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If you ask us, there’s no shortage of reasons to visit Shropshire. The West Midlands county is known for being the inspiration for The Shire in Lord of the Rings, and it was also the birthplace of both Charles Darwin and the Industrial Revolution. And if that wasn’t enough, Shropshire made headlines last year for reintroducing beavers after 400 years without them. See? Shrop’s interesting on loads of levels.
Excitingly, soon it will be even easier to explore Shropshire thanks to four new walking trails. The new routes are designed to assist those wanting to explore the 185-mile Shropshire Way in rail-friendly way, with each one starting and finishing at a train station.
The four routes are all in the 2-4-day range. Making it even easier to cosplay as a hobbit gallivanting around The Shire are newly improved paths, waymarking and downloadable PDFs with everything you need to know, from sights and landmarks to accommodation and shortcuts.
What exactly can we expect from the new routes? Well, first up is Heart of the Hills and Far from the Crowds. Kicking off in Shrewsbury, the 26-mile walk takes you to the idyllic town of Bishop’s Castle via the Bridges pub in Ratlinghope (and who can resist a refreshing pint beside a flowing river, eh?).
If your reaction to the first route is ‘only 26 miles?!’ then the Three Castles and One Quiet Sun walk is more your speed. Described as a ‘roller coaster’ trail, this hike from Ludlow to Craven Arms via Clun and Bishop’s Castle is for more experienced trekkers at 32 miles long.
Fancy a couple of days ambling through fields to experience a UNESCO World Heritage site? The Wrekin Rises and the Iron Bridge Beckons is the shortest of the four routes, at 20 miles, but arguably the most glorious. It takes trekkers past the world’s first iron-cast bridge – the aptly-named Ironbridge – and over the Wrekin, one of Shropshire's best-known landmarks with panoramic views of the surrounding rolling hills and green fields.
Lastly, the Meres, Mosses and Canals Unfold trail offers a gentle walk through glacial meres, mosses, quiet lanes and canal paths. It’s a flatter and more relaxed introduction to the Shropshire Way, and starts and ends in Shrewsbury via Ellesmere and Wem. Despite being an easier, less hilly trek, it’s still a good way to get your step count up and covers 36 miles.
Find out more about all four routes on the Visit Shropshire website here.
At Time Out, we’re big walkers. Our ranking of the 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026 features a newly completed walking trail – the 2,700-mile King Charles III Coastal Path – while you can find a guide to ridiculously scenic walks near London here.
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Plus: the third best beach in the world is in the UK.
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