The 9 Very Best Things to Do in Ludlow, Shropshire

Nestled in the glorious Shropshire countryside, you’ll find the small but impressive town of Ludlow. Undoubtedly, it’s one of Shropshire’s best towns, with a rich medieval history and beautiful architecture. Ludlow is famed for its castle and the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival.

And if that isn’t enough to tempt you, there are a ton of other things to do in Ludlow, the jewel of the Welsh Marches.

Oddly, Ludlow is located in an imprecisely defined area known as the Welsh Marches, which is along the border of England and Wales. However, Ludlow isn’t located in Wales (it’s in England!).

Things to Do in Ludlow

A visit to Shropshire wouldn’t be complete without a wander around little Ludlow. And if you’re looking for other places to visit in Shropshire, read our post about Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and Bridgnorth – three other fantastic towns to see in this beautiful county.

1 | Take a Brewery Tour

If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ll know we love a good beer! That’s why a brewery tour is first on our list of things to do in Ludlow.

Because thankfully, Ludlow is home to a brilliant little brewery known as the Ludlow Brewing Company.

Housed in a former railway building built in 1857 are a few brewing vats that produce their delicious range of beers, from the classic Ludlow Gold to the beautiful Black Knight.

The tour is one of the smallest we’ve ever been on, but it wasn’t lacking in information, interest or the tasters, which – let’s face it – is what you’re really there for, right? Ha!

Inside the Ludlow Brewing Company building, you’ll also find a bar open daily to the public.

So, even if you don’t fancy a brewery tour but just a beer, it’s a great spot to enjoy some of Shropshire’s finest beers in relaxed surroundings.

• Tours are £10 per head.
• Walk-ins are accepted, but you’re better off booking to secure your place. You can do that by visiting the Ludlow Brewing Company website.

2 | Visit Ludlow Castle

An absolute must-do in Ludlow is to visit Ludlow Castle. Built in the late 10th century to hold back unconquered Wales, it sits high above the River Teme and is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England and the town’s most famous landmark.

Take a walk around the castle and have a glimpse of life in medieval society.

Ludlow Castle is also home to the famous annual Ludlow Food Festival, which usually happens in September.

It just so happens Ludlow Food Festival was the UK’s first food festival, launched back in 1995, which celebrates local producers from the Welsh Marches region and attracts some of the top names from the culinary world.

• Ludlow Castle is open seven days a week,10 am to 4 pm, except for Christmas Day and December & January weekdays.

3 | Walk Down Broad Street

We love walking and find that the best way to see a place and really get to know it is by wandering on foot. Although Ludlow isn’t a huge town, it’s full of a few beautiful streets, of which Broad Street is the nicest of them all.

Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, an art and architectural historian, crowned Broad Street as “one of the most memorable in England.”

Broad Street has a combination of shops and residential properties, and part way down, you’ll find The Broad Gate – a medieval fortified 13th armoured gatehouse.

4 | Visit Castle Square & Ludlow Market

Castle Square is the beating heart of Ludlow. You’ll find it surrounded by a castle, beautiful architecture, shops, and cafes, and it’s home to the traditional open-air market.

Markets have been held in Ludlow since the 12th century, and today’s market runs every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday throughout the year.

A visit to Ludlow wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Castle Square.

5 | Walk Up Whitcliffe Common

To get off the beaten track in Ludlow, head up Whitcliffe Common. It’s on the opposite side of the River Teme, but once you’re at the top, you’ll get a fantastic view of Ludlow.

We recommend walking from Castle Square, down past Ludlow Castle, across Dinham Bridge, up Whitcliffe Common, down the hill and across Ludford Bridge, up Lower and Broad Street, and back to Castle Square.

It’s a short but interesting loop that will allow you to see the best of Ludlow.

6 | Visit Ludlow Museum

Ludlow Museum is housed in the impressive Butter Cross building, located at the top of Broad Street. It’s home to a small but rich array of information and items surrounding Ludlow’s long history.

It would be easy to miss Ludlow Museum – you’ll find the entrance tucked down Church Street, behind the Butter Cross building.

• Entry to Ludlow Museum costs £1 for adults and 50p for children (under 5s go free!).
• The museum is open every week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm.

7 | Visit St Laurence Church

Nicknamed ‘The Cathedral of the Marches’, St Laurence Church is the largest parish church in Shropshire and one of the largest in England.

Inside, there are a ton of wonders and treasures to look at, including the impressive stained-glass windows. You can also climb the 201 steps to the top of the tower for some epic views over Ludlow and Shropshire.

There’s a fee to climb the tower – £5 for adults and £3 for children (who must be eight years and older). St Laurence Church even has its own cafe, The Icon Coffee Shop, which sells a range of cakes, pastries and savoury items.

8 | Go Shopping

Ludlow is a great place to go shopping. It has an extensive range of independent retail, plus a few chain brands, such as FatFace and Crew Clothing.

But whatever you’re after, there’s a bit of something to suit everyone in Ludlow.

If wine is your tipple, head to Bentley’s Wine Merchants on Castle Square for some of the best and best-value wines from around the world.

And don’t forget to pop into Holloway’s Period House Shop on Corve Street. It’s a treasure trove of mesmerising interior stuff for your pad, plus the shop has a fascinating history as a former garage and stable.

9 | Take a Ludlow Town Tour

The last thing on our list of things to do in Ludlow is to take a town tour. If you’d like to know more about Ludlow’s history and some of its characters from the past, look no further than a Ludlow Town Tour.

Guided town tours of medieval Ludlow have been going on for over 40 years. They are run by the Ludlow Historical Research Group and tell you about life in Ludlow and its history over the centuries, along with some ‘gossip’ about some of the characters who have lived in the town.

All proceeds from the Ludlow Town Tour go towards the Visitor Information Centre and support historical research.

• Tours cost £5 per head (under 16s are free!) – turn up at 2.30 pm at the cannon outside Ludlow Castle to get your fill of Ludlow history!
• Ludlow Town Tours last approximately 90 minutes and are available on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from April to October. In July, August and September, they also run every weekday. Exceptions are the Ludlow Food Festival and May Fair Weekends.

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