Blog | nortoninhales

Learn more about Bats!

Learn more about Bats!

The village in bloom group have an evening bat walk lined up for the beginning of September. This will start in the centre of the village and progress to Forge Farm where it will be rounded off with a BBQ. We are pleased to have a bat expert, Andrew Cristinacce, to lead the walk and we hope that he will bring along some bat detectors to enable us hear the bat calls. More news on this later on, but as most people do not know anything at all about bats, in preparation for the w

Local Walks - Murrain Stone

Local Walks - Murrain Stone

This is a short walk of just over 2 miles and will take under 1 hour. Most of the walk lies on the perimeter of a large arable field on a permissive bridle path; as such, it will not be found on Ordinance Survey maps. The walk starts from the centre of the village and passes an unusual memorial. Walk along Main Road, in the direction of Market Drayton, to Forge Lane and turn down the lane. Follow this, ignoring the public footpath sign on the left at the end of the houses. Th

Local Walks - Extended Circular

Local Walks - Extended Circular

For the energetic, a description is given here of an extension to the circular walk of about a mile and a half. It takes in the area of Betton Moss and could easily also form the basis of a shorter circular walk from Betton or Ridgewardine. Join the extended walk after the comment about seeing the Wrekin: On reaching the lane running up to Ridgewardine, turn right instead of left, and walk towards Ridgewardine for 350 yards, to a stile in the left-hand hedge by an oak tree. C

Local Walks - Bellaport Old and New

Local Walks - Bellaport Old and New

A figure of eight walk passing near to the site of Bellaport Hall and Bellaport Old Hall. The walk takes you over some of the beautiful ancient landscape surrounding Norton in Hales and you should allow a good 2 hours. You will climb up to near where Bellaport Hall once stood, overlooking parts of Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire, and then descend to pass by Bellaport Old Hall. This is very old settlement and originally part of Bearstone Manor. You also go over an area

Local Walk - Circular

Local Walk - Circular

This walk is just over 4 miles in length, so allow 1½ hours for a leisurely walk. It takes in quiet lanes and field paths and passes by three old Halls. In winter, one section near Oakley can be a little wet underfoot. From the centre of the village, walk up the road signposted to Audlem, past Griffin Close on your left, and turn up a drive just past the next house on the left. This leads to a field, with a small gate. Go through the gate and cross the field behind some bunga