Things to do in Shrewsbury

[TheSmiths82]

I am going to Shrewsbury for two nights via (hopefully) a class 67/MK4 TFW train from Manchester. It will be early in the week so I am now thinking it will be very quiet. Is there enough to do for two nights? I am planning of doing the boat ride, the museum and the prison but is there anything else to do if the weather is not great? I will go to some of the pubs in the evening.

Is there anything transport related near by? A friend suggested a trip to Ludlow but that might take a bit too much of my second day, and I am going onto Birmingham for the night so I don't want to spend my entire two days in Shrewsbury waiting for trains and travelling. I just thought fellow transport enthusiasts might have a different take on things to do in Shrewsbury.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Ludlow is, IMHO, worth a half-day visit and is a fairly scenic and straightforward 55 mile round trip from Shrewsbury (and back). £18.80 for an Off Peak Day Return before any applicable railcard discount. Broadly half hour journey time (each way). The market in Ludlow (up at the top of the town in the Castle Square) is quite busy and normally takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The castle itself in Ludlow is normally open daily (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and costs something like just £9.00 to pay in.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If you get bored and fancy a train and bus ride out, Ironbridge (train to Telford then bus) is well worth it, as is the living museum there but I don't know if that's open during the week.

 

[Cantab26]

You could spend a couple of hours looking round each of the abbey and the cathedral. The latter has a cafe.

The Ebenezer Scrooge gravestone in St Chad’s churchyard is somewhat amusing, and can be looped in as part of a circuit of Town Walls.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Thanks these are the sort of suggestions I was looking for, by going to Birmingham for the night I meant after I leave Shrewsbury. I.e I will be staying the night in Birmingham and then getting the train back to Manchester the following day, so my trip is Manchester > Shrewsbury > Birmingham > Manchester.

The living museum sounds interesting, I think a lot of it will just depend on the weather.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I am going to Shrewsbury for two nights via (hopefully) a class 67/MK4 TFW train from Manchester. It will be early in the week so I am now thinking it will be very quiet. Is there enough to do for two nights? I am planning of doing the boat ride, the museum and the prison but is there anything else to do if the weather is not great? I will go to some of the pubs in the evening.

Is there anything transport related near by? A friend suggested a trip to Ludlow but that might take a bit too much of my second day, and I am going onto Birmingham for the night so I don't want to spend my entire two days in Shrewsbury waiting for trains and travelling. I just thought fellow transport enthusiasts might have a different take on things to do in Shrewsbury.

Crewe Heritage Centre? The TfW stopper reliably has £6 advance fares (each way) so you can even enjoy a piece of railway history on the way! (It'll be a 150 or "Active Travel" 153).

You could then go straight from Crewe to Birmingham for your evening/night. You could even spend a couple of hours on Crewe station just watching the sheer activity of it all.

My kind of holiday!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thanks these are the sort of suggestions I was looking for, by going to Birmingham for the night I meant after I leave Shrewsbury. I.e I will be staying the night in Birmingham and then getting the train back to Manchester the following day, so my trip is Manchester > Shrewsbury > Birmingham > Manchester.

The living museum sounds interesting, I think a lot of it will just depend on the weather.

It's called Blist's Hill Victorian Town (which I'm sure isn't what it was called when I went, but never mind! )

The main Ironbridge attractions are here: https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/

But it is good just for a wander round too!

 

[TheSmiths82]

Crewe Heritage Centre? The TfW stopper reliably has £6 advance fares (each way) so you can even enjoy a piece of railway history on the way! (It'll be a 150 or "Active Travel" 153).

You could then go straight from Crewe to Birmingham for your evening/night. You could even spend a couple of hours on Crewe station just watching the sheer activity of it all.

My kind of holiday!

That is on my list, but I live in Manchester so it is only down the road anyway and I will go there one day, I might combine it with a night in Chester .

 

[cjw714]

Ludlow is, IMHO, worth a half-day visit and is a fairly scenic and straightforward 55 mile round trip from Shrewsbury (and back). £18.80 for an Off Peak Day Return before any applicable railcard discount. Broadly half hour journey time (each way). The market in Ludlow (up at the top of the town in the Castle Square) is quite busy and normally takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The castle itself in Ludlow is normally open daily (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and costs something like just £9.00 to pay in.

Any of the stations to the south of Shrewsbury are worth visiting, especially if you interested in going for a hike in the surrounding hills.

 

[TheSmiths82]

It's called Blist's Hill Victorian Town (which I'm sure isn't what it was called when I went, but never mind! )

The main Ironbridge attractions are here: https://www.ironbridge.org.uk/

But it is good just for a wander round too!

Sadly it is shut the days I am there, but it does look interesting, if I enjoy my time in Shrewsbury I can always go there on my next trip.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Salop is a very attractive town and has plenty of traditonal boozers for an enjoyable night out. For lunch try 'The Boathouse' down by the river - weather permitting!

If you are into aircraft the RAF Museum at Cosford is worth a look - direct stopping train from Salop. It is free but you have to book a 'slot' online.

 

[dvboy]

A couple of restaurant recommendations:
Dough and Oil
Beefy Boys

 

[P Binnersley]

You could try:

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings "The Grandparent of Skyscrapers" (October daily, November weekends only).

Its also worth looking at the entrance doors to Morris & Co at Welsh Bridge which are from the Titanic's sister ship Britannic (Weekdays, office hours only).

 

[Royston Vasey]

Salop is a very attractive town and has plenty of traditonal boozers for an enjoyable night out. For lunch try 'The Boathouse' down by the river - weather permitting!

If you are into aircraft the RAF Museum at Cosford is worth a look - direct stopping train from Salop. It is free but you have to book a 'slot' online.

Inspired choice, and totally reachable by rail!

 

[Randomer]

I'd agree about the RAF Museum Cosford, definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Not transport related but I can also recommend the small museum in Shrewsbury castle, very good local regimental museum with some history of the town itself. Very close to the station if anyone has a couple of hours waiting for a train or just wants to escape delays for a while until things settle down.

 

[Edgeley]

Sadly it is shut the days I am there, but it does look interesting, if I enjoy my time in Shrewsbury I can always go there on my next trip.

Ironbridge Gorge is lovely in summer and worthy of a dedicated visit for a couple of days. As well as the museums there is a walking track on the south bank of the river which is a continuation of the Severn Valley Railway route.

Shrewsbury is noted as being the birthplace of Charles Darwin though his childhood home 'The Mount' is in private ownership and not open to the public, I believe. In August 1831, at the age of 22, Darwin boarded a coach and horses at The Lion Hotel on the start of his journey aboard the HMS Beagle which was to be a major inspiration for his work.

 

[childwallblues]

Train spotting!

 

[fandroid]

There's a memorial to Percy Thrower in the park if potting compost floats your boat!

 

[duffield]

If the weather is good the 3km walk round the loop of the River Severn (which almost goes through 360 degrees) is very pleasant, taking in The Dingle (botanical park), although it's maybe not so colourful at this time of year. Anyhow it's easily fitted into a spare hour or two.

 

[class17]

Book on the tour guide if you are going to be there in Wednesday. You get a treat afterwards.

 

[DelW]

The town walls and the riverside make a pleasant walk if the weather's okay.

Shrewsbury Abbey was the setting for the Brother Cadfael historical detective stories, books written mostly in the 1980s and turned into a very popular TV series in the 1990s. It's also worth a visit in its own right.