The Wrekin - Shropshire Hill Walks 29/130 Highest Shropshire Hills AONB

The Wrekin (406.9 m) is Shropshire's most popular hill. The footfall per-day is tremendous, on a weekday in winter 200 visitors is typical. The car park is always rammed and the approach roads are chock-a-block with cars too!
The popularity is understandable... the third greatest 'prominence' of the 130 Shropshire Hills at 310m, only beaten by The Stiperstones (357m) and The Brown Clee Abdon Burf (373m). So that makes for GREAT views and really good exercise. Add the close proximity to Telford, Wellington, and Shrewsbury, as well as easy access from further afield via the adjacent M54 and you have a recipe for popularity. It's got great features too... a hill-fort, a prominent transmission ariel, rocky outcrops, resident deer, a Café 1/3rd of the way up (optimistically called The Halfway House) and parking for 50 cars at the bottom.
However, on the negative side, there is litter, there are dog poo bags, there is severe erosion (notice the green mats around the Trig point) and there is little chance of solitude. Fortunately there are a number of individuals, including yours truly, who go up there and help to remove the litter, so the build-up is limited.
Many people use it as an outdoor gym, exercising weekly or even daily. Some go to the summit every day of the year. Many go up during the hours of darkness. There are mountain bikers, fell runners, para-gliders, star gazers, mystics, wild campers, druids, shamans and many more who seek it's heights.
But most of all, The Wrekin is a beacon, a landmark, a Shropshire Icon. It tells Shropshire folk they're home. Enjoy The Wrekin... just remember it's only the 29th highest hill in Shropshire and that plenty of other hills are available!
MY STARTING POINT: Grid Ref: SJ 63871 09250 Nearest Postcode: TF6 5AL