I was really pleasantly surprised when I had a cottage holiday in Shropshire not so long ago. There was so much to see and do that I decided I would have to go back again soon and enjoy another UK holiday break there. From my first visit I've selected my five favourite places to visit in Shropshire.

The Long Mynd (see photo above)
The great ridge of The Long Mynd dominates south Shropshire and there are many fine walks in the area. Steep narrow valleys dissect the moorland including Carding Mill Valley above Church Stretton, which was our starting point for a walk to the top of the escarpment to enjoy the stunning views.

Wenlock Edge
Immortalised by Houseman's poem and Vaughan Williams song cycle, Wenlock Edge is a 15 mile escarpment with the delightful small town of Much Wenlock at its northern end (don't miss the great little bookshop on the High Street and the museum). The limestone edge provides ideal conditions for many rare flowers and supports ancient woodland on its slopes where we discovered some excellent walks. The limestone has been exploited for centuries, although the last quarry has just closed. The National Trust, who manage nearly half of the Edge, has now restored some of the old lime kilns to preserve a part of the industrial heritage of the area.

The Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site
It is hard to believe that this beautiful stretch of the River Severn was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Nature has now softened the landscape and reclaimed the riverbanks and our tour around the area on foot was a fascinating way to appreciate it. Our walk took in the ten museums as well as the iconic iron bridge which gave its name to the area. One day was probably not enough time to take in everything in the absorbing museums. Fortunately, a single pass allows you unlimited access to all of the museums for a year.

Bridgnorth Funicular Railway
In reality Bridgnorth is two towns: the Low Town which was once a thriving port along the banks of the River Severn and the High Town on the cliffs above where many 16th and 17th century houses still remain. The two are connected by England's oldest (and steepest) inland funicular railway which proved far quicker and easier than walking between the two.

Shrewsbury
Upstream from both Ironbridge and Bridgnorth, the old centre Shrewsbury is almost encircled by the meandering River Severn. We wandered the steep, winding streets which rise from the riverside and are lined with distinctive black and white half-timbered houses. Many of them have strange names such as Dogpole and Mardol, Gullet Passage and Grope Lane. We also explored the town's Shuts and Passages - a unique maze of narrow alleys, which criss-cross the centre.

If this has whetted your appetite for a cottage holiday in Shropshire below are some suggested cottages. Click here to see all our Shropshire cottages.

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