Ashes Hollow is the most rewarding of the quieter valleys cutting up into the Long Mynd from the south. Where Carding Mill Valley can feel crowded on summer weekends, Ashes Hollow — accessed from Little Stretton village, 2 miles south of Church Stretton — sees a fraction of the visitors. The stream tumbles over small falls as the valley narrows, the path picking its way up through bracken and heather to reach the plateau above.
The walk from Little Stretton to the Long Mynd plateau and back takes around three hours. Combining with the ridge walk north to Pole Bank and descending via Carding Mill Valley makes a full-day circuit. The hollow is particularly good for birds: dippers work the stream, red grouse are scattered across the heather, and buzzards are a near-constant overhead presence.