Toolhope Haturalists Field Club. 
MEETING AT CHURCH STRETTON, 
Fripay, May 15ru, 1874. 
The first Field Meeting for the season of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field 
Club was held at Church Stretton on Friday, the principal object being an 
excursion on foot to the summit of the lofty hill on the N.E. side of that town, 
known as Caer Caradoc. An alternative excursion for those members who 
did not care to encounter the fatigues of the ascent was arranged, the party 
ascending the Longmynd hills, along the basis of which Church Stretton is 
situated. Very few, however, availed themselves of the alternative, nearly the 
whole of the party preferring to test the truth of the poetic adage, although 
destitute of the inducement which he describes as justifying the effort : 
How kard it is, and difficult to climb 
The steep where Fame’s proud temple shines afar— 
The only ‘‘ fame” with which the gray summit of Caradoc is associated being the 
legendary renown of the British hero-king, whose actual presence on the spot at 
any time is a matter of pure conjecture. 
The Meeting was fairly attended. The party from Hereford started from 
that city by train at 9.30, and were joined at Leominster by the President 
(Rev. James Davies, of Moorcourt) and a small party; and at Ludlow by 
Mr. T. Salwey and friends. On reaching Church Stretton at 11 am., the 
President and Members were greeted by the Rev. Donald Carr, of Woolstaston, 
and the Rey. William Elliott, of Cardington, who had kindly undertaken to act 
as guides. Leaving behind the few who had preferred the Longmynd, the rest of 
the party (22 in number) made their way along the foot-path which skirts the 
base of the the Lawley Hill into the sloping pass between it and Caer Caradoc, 
and then commenced the ascent of the latter hill. The air, even in the valley, 
was cold and ungenial—more like that of March than the “ Merry May ” of the 
poets—but the labour of climbing the ascent made most of the philosophers quite 
warm enough, when they reached the summit, to feel the cold northerly winds at 
first rather agreeable. The occasional bursts of hot sunshine seemed to have no 
perceptible effect in warming the air, the delicious purity of which was not more 
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