RegionOutline guide

Shropshire

County in England

Photo: Shropshire&TelfordTSB, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Shropshire is England's largest inland county, covering an area of 1,347 square miles. It is a beautiful pastoral county with a landscape that has inspired visitors for centuries, a number of historic and prosperous market towns, and hundreds of sleepy, traditional villages.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By car
The A49 (which runs from Lancashire to Herefordshire) runs through Shropshire from north to south, while the M54 and A5 run east to west and link in from the M6 near Birmingham.
By train
Railways run into the country from six directions, all converging on Shrewsbury's railway station. The majority of services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales.
By plane
Those arriving by plane normally fly into Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport and possibly Liverpool John Lennon Airport. East Midlands Airport is also a possibility.

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Getting around

Shropshire is a predominantly rural area and sparsely populated. Car transport remains essential to take full advantage of the county, despite efforts to increase public transport usage.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Birmingham Airport

Birmingham, West Midlands · International · BHX

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Cities

Ironbridge Gorge

home to the world's first Iron Bridge and home to the 10 Ironbridge Gorge Museums. The world's first iron bridge (oddly beautiful) spanning the River Severn. Birthplace of the industrial revolution, Ironbridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ironbridge Gorge Museums are nine award winning museums and sites that tell this momentous story.

Read before you go to Shropshire

Articles and travel topics about Shropshire and United Kingdom.

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Full travel guide

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Towns and villages

UnderstandShropshire's countryside culminates in the Shropshire Hills, an area of upland moor and heath with a varied geology and such landmarks as the Long Mynd, the Stiperstones and Wenlock Edge.

TalkThe Shropshire Dialect of English is still spoken by many residents and dictionaries can be bought from some gift shops in the area.

Get inShropshire is relatively easy to get to by road and rail.

Get aroundShropshire is a predominantly rural area and sparsely populated. Car transport remains essential to take full advantage of the county, despite efforts to increase public transport usage.

SeeWith over 30 castles, there is plenty of history and heritage in Shropshire.

EatShropshire is an excellent place to find locally-grown produce at farmers' markets, delicatessens and small local shops.

DrinkThere are traditional pubs, inns and microbreweries, and dozens of places where real ale can be sampled, including quite a few local tipples.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Shropshire" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Shropshire", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Shropshire&TelfordTSB, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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