Pentrenant Hall

This area of Wales is dotted with fortresses that used to protect the border from English attacks. Many of them are now in ruins, but that only adds to the dramatic effect. Check out 13th-century Dolforwyn Castle (20 minutes’ drive), hilltop Clun Castle (25 minutes) or Montgomery Castle, perched on a rocky plateau with far-reaching views. On the outskirts of Welshpool, Powis Castle and Garden (25 minutes) dates back from the 1200s, though it was renovated during the Elizabethan era and beyond. The building houses a renowned collection of decorative arts and South Asian objects, while the garden includes elegant terraces lined with statuary and yew trees. Sitting on a bend of the Severn, Shrewsbury (45 minutes) has the riverside Dingle Gardens, where you can hire a canoe or let the kids loose in the splash park; a 19th-century cathedral; and Shrewsbury Castle, home of the Soldiers of Shropshire Museum.