Lower Buckton

Cultural sorts might want to make their way towards the castles in this part of the world – perhaps the fortified manor house of Stokesay (20 minutes’ drive) with its 17th-century gatehouse and a tower offering top views out over the Shropshire Hills, or the atmospheric ruins of 11th-century Clun Castle (25 minutes), set beside a rushing river. Ludlow Castle (25 minutes) has an equally fine setting on a promontory towering above the River Teme; this medieval structure’s in the market town of the same name, which is also known for its black-and-white Tudor houses and independent shops. Rather roam woods than browse boutiques? Mortimer Forest (25 minutes) has around 2,500 acres of tree-lined landscapes to check out. For long-distance roving, the Mortimer Trail (also 25 minutes) starts from Ludlow and carries on through the Marches’ valleys and hills before ending in Herefordshire.