A jail break in Shropshire
Locked away on a deserted island, FIONA WHITTY breaks free to sample Shropshire’s sights
I WAS alone on an island, sunshine twinkling through the trees and soothing waves lapping against the shoreline. It may sound idyllic but it was far from it. Bali? Barely. In fact, I’d been ferried to the island while blindfolded and was now trapped in a locked cage.
Back on the mainland my husband Tim and our 13-year-old son Freddie were searching for clues so they could float to my rescue and aid my release.
This wasn’t a tropical paradise – it was a cleverly devised outdoor escape room in Shropshire.
In an age where adventure and adrenaline have overtaken buckets and spades as holiday must-haves, Alderford water sports centre near Shrewsbury has found a novel way to re-imagine their lake and islands, with four new Escape on the Lake experiences (from £15pp, alderford.com).
We decided to try out The Captive – and between me and freedom lay a hidden canoe, a mind-baffling riddle, endless padlocks, mystifying clues and symbols, and, of course, the ingenuity of my husband and son.
We’d done indoor escape rooms before but having to find your way off a deserted island added to the suspense and was a real hit for both generations. And yes, I was freed. To make the most of Alderford’s stunning setting we stayed for lunch in the pretty Lakeside Kitchen.
My tasty homemade beetroot and goat’s cheese tart served with coleslaw and chunky chips certainly helped steady my nerves, while Freddie and Tim’s heavily loaded burgers did the trick too.
We were staying at a glamping resort called Love2stay on the edge of Shrewsbury, in a brand new, beautifully designed black barn lodge.
It came complete with a fitted kitchen – including a range cooker, dishwasher and Belfast sink – a bathroom with walk-in shower, a bedroom with a king-size, and a mezzanine level with two singles. Some Smeg appliances and Denby crockery completed the upmarket feel while a wood-burning stove, sheepskin throws and a 2ft high crocheted rhino in the open-plan lounge added to the vibe.
Outside was equally impressive, with a private hot tub, fire pit and hammock. An egg chair hung down from the lodge’s covered terrace.
Everything around the site was immaculate too, from the landscaping to the launderette.
Shropshire may not be a county that springs to mind for a holiday but it’s a real hidden haven for families.
For a uniquely intimate birds of prey experience we visited Shropshire Falconry.
Owners Steve and Lisa took us out for a walk on their seven-acre site in Wem with some of their feathered friends, allowing them to soar around us before calling them on to our gloved fists. It was amazing to see creatures such as kestrels, owls and falcons enjoying their natural habitat while venturing so close to us. Our favourite bit was when Ben the Harris hawk flew right between Tim and Freddie (hawk walks from £65, shropshirefalconry.co.uk).
Afterwards we ambled round Hawkstone Park Follies, a 100-acre treasure trove of caves, cliffs, passages, monuments and woods. Marked trails help you explore and it’s the perfect place to unwind (family tickets from £32.35, hawkstoneparkfollies.co.uk).
The beautiful county town of Shrewsbury, encircled by the River Severn, is great to explore. To take in its prettiest views, we hired e-bikes from Shrewsbury Canoe and ebike Hire in the town centre and followed their Heritage Cycle Route (half-day hire £35, shrewsbury ebikehire.co.uk).
Keeping mainly to off-road tracks, the newly launched trail hugs the riverside from leafy Quarry Park, past pretty bridges, then on to Shrewsbury Prison where the Sean Bean drama Time was filmed.
We also cycled past Flaxmill, the world’s first iron-framed building. It’s just reopened to visitors after a huge restoration.
On the way back we stopped off at the Dingle, a breathtaking garden packed with flowers and designed by legendary TV gardener Percy Thrower, who was Parks Superintendent for 28 years.
Hungry after all that pedaling, we later popped into Shrewsbury’s indoor Market Hall, home to a fabulous collection of eateries, as well as goods and produce stalls.
The great thing here is the quality
of the food, and the fact you can dip in and out of several places for variety (shrewsburymarkethall.co.uk).
At Tutto Bene, run by husbandand-wife team Marco and Jayne, we shared tortellini with spinach and ricotta, homemade on-site, plus delicious king prawn tagliarini.
Over at House of Yum, we chomped through tasty chicken satay and grilled scallops and prawns, the latter prepared using seafood from the fish stall next door.
To finish we had a takeaway of locally ground coffee and cakes from The Bird’s Nest.
Our salted caramel chocolate cake, salted caramel brownie and carrot, walnut and orange cake were all made in-situ and tasted divine. We were also keen to take advantage of the fabulous facilities back at Love2stay.
Kevin, an instructor at the resort’s gym, proved to Tim and I that Sundays aren’t always easy with a punishing end-of-week boot camp which included weights, running, medicine ball dunking and burpees. Freddie was pushed to the limit by guide Ollie on the gruelling assault course, which included a scramble net, tunnels and several obstacles that teetered menacingly over water.
And he and I practised our Hunger Games skills during an archery session, which saw us compete to hit various targets.
In the natural swimming pool there are no chemicals – instead it’s cleaned by a strip of lily pads sectioned off along the edge. In the outdoor kitchen area, we hired a pizza oven and then a BBQ hut for a couple of fun evenings. For both there’s a sink and picnic tables provided – you just bring your own food and utensils.
And one night we left the cooking to the Love2stay restaurant and booked a good-value pizza deal which gave us a pizza, some crisps and a bottle of wine to take away.
Away from the resort, Ironbridge – with the world’s first iron bridge, erected in 1779 – is well worth the drive. It’s packed with museums – 10 to be exact – focusing on the area’s history and innovation (family passes for all museums from £51, ironbridge.org.uk). Our favourite was Blists Hill Victorian Town, where you can exchange money for old-style coins to spend on games.
To continue the fun, we hired a coracle from Shropshire Raft Tours. The traditional round Vietnamese fishing boats, made from bamboo, are a new addition to the Severn this year. As long as you row in unison to avoid going round in circles, they’re stable – and were a unique way to explore such a serene place. With the sunshine pulsing down, I realised that perhaps I’d found paradise after all.