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Shropshire Holiday Cottages

A holiday cottage in Shropshire, which is the largest inland county in the UK, is an ideal place for any range of holidaymakers. Whether you want to relax with the nature or take on adventure activities, you will find something for everyone with a holiday cottage in Shropshire. Shropshire can be considered the epitome of England as it contains all the characteristics you could wish for - rich in landscape and heritage, filled with places to stay and visit and things to do. In South Shropshire there are beautiful valleys of the Corve, Rea, Onny and Teme, with farmland sweeping away from the Clee Hills with wooded edges. Church Stretton is often referred to as “little Switzerland”, as it has a friendly shopping centre with a regular market on Thursdays and a growing number of antique shops to rival Ludlow! Ludlow is steeped in history, with the 900 year old castle, graceful Georgian streets with loads of nooks and crannies.

The cottages vary immensely, so there is again, something for everyone. On a cottage holiday in Shropshire, you can explore pretty villages, peaceful countryside, canals and quiet, winding lanes, visit places of interest, and stop at the best pubs and tea shops. The accommodation in a Shropshire is comfortable and there is an abundance of good food. Shropshire is divided into areas, which are North Shropshire and South Shropshire, Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Telford, Ironbridge and Bridgnorth. Shropshire has some breath-taking scenery, with parks, gardens and lakes, where you can fish, play golf and/or cycle. There are plantsmen's gardens and woodland walks, water gardens and national collections. In Shropshire, the Severn Valley Railway operates, and there are really good walks. You could climb the Wrekin early in the morning or maybe take a longer route over the hills of Shropshire. Or, of course, you could take the train instead. Shropshire has great attractions, where there are no queues, and the standard of the attractions is really good. There has been a lot of investment in Shropshire, and is definately good for children. P.G. Wodehouse described Shropshire as "the nearest earthly place to paradise" and he set Blandings castle in Shropshire, at Weston Park.

There are festivals, carnivals, fairs, shows and exhibitions throughout Shropshire all year round. In Aston-on-Clun, they partake in tree-dressing to celebrate the Restoration of Charles II (and his occupancy of another local tree) every year, and have done since 1786. There is also the Shrewsbury Flower Festival, at a mere 112 years old, in August, where you will be able to see a big fireworks display. The Tales From The Edge storytelling extravagansa at Much Wenlock, which has now become an international event, and even the Biggest Liar in Shropshire Competition, all offering a fantastic day out from your holiday cottage in Shropshire.

If it's food and drink you yearn for, then Shropshire is the place, with the Ludlow Food Festival, an international celebration of local food, there is also local food to be tasted and purchased at Church Stretton's Food and Drink Fayre in July, and there are also Farmers Markets throughout the year in nearly every town. If it's alcoholic beverages you crave, there are the beer festivals in Bishops Castle, Shrewsbury and Clun.

Adventure activities to do on your cottage holiday in Shropshire include awe-inspiring balloon flights over the Shropshire countryside, gliding, hand-gliding, parachuting and even powered flight - all with professional instructors who accept all levels of experience. Other activities can also be arranged including sailing, canoeing, golf, horse riding/trekking and fishing.

Places to go

Weston Park is a 17th.century stately home with 1,000 acres of land, on the border with Staffordshire. There are things for both adults and children alike to enjoy in the house and grounds. Weston Park also holds a number of events throughout the year, with the most famous being the 'V' pop festival, but there are also other open air musical events, and there's the Festival of Transport which brings in hundreds of vintage and Classic cars, bikes and lorries.

There are some fairs and festivals in Shropshire to enjoy too, including:

The English Haydn Music Festival in May in Bridgnorth;
The Ludlow Festival in June and July, with floodlit performances of Shakespeare playing in the castle and a three week programme of street art and activities;
Shrewsbury also has a summer season which includes music, visual arts and a cartoon festival;
The Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival in July;
A Michaelmas Fair and a Lammas Fair in Bishops Castle, which has taken place for the last 900 years!
There is even a festival of talking;
The international Tales From the Edge storytelling festival held in July;
There's a new Winter's Edge festival in February;
Cleobury Mortimer Midsummer Walking Festival.

There are town trails, guided walks, ghost trails, murder and mayhem too.

Historic Sights

You can see heavy horse power at work at Acton Scott and steam power at the Severn Valley Railway, the Shrewsbury Steam Rally and at Ironbridge. Other vintage rallies also celebrate the transport of yesteryear.

Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, which is a delight of original black and white buildings.

A holiday in a cottage in Shropshire will enable you to see some interesting historic sights, a littering of hillforts, castles and abbeys. There are about 25 hillforts - from the Iron Age civilisation of around 600BC - built with deep ditches and ramparts to keep people out. One of these is Offa's Dyke, built by King Offa in the 8th Century to keep the Welsh Princes at bay, and this is the longest archaeological monument in Britain.

With 32 castles in Shropshire, with Ludlow, Stokesay, Whittington and Clun being perhaps the finest, there is plenty to see.

There is plenty of history in tiny hamlets and villages, ancient churches and country inns serving proper beer. There are many literary legends and grand country houses in landscaped parklands. Shropshire is unspoilt, unrushed and tranquil.

So, whatever you are looking for from a UK holiday, you will be able to find it with a holiday cottage in Shropshire.

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