James Waters, Stanley and family head to Shropshire for a historical experience.
Inside The Old Bakery
I’d read Blist Hill Open Air Museum in Shropshire is dog friendly and a real stepping-back-in-time experience. This appealed to my family so one weekend in autumn we found a cottage in nearby Bridgnorth and made the trip up to Blist Hill. The cottage we booked was the Old Bakery, in the centre of Bridgnorth, not realising quite how central it was. It’s in Bank Road, just off the main high street, so it doesn’t have outside parking. But there are a few options, with free parking after 6pm. Even so, the Old Bakery sits in a good location being at the heart of the little town and the cottage was lovely. It is positioned in the corner of an olde worldy courtyard. The main living room has a real cottage feel, but it is contemporarily decorated and connects to the kitchen, which has everything you need for self-catering accommodation. One unique feature is the kitchen broom cupboard – it has no roof and you can look up to the stars. There are two main double bedrooms with luxurious beds and a modern bathroom. Upstairs goes to the attic where there is another double bed, which is equally cosy.
Blist Hill
Bridgnorth is a market town named after a bridge over the river Severn. The river divides the town into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on its right bank and the lower on its left. The cottage is in the High Town, built near the old castle grounds, which would have sat proudly at the top of the hill. Today, there are just a few remains of the castle. But just a few yards from the cottage there is a pathway around the old castle walls that was good for taking Stanley out and it leads to the castle park, which is quite tranquil and, I imagine, would be pretty in the summer. We were only minutes away from the shops, including a Costa coffee just over the road and a pet shop on the same street. For arrival night, I had booked the Old Castle pub for a meal. They have a section that doesn’t disturb those who get distracted by the occasional whine. The menu features old pub classics – steak and ale pie, lamb shank, burgers and Mexican/chilli options – so there’s something to appeal to everyone. Afterward, we took a walk around town with Stanley. There are a few medieval buildings, and the views from High Town, overlooking Lower Town and river, are impressive.
Blist Hill
STEPPING BACK IN TIME
On the Saturday after breakfast, we made the short drive to Blist Hill, Ironbridge. There was a warm welcome for Stanley at reception and then we were allowed to amble around all the exhibitions of this open air museum at our own pace. The site is a replica of a Victorian town with all the shops and services that would have featured in the era. You can explore each shop and business, talk to the shop keepers and, in several cases, buy authentic Victorian souvenirs. Get your old pennies changed at the town bank, talk sausages with the butcher and visit the sweet shop to buy your old school pick ’n’ mix. The Victorian pub was a lively place with refreshments on tap and a sing-a-long at the piano. Stanley enjoyed a visit to the post office, where he received his first official dog licence. It was great to be able to enter everywhere with the dog, with few restrictions. Refreshments and lunch is available at the Pavillion Cafe. Dogs are allowed inside, but Stanley was a bit grumpy that day, so we sat outside. We would recommend Blist Hill to anybody interested in history. After a quick stop on the way back to see the Ironbridge itself, we travelled back to the cottage and made a meal. It was 5 November and the fireworks were on in town. My daughter stayed behind with Stanley while we viewed them from the old castle walls.
Iron Bridge
DOG FRIENDLY BOARD GAMES
On the Sunday, after checking out, we visited the Board Room in Lower Town, a games room where you rent a table by the hour and choose from any of 500 board games. We used the Cliff Railway to get from the High Town to Lower Town; it certainly saved us a climb on the way back. The place is dog friendly and we had a good couple of hours playing while Stanley sat under the table. On the drive back home, as a final treat we stopped at the Spectacle of Light at Welford Park, a beautiful, illuminated trail through the majestic woodland and gardens with ambient music as a backdrop. This is a true alternative for fireworks with the dog; it’s tranquil as you wander around the stately home’s estate greeted by various illuminations. At the end of the trail there is an offering of hot chocolate and brownie treats, a great way to finish our getaway.
The Cliffe Railway
Fact File
The Old Bakery – Bank Street, Bridgnorth
Price – £260 for 2 nights in November, sleeps up to 6 and allows 1 dog.
Website – AirBnB.co.uk
