Shropshire Travel Forum

Having looked at VT pages, there isn't much on Salop at all and I have always wanted to go there. Opportunity could present itself soon and I plan to then see Ludlow and Shrewsbury as well as Ironbridge. Would that be the gems or am I missing something (being early spring, hill trekking is out of the question for me)?

Another question is how you get around by public transport? I would combine it with Manchester for work reasons so which town is easiest to reach from it and would that be good to have as a base in general? Is there a county bus pass or something? Can you only get to Ironbridge via Telford? Lots and lots of questions... :) Oh, and what are the priorities at Ironbridge. Hubby would accompany me and is interested in all engineeering history so no problem there but as for me and the seven-year-old? I understand there is a historical centre with shops etc. but what else for her? There seems to be so much to chose from.

I once tried to reach Ironbridge by bus, but found out there was none. I ended up hiring a car in Shrewsbury.

I was in Ludlow last year when we visited a friend of my partner's. It was a pretty charming town and has become famous for having a few very good restaurants. Somewhere around here, I have a newspaper article I cut out. I'll try to locate it and see if it mentions any valuable information.

We were in north Shropshire last year - its charmis in small towns such as Market Drayton and Bridgenorth. We did not go to Ironbridge mainly because of the high admission price but we did go shopping in Telford and the indoor shopping centre ws quite good.
The best place we went was the Dorothy Clive Garden near Market Drayton.We were in our car but there seemed to be plenty of local buses on the roads.

I think you would all love nearby Blist`s Hill, which is a small town living museum, we found it fascinating, heres a link http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/v_blists.asp
if they still do the Ironbridge tourist pass buy one there, it gives you free entry to all the other museums and attractions in the area

I grew up in Shropshire (it's no longer called Salop and was only called salop for a few years in the 1970s). I first went to Ironbridge when I was about 8 years old and loved it. It is about 25 years since I was last there so I can't remember the layout very well and as we drove there I couldn't tell you about the transport arrangements. The street includes things like a sweet shop (confectioners), a print shop, a cobbler, a hardware shop, and I really can't remember what else. I think there was a school room that you could go into and have a school lesson as it would have been. There is a lot in the Ironbridge Museums including the various industries of the time, like pottery and coalmining. I'm sure you've already found their website http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/. If you'd like I could phone them and ask them what is the best way to get to them and if there is a good bus service.

Shropshire is a very beautiful county and includes some beautiful countryside. I'm not a big fan of cities and wouldn't recomend you spend time in either Manchester or Telford, except to see your friends, but then I haven't spent much time at all in either of these places, so I might be under valuing them. The further away from towns you travel and the more into the countryside you go, you will find that bus services are not good. The buses were regular when I was growing up there but I was shocked at how few buses run there now (I have not lived there for more than 20 years).

I hope you enjoy your trip.

There are regular direct trains between Manchester and Cardiff which stop at Shrewsbury and Ludlow. As you may know, I think Ludlow is one of England's treasures. The train station before Ludlow is Craven Arms, which has a brand new Shropshire Hills Museum, resplendent with its own grass roof!

We stopped at Ironbridge on our way to Stratford from Wales. Now that is a town worth seeing. I remember being there and thinking it is one place I could live in. It is small though. We were there early, but not too early and all the shops were shut. It was a Sunday though...

That reminds me...have I done a page on it? I think so but I must go and check. I know I have some lovely pictures of it especially of the bridge and the lovely riverside walk...

So pretty!...do go there but how? I do not know. There must be a bus or something to take you there.

Please email me if you need to know more...

Bertil, can you remember where from you tried to catch a bus?

Thanks everyone! As I said, it is for work reasons I might go to Manchester but then I too want to see the countryside as soon as possible. Yes, I've looked at the Ironbridge website but VT members always seem to have more info, travelling themselves rather than working for a major tourist site.

Interesting what you said about Salop...I just always found it such an odd abbreviation I can't avoid using it still :)

Did you find this page on bus services in the Telford area?
http://www.cartoplus.co.uk/telford_wrekin_2/

I love Shropshire..My inlaws live in a tiny village called Harley. Its very close to Shrewsbury...I have spend quite a bit of time exploring here..Dont miss out on the shops in the little lanes..
What can I say about Ironbridge..I have been here on two different trips and absolutely adore it..It is one place I could live as well...and Lou, the shops are fantastic...There is a beautiful gift shop just opened in the square and well worth a visit..I really must do my Shropshire pages...
A great resaurant to visit is a pub in Much Wenlock...I think from memory its called the black swallow..but I could be wrong...Its not a large village but well worth a visit as well...