Real Blue Skies Thinking In Shropshire |
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Real Blue Skies Thinking in Shropshire
Many people ask us (and themselves) “So where exactly is Shropshire anyway”? Well, like all the best places, Shropshire is easy to reach from almost anywhere but far enough away that it’s stayed unspoilt and comparatively unchanged.
So if you are looking for a short break this spring and a chance to get away from it all, de-stress, clear your head and indulge a little - Shropshire could be just the answer to your prayers.
Tucked away on the English and Welsh border, Shropshire has, of course, been surprising visitors for years. Indeed ever since those clever Romans discovered Shropshire as an ideal place for some decent R&R, Shropshire has been offering comfy beds, good food, proper ales and the like to the weary. All served up with the sort of warmth and hospitality that encourages friends to return. It’s a tradition that continues today.
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So what can you do when you’re here? There’s the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge, birth place of the Industrial Revolution now with 10 hands-on museums to explain it all. The medieval town of Shrewsbury is the birth place of Charles Darwin and home to numerous designer shops and galleries – a real cultural encounter and shopaholic’s paradise set in one of the finest Tudor towns in England. You may even find yourself singing carols in the Square.
Bridgnorth is a town with a split personality High Town offers great views down and Low Town equally great views up. If you are missing the cable cars, there’s a funicular railway linking the two towns - which will also save your legs. Good antique shops too. Nearby Much Wenlock inspired the creation of the modern Olympics and is home to the international story telling event “Winter Tales from the Edge”.
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Warm yourself in front of a fire whilst sampling some real ale in one of our real market towns, like Bishops Castle, and take in some shopping in some proper shops – yes we still have them in Shropshire! We also still have traditional markets, real food and old fashioned service. How can you resist?
With the boys toys to be found at RAF Cosford, and the 16 mile Severn Valley Railway, 32 Castles, several stately homes, assorted museums and galleries you will not be short of things to do. If you are in need of fresh air you can blow away the cob webs with a stroll on the Long Mynd or encounter the Devil on the Stiperstones. (Cream teas served nearby).
And if you are still missing the Alps, you could try Church Stretton after all it’s not called Little Switzerland for nothing and has the added advantage of being totally devoid of wolves and avalanches.
| Explore Shropshire! |
 Our new exploring Shropshire section will show you how to drive, walk & follow a trail all around our delightful county. |
| Explore Shropshire... |
What to see and do
Shropshire is bursting with things to do, in our award winning attractions, such as the Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Hawkstone Park and Follies and the Severn Valley Railway. Then there's our Shropshire Gardens as well as our walking, cycling, riding, golf, fishing, hot-air ballooning, and cruising our canals & rivers. Phew!, and there's good news for shopaholics, retail therapy awaits in the kind of independent shops that many counties let go of years ago...
Any Shropshire Visitor Information Centre will be happy to offer you additional information and advice about the best places to visit during your trip.
| Did you Know? |
 Salopian, Charles Darwin, who came from Shrewsbury, explained why we all look like monkeys... |
| About Shrewsbury... |
Shropshire Accommodation
So Shropshire it is - but where to stay and make your base? There's a database full of the finest Shropshire accommodation on offer and an easy to use search to help you narrow down your choice.
All our Shropshire accommodation is independently inspected and graded and you will find stars, rosettes, knives and forks and diamonds in abundance - all promising guaranteed standards of excellence and hospitality.
Whether you are looking for a break away in a luxury hotel or bed and breakfast, a comfy self catering cottage or even a caravan or camping trip, the Shropshire Tourism website will be able to help you find the ideal accommodation that you are looking for, and all you have to do is click the link below:
| Did you Know? |
 The Reverend Spooner first became tingue-toed in pub-abundant Shropshire. Care to join him? |
| Hick Clere... |
Deliciously Different
Shropshire is a gourmet's idea of Food and Drink Heaven with more Michelin Stars than anywhere outside of London not to mention the Rosettes and Blue Ribbons.
Of course, if your tastes are even more fluid, you can sample our liquid delights too. From our Roman Vineyard at Wroxeter, one of our many pubs serving real ale or the award-winning Bird on the Rock Tea Room.
SALUTE SALOPIA! Hungry for more?
| Did you Know? |
 Shrewsbury town crier Martin Wood is the tallest in the World at 7 feet 2 inches! |
| More on events... |
Shropshire Events
Shropshire has so many events to delight and amuse. There are nostalgic trips on the Severn Valley Railway, and perhaps a touch of time-travelling at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums. Of course Shrewsbury holds the internationally famous annual Shrewsbury Flower Show, which has been running every August since 1887. Shrewsbury is a pretty floral place most of the time, but the flower show is your chance to see more than 3 million blooms in one go - with lots of other entertainment besides.
You'll find all the best Shropshire events listed on our Shropshire Events & What's On guide, and all the latest tourism news at our Shropshire News page.
For More Information about Shropshire's many events, please click the link below:
Shropshire Districts & Towns
To explore some of our towns, please click the links below or visit our Shropshire Towns page.
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Ellesmere - Is the heart of Shropshire's mere's and mosses, where the nutrient rich waters of the Mere attract an abundant amount of wildlife. This can all be viewed from the comfort of the visitor centre using CCTV.
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Market Drayton - A market - so good that the town was named after it. The town is also known as the home of gingerbread which has been baked to a secret recipe in the town for over 200 years. Some say rum is included; but just in case it isn't the locals tend to dip it in port before they eat it.
One local son is Clive of India, who was born nearby and educated at the local Grammar School.
Wem - Lies at the heart of North Shropshire, a perfect base for exploring in all directions. It is, as our friends across the water might describe as "quaint", filled with pretty Georgian buildings and delightful 'proper' small shops. The annual sweet pea show is a riot of colour and scent to delight the eye and tickle the nostril.
Whitchurch - The oldest continually inhabited town in Shropshire . Whitchurch is also home to the firm J. B. Joyce (est. 1690), the oldest tower clock makers in the world.
Why not visit the North Shropshire Tourism website?
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Oswestry is named after King Oswald of Northumbria, who died in AD641. Reverend Spooner was educated here and Dick Whittington also reputedly came from the nearby village of Whittington.
Oswestry has a vibrant market and more than its fair share of specialty shops and eateries. The Welsh influence is strong and as you walk around, you'll hear a distinct fusion of languages. You'll also see it reflected in the unique creativity of the local arts and crafts.
Shrewsbury is Shropshire's county town and is almost an island, encapsulated as it is in the meandering loop of the River Severn. Charles Darwin was born here and his statue sits outside Shrewsbury Library watching over his town.
It's been called England's finest Tudor town, and with good reason. Black and white magpie buildings are everywhere, as are the "shuts" or ancient passageways which connect them.
Why not visit the Shrewsbury Tourism web site?
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Ironbridge - It's all so peaceful today...Strange to think, then, that 250 years ago this was the furnace in which the Industrial Revolution was being forged. But it was here, within the dramatic gorge of the River Severn, that the great Ironmaster Abraham Darby (the first) perfected the secret of smelting iron with cheap and plentiful coke, rather than expensive charcoal. There are also the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums that are well worth a visit.
Newport - One of Shropshire's picturesque towns, where Charles Dickens' found his inspiration for Miss Haversham.
Bridgnorth - Was described by Charles I as the "Finest View in all my Kingdom" and its easy to see why, for the town remains as stunning today as it was 350 years ago. It is also home to the Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth Cliff Railway - England's oldest inland Funicular railway and RAF Cosford - catch the last of the few.
Shifnal - Home to Boscobel House and the Royal Oak, where Charles II did snooze while avoiding capture by Cromwell's bloodthirsty hordes. Nearby, you'll find the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford. There are over 80 aircroft on view in three wartime hangars on an active airfield. Chocks away!
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Much Wenlock - Is home of the Modern Olympic Games, honestly! They were the brainchild of William Penny Brookes, his lofty aim was to provide the locals with an alternative to one of their favourite pastimes: drinking. Fortunately Shropshire's many delightful pubs seem to have survived his attentions. In fact, many of our innkeepers have branched out into serving fine food too. Presumably egged on by the presence of an abundance of gourmet restaurants. We don't know what happened to the Olympics.
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Ludlow - Gastronomic Capital of Shropshire and home of the 14th best restaurant in the world. Ludlow is also an official 'slow' town with a quality of life quite apart from the hustle and bustle of the modern day.
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Bishop's Castle - A traditional Old English town with old fashioned butchers, bakers and other high street shops. The town has a house on crutches and there are two museums celebrating local history and the railway.
Church Stretton - 'Little Switzerland' - without the wolves and avalanches. A thriving antiques centre with over 60 stalls is open every day and nearby Acton Scott Historic Farm will give you a taste of farming at the turn of the 19th Century well before mechanisation.
Craven Arms - Is home to Stokesay Castle, the finest 13th Century fortified manor house in England. The town is an ideal place for long walks along scenic routes through Shropshire's idyllic countryside.
Clun - One of "the quietest places under the sun". AE Housman
Cleobury Mortimer - Is a small town surrounded by panoramic views and wonderful walks.
Request a Shropshire Brochure
As diverting as this lovingly produced website may be, seeing Shropshire in the flesh is infinitely more pleasurable. So for those with an allergy to 'screen-print', who want to bring this experience closer, a simple click on the 'Request a Brochure' button will ensure that our glossy Shropshire brochure is despatched, post haste, to your door.
The brochure is a tempting package of deliciously different things to do, the most diverting places to visit and where to find the best accommodation for individuals, couples and groups. However, if you want to find the best Special and Late Availability offers you will undoubtedly want to look on the Shropshire Special Offers page.
