssociationThe formation of the Fire Service Sports and Athletic Association in 1969 and the West Midlands Fire Service in 1974 saw the event gain national prominence, with entries not only coming from the Fire Service, but the Police, Ambulance, Armed services and members of the Long Distance
Walking Association. The present day eventSince David Ramsay’s retirement a number of both serving and retired members of the WMFS have organised the event, Brian Wakefield, Brian Mann, David Ginks and Paul Partridge.
Since 2011 the event has been organised by Ed Jones and Mark Phillips. |