About the Area
Shropshire is one of the most beautiful and spacious areas of the UK and is England’s largest landlocked county. Although tucked away on the English and Welsh border it is very accessible, with the M54 linking it to the M6 and a wider network of roads connecting to Wales, the North, Herefordshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. Rail networks are strong and both Birmingham and Manchester airports are a short drive away.
It is a historic county which gave birth to Charles Darwin and Robert Clive, the Industrial Revolution and the modern Olympic Games, gingerbread and the modern sweetpea. It saw the defeat of Hotspur by Henry IV, houses 32 castles, and has inspired poets, musicians and artists including Ralph Vaughan Williams, AE Housman, Malcolm Saville and DH Lawrence. It is also home to a variety of work by the famed engineer Thomas Telford, in whose honour the ‘new town’ was named in the 1960s.
Home to some of the most beautiful countryside and ancient landscapes in England, the county boasts the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Wrekin, Stiperstones, Old Oswestry Hill Fort, Wenlock Edge, a large chunk of Offa’s Dyke, Clun Forest, the Clee Hills and the North Shropshire Plain. The River Severn flows through the county, as do both the Shropshire Union Canal and the Llangollen Canal.
There are more things to do and see than you can shake a stick at, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ironbridge, with its ten award winning museums and the world’s first Iron Bridge, the Severn Valley Railway, the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford, the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, a host of National Trust properties and Wroxeter Roman City. Hawkstone Historic Park and Follies, the North Shropshire Lake District, Brown Moss, Severn Valley Country Park, Lllanymynech Rock and Lyth Hill are just some of the stunning sites that attract walkers of all abilities who are keen to explore the varied Shropshire landscape.
The county town is Shrewsbury which combines medieval architecture with boutique shopping. The Severn flows through the heart of the town providing riverside walks through the large public park, the Quarry. Nearby Telford boasts a shopping centre featuring all the major high street names, Ludlow is a foodie destination and part of the Slow Food movement, while the many market towns house a variety of local and traditional businesses.
Shropshire hosts Shrewsbury Folk Festival, Bridgnorth Music Festival, Ellesmere Regatta, Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival, Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival, Much Wenlock Festival, Shrewsbury Flower Festival, Clun Green Man Festival, Shrewsbury Regatta, as well as many carnivals and other celebrations.
Whether you are taking part in The Great Big Bike Ride or visiting the area at a different time of year, there is always plenty to see and do. But don’t take our word for it – why not check out what the experts have to say at some of the sites listed below?
