Springtime in Scenic Shropshire

Departing the hotel after breakfast we journey to the finest and best-preserved fortified medieval manor house in England, Stokesay Castle. Barely touched by the passage of years, the castle offers a unique insight into life in medieval England. Discover the Great Hall, unchanged for over 700 years, spot characters carved in the timbers of the 17th-century gatehouse and climb to the top of a fairy-tale tower for breathtaking views of the Shropshire Hills. After our visit we continue our journey to historic Ludlow, a thriving medieval market town and an architectural gem, with an imposing castle at the top of the town square.

his morning, we travel to Shrewsbury, a fine medieval market town, here we board our boat for a scenic cruise along the River Severn as it loops around the town. Enjoy the beautiful views and discover the town’s unique history from our captain’s commentary. Free time is available for lunch and to explore the cobbled streets, narrow alleyways and timber framed black and white buildings. In the afternoon we visit the impressive Ironbridge Gorge where the world’s first iron bridge forms the centre of this World Heritage Site, go back in time at the Blists Hill Victorian Town. Enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this reconstructed working-class town, complete with a whole range of shops, factories, and buildings, along with costumed characters, going about their daily lives.

Departing the hotel after breakfast, we travel to Bridgnorth and the famous Severn Valley Railway for a delightful single journey passing through lovingly restored stations on the way to Kidderminster. Arriving in Kidderminster, enjoy free time to explore this large market town, see the Famous Town Hall – a beautiful Victorian building where speeches from eminent leaders such as a young Winston Churchill, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, explorer Earnest Shackleton and women’s rights campaigner Emmeline Pankhurst have echoed off its walls. We re-join the coach, and continue our journey to Bewdley, a beautiful Georgian riverside town which retains its unique charm. Enjoy free time to explore before returning to our hotel.

Departing the hotel after breakfast we make our return journey, with suitable comfort breaks en route, to arrive home approximately late afternoon.