Ludlow is a town in Shropshire, which is right on the English/Welsh border and is a beautiful part of England. We visited in September and were really lucky with the glorious weather (unlike most of our other UK based adventures!). I was really taken aback by how beautiful the whole area was, and would love to go back and explore more of it.
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How to get to Ludlow
You can drive to Ludlow in 3 hours from London, or 1.5 hours from Birmingham and Cardiff, and it really is well worth a visit if you have the chance to explore some less famous, but equally awesome, English castles and countryside.
Without a car, Ludlow is hard to get to from the capital, requiring a 3hr plus train journey with a change at Crewe. It’s therefore not a day trip from London on a visit, but more a weekend staycation break location in the UK.
How long is needed in Ludlow?
If you are planning a visit, then I recommend spending 2 days in the town – 1 day in Ludlow itself, and then 1 day exploring its surroundings. It’s a totally perfect weekend break destination, often overlooked but really worth a visit.
Things to do in Ludlow
Visit Stokesay Castle
This English Heritage site is one of the best preserved medieval manor houses in the whole of England. Its great Hall has been preserved and remains intact from 700 years ago. The house itself is gorgeous and you can climb to the top for amazing views out to the Shropshire hills. This castle is about 15 minutes out from the centre of Ludlow by car.
You can also do a number of lovely walks around the castle, and then have lunch in the nice on-site tea room. In total it’s worth spending half a day at the site to make the most of it.
Clee Hills (Long Mynd)
Long Mynd is a part of the Shropshire Hills. There are waterfalls, beautiful views and lots of sheep! It is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty in the UK, and is around a 30 minute drive out from Ludlow. You can choose a hike for however long you have. Again, we chose to spend half a day here.
Ludlow Castle
This is a seriously old castle. The oldest parts remaining can be traced back to 1066! It has since been a royal castle, fallen in to disrepair, been restored again and opened to the public. The views from the castle walls are lovely – you can see all across Ludlow. There is also an annual food festival held within the castle walls which makes for an excellent day trip.
The Feathers Hotel
The Feathers Hotel is an historic inn in the centre of Ludlow. Its frontage was actually put on in 1619! It is a Grade I listed building and is one of the best known buildings in Ludlow, being an early example of Tudor architecture. It’s also the perfect spot for a lunch amongst seriously historic surroundings.
Ludlow Town Centre
The centre of Ludlow is full of timbered Tudor buildings. It’s still a lively market town and is really nice to just explore, especially on a market day when there are lots of treats on offer. There is also a nice church, tasty restaurants, a river which is nice to walk along and some plush boutique shops to browse.
And that brings to a close a 2 day weekend break in Ludlow. Thanks for reading and I hope you found this post helpful, or that it has inspired you to want to visit Ludlow. Stay safe and happy travelling!
Barney Travel Technologies
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