In more recent times Ludlow has built up a national reputation for the quality of its local produce and its restaurants . There are numerous other places to eat where you can experience genuine top quality, non-industrialised food. Ludlow contains a large number of independent, specialist food shops: three butchers, four bakers, cheese shops, delis, whole food shops, organic food shops etc. All sell high quality produce much of which is sourced locally. In Castle Street, in the square, a farmers market is held once a month and a traditional open air market is held three or four times a week depending on the time of year. In the centre of the town are numerous pubs and bars, many selling local beers. Recently opened is a parlour pub, The Dog Hangs Well at 14 Corve Street, open on Thursday, Friday 5 to 9 pm and Saturday 12 to 3pm and 5 to 9 pm.

Ludlow and Marches Festival of Food and Drink takes place each September, during the second week end, and is held in the castle and the centre of the town. It is now an extremely popular event and attracts thousands of visitors over the three days it is held. The most popular event is the sausage trail. Our accommodation for this event is usually booked at least six months before this event. The Ludlow Spring Food Festival (www.springevent.org.uk)was launched in 2009 and featured bread, bangers and beer. It proved very popular and is now an annual event, being held during the second weekend of May.

An event that is becoming increasingly popular is the annual Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre when Ludlow castle is bustling with medieval entertainers, minstrels and traders. It is held over the Saturday and Sunday over the last week end in November and is the ideal family day out.

But Ludlow is not just about history and eating, it makes the ideal base for a walking holiday as it is on the edge of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. For gentle walking, Whitcliffe Common, the remnants of a much larger medieval common, use of which was acquired by the burgesses of Ludlow before 1241, is ideal. It is close to all our properties. For the more adventurous there is the Shropshire Way, Mortmer Trail and the Clee Hills, the highest in Shropshire. At Church Stretton there is Cardingmill Valley and the Long Mynd excellent walking country with much of interest to the naturalist.

If you like fishing the river Teme, that runs round the town, has high water quality and its mainly undeveloped banks make the river an ideal habitat for fish. A two-mile stretch of the Teme and its tributary, the Corve, are available for fishing at Ludlow and are controlled by the Ludlow Angling Club. Phone 01584 872575 for information about day fishing tickets.

Ludlow is also good for horse riding Also there is Ludlow race course just outside the town. There are usually about 15 race meetings each year. For those who enjoy golf, Ludlow Golf Club is just outside the town.

For cyclists there are numerous routes to enjoy, whatever your cycling skills are. (www.shropshirecycling.co.uk)