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Explore the area

You could easily spend a happy week getting to know Shrewsbury's cobbled streets and artisan shops. But Shropshire is a big, bountiful county – and it holds many rewards for those willing to explore. Here's where to start looking.

Scenic peaks

Shropshire is a chocolate box of life-affirming landscapes. There's a little of everything here. Rolling pastures. Deep gorges. Iron Age hill forts. Victorian follies.

And hills. Astounding swathes of grassy, bulbous hills – some of which stretch for miles and dish up views that seem to go on forever.

You'll find the best of them in the Shropshire Hills. This National Landscape is one of the UK's most beloved beauty spots – and it's only a short drive or train ride from Shrewsbury town centre.

It's hiking country, so pull on your best boots and head for the peaks. To the Stiperstones, perhaps – a rugged ridge swaddled by rocky crags and fields. Or the Long Mynd – a seven-mile plateau whose panoramic views are legendary.

For many hikers, though, the highlight is The Wrekin. Standing proud at 407 metres, this hill is a true Shropshire icon – and the source of the local saying, 'All around the Wrekin'. To climb it is to become an honorary Salopian. Head to Wellington, near Telford – you'll soon spot it.

Local market towns

Shropshire has two major population centres – the historic Shrewsbury and the fresh-faced new town of Telford. The rest is rural: hills, fields, wetlands and the occasional market town.

These towns might be small, but they're big characters. Each has a personality all of its own – and they're almost all worth visiting.

Take the southbound train towards Hereford and you'll stop at three: Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Ludlow.

Church Stretton is a hikers' paradise in the heart of the Shropshire Hills, flush with independent shops and gorgeous scenery. Craven Arms is just as walkable and puts you within shouting distance of the beautiful Stokesay Castle. And Ludlow is a foodie haven with a history to rival Shrewsbury's own.

This is just scratching the surface. Near the Welsh border, for instance, you'll find Oswestry – home to an Iron Age hill fort and a market that's almost as old. And then there are the waterways of Market Drayton. The medieval beauty of Much Wenlock. The historic cliffside railway at Bridgnorth. Go exploring and you're bound to find somewhere that's worth falling in love with.

Industrial wonders

Bucolic though it might be, Shropshire has a rich and storied industrial heritage.

You can see signs of it throughout the county – most notably at Ironbridge near Telford. This small Shropshire town played a key role in the burgeoning Industrial Revolution when local engineers perfected a groundbreaking iron smelting process.

Visit today and you'll feel as if time has barely moved on since. You can still walk the iconic Iron Bridge – the world's first made from cast iron. And at Blists Hill Victorian Town, actors and craftspeople live the history of this extraordinary era.

Or why not hop over the Welsh border and visit Pontcysyllte Aqueduct? Built by famed industrialist Thomas Telford and opened in 1801, this towering artificial waterway was considered an engineering marvel in its day. It's still in operation – and is now a World Heritage Site. Boat trips come highly recommended.