Spring Heath

Oswestry (10 minutes’ drive) is a good place to aim for a day out, whether you fancy a round of golf at one of its two courses, a taste of rural life at Park Hall the Countryside Experience or an arty wander around The British Ironwork Centre, where stunning outdoor sculptures and installations are scattered around the gardens. Whittington Castle (10 minutes) is just outside the town for a taste of the area’s history. To soak up a whole lot more of that, venture a little further to Chirk Castle (25 minutes), Plas Newydd Historic House & Gardens (half an hour) or the ancient Castell Dinas Brân (35 minutes). Shrewsbury (20 minutes) is another place to try, for a wander among its half-timbered houses and pretty churches. More into your long rural walks? The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is about 25 minutes’ drive away, and the lovely town of Llangollen half an hour for canalside rambles and the chance to cross the UNESCO-listed Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.