Dudmaston Hall

Dudmaston Hall is more than meets the eye.  Not only is it a beautiful historic house with carefully tended gardens from which you can admire the Shropshire countryside, but inside the Hall you can view galleries rich with examples of the best of British Modern Art.  A place of discovery and enchantment, there is wooded parkland and an orchard with children’s play area along with a tea-room and second-hand bookshop.  Look out for art in the grounds too.  Local artist Anthony Twentyman, a contemporary of Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, created stunning sculptures which enhance the gardens at Dudmaston.  The Dingle, woodland with a stream running through it, is a magical place to take a walk.  Throughout the year wildflowers provide a changing background of colour with carpets of snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells and songbirds can be heard over the trickling of the stream.  Free for National Trust Members, admission applies for non-members.

Just up the road from Dudmaston, is Comer Woods where footpaths snake through the trees and around tranquil pools.  Swans, geese, squirrels, muntjac deer and a variety of insect life inhabit the woods and on a quiet day, if you’re lucky, you can spot all of these.  For the active, there are bike trails through the woods, organised National Trust 10k runs and Wellbeing walks.  There is a café and toilets for visitors.  There is no admission charge for Comer Woods, but there is a charge for car parking. National Trust members park for free.