Mortimer Trail

Mortimer Trail
The western trail head is at Kington, Herefordshire
Length	30 miles (48 km)
Location	Welsh Marches, England
Trailheads	Ludlow 52°22′05″N 2°43′01″W / 52.368°N 2.717°W / 52.368; -2.717 Kington 52°12′18″N 3°02′10″W / 52.205°N 3.036°W / 52.205; -3.036
Use	Hiking
Hiking details
Season	All year

The Mortimer Trail is a waymarked long distance footpath and recreational walk in the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire in England.

The route is named after the Mortimer family of ruling Marcher Lords, often titled Earl of March, whose rise through successive generations from Norman times through the medieval period helped to shape the history and geography of this area of the Welsh Marches.

The route runs between Ludlow, Shropshire the old seat of the Council of the Marches, beginning at the site of Ludlow Castle, a seat of Mortimer power, and Kington, Herefordshire, in the quiet west of the county near the Welsh border.

The 30 mile (48 km) long route crosses the River Teme, enters the Mortimer Forest upland forest ridge area, passes Croft Castle, the Iron Age hill fort Croft Ambrey close to Wigmore and the initial seat of Mortimer power, passes through quiet Aymestrey. Near Aymestrey it passes through Puckhouse Wood which was reputed to be haunted by Pucks - or wood sprites. According to lore, a traveller lost in the wood at night paid a stipend for a bell to be tolled to rescue travellers from the Puck's clutches.

The path crosses the River Lugg and the River Arrow and ends in Kington.