Camping in Shropshire

After completing the last gala we went on a camping holiday for 5 days to Shropshire taking with us L friend S, who's not been camping before. We stayed at a private camp site just out side Much Wenlock. I'm not sure if it's a village or town. The lovely little shops suggest it's a village but they have markets so, to me, that suggest it's a town. Either way it was lovely. This building on the right had a date on it suggesting it was built in the 1600's and it's currently occupied as a home although I feel it might once have been a public house. To me it's beautiful and I'm amazed at it's survival.

This picture on the left is the view from the front of our tent towards the town. When we arrived on the Wednesday the site only had a few caravans on it. Gradually it filled up towards the weekend and emptied again on Sunday. We left on the Monday.
This next picture just below is to the left of us. L and S having a game of giant snakes and ladders whilst waiting for tea.  To the right and to the back the views were very similar. The site was on the side of a hill but terraces had been made so it was more comfortable to pitch a tent  or caravan and most pitches could have an electric supply. The owners used an out door extension cable from a near by hook up. They didn't leave it hanging around after we left it was collected just before we left. They were on the ball. The site was very clean and the grass was kept very short so there were very little in cutting plus there were plenty of rabbits nibbling away.

Old school master

The old chemist

A carousel run by electricity not steam 

There is much to see in Shropshire with it being the home of the Iron Industry and the start of the Industrial Revolution and we did all the museums connected to it. We got a family year pass from the internet and saved £8. The ticket cost us £60 but it saved us an absolute fortune in entrance fees. The first place we visited was Blist Hill.  (saved £30 here) This was a Victorian town build on the side of some factory that has something to do with the Iron Industry (forgot what - we saw so much) which closed in the 1950's. There were lots of shops (selling stuff), homes, a school, factories using the old methods and selling their wears, a bank that would exchange new money for old, a fair ground and even a pub. It was all very good but I felt a little disappointed having been spoilt with Beamish which is far better.

Over the next few days we visited the clay pipe (smoking) museum. When the business closed it was just left and years later when it was discovered everything was left in place. Pencil calculations on the wall, old clay, broken pipes, stacks of made up boxes ready for packing, and packed boxes ready for shipment.
A Tile factory. The Victorians like tiles because the could be easily cleaned so was used everywhere and had the most amazing art on them. Some were ugly but it was all down to individual taste. This one was my favourite. The christening of Briar Rose surrounded by the good fairies.

We saw the iron bridge - The world first bridge to be built of iron. I remember visiting this with school as part of my History CSE. What a legacy that it still stands strong for pedestrians only.

We also went to the coalport museum with the most beautiful china but sadly this also went out of business.  


The tar tunnel was quite interesting because this tunnel was built to create a new canal going through the mountain (big hill) but never got completed because tar was dripping through the walls. This became a new business venture and the canal was never built. Tar can still be seen dripping through the walls today. Every so often the tunnel has to close due to a build up of carbon monoxide.

We had really nice weather to do all our trips which was great. L's friend enjoyed camping and would like to do it again but in the future when she has her own family. She thinks her mum likes her creature comforts too much to try camping.
We always take plenty of food with us so that we can make picnic lunches and most evening meals have been precooked and frozen (we have a fridge/cool box that can run on gas, electric or battery) so that makes evening meals easy. We did eat tea out once and we used some leisure vouchers so that meal didn't cost us anything.
It took me over a week to catch up with all the washing as I always wash the sleeping bags and any covers before packing away again in the attic ready for another year. We're all straightish now.

Carolx