Shrewsbury ... in Shropshire that is...

The rail tickets were given to us by N, who would be unable to use them before the end of the month.  We looked at all the places we could go to within the rail company and settled for SHREWSBURY in Shropshire.  I checked it out on the web whole PJ checked out train and bus timetables, I found a River Cruise company ... PJ found out we would be up early in the morning!!

Shrewsbury Station

We travelled into town on the bus and cut across to the station before the shoppers could fil the streets.  We were looking forward to the train journey, the sun was shining and there were plenty of empty seats.

View back down the hill

Shrewsbury Rail Station is a magnificent building, just the usual platforms and ticket offices on the inside, with plenty of traffic in the car park outside - not empty like the photo (taken from the web).

We climbed up the hill towards the Castle and the shops, I did ... really puffed me out but I made it to the top!

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We bought some postcards and mags, stopping to watch some charity abseiling down the Church Tower.

Tudor alleyway by castle

We walked back towards the Castle, noticing small tudor passages led off the main street, some had shops, some housing but they were very reminiscent of Edinburgh.

Tudor House Museum

The castle houses the Museum of the Shropshire Regiments in a magnificent Tudor House.
We just stood and stared ....

Castle Wall

The grounds outside the Castle  had large artillery guns and was surrounded by well laid out flower beds.

Laura'a Tower

Inside the grounds we decided to walk up to Laura's Tower, it seemed a gentle stroll upwards with staggered steps.  It was .... until we entered the gateway to the Tower .... there were about six steps ... large, old, slippy steps.

Castle from Laura's Tower

We managed them and arrived at the tower which had a large, cobbled courtyard surrounded by a low wall, but unfortunately the tower itself was locked.

The views of Shrewsbury were magnificent, mainly the river Severne and the railway lines.

Pushchair parked 

On the way back down to the Castle grounds we met a family going up and had to stand aside while the guy 'wheeled his large pushchair' past us.
Wheeling the pushchair up was bad enough but we laughingly told him that he wouldn't not manage the last few steps but he laughed and said 'We'll see'.
When we looked up at the Tower from the grounds we noticed that the pushchair was parked up outside the Tower!?!?!

We wandered round the grounds and then back down towards the station, and followed the road alongside the river until we reached the pier for the river cruise.

Sabrina River Cruise Boat

The boat was named Sabrina after a Roman water goddess and, as we were paying customers, we were allowed on first. Apparently residents of Shrewsbury were allowed a free trip as this was the opening day.

Laura's Tower from English Bridge

Trust us! ...
but this was good as we could choose our own seats and, being in England, there were no children running around or shouting ... Marvellous!!!
There was the usual commentary but only on our return journey, pointing out interesting places, we could just about see Laura's Tower above the English bridge.

Shrewsbury School & Boathouse

Shrewsbury School is a private boarding school where the fees are about £30,000 per year which puts it on a par with Eton and Harrow.  Surprising the things you can learn on a boat!!?!

High tide mark

Along the riverbank we could see where the floods of the last couple of months had been, these flats must have been very worried as the river reached up to about one foot below the top.
You might be able to see the white line along the top of the bricks.

Street Furniture

Coming back along the road to the station, I noticed this street furniture, a soldier, a town crier and a victorian lady - metal cutouts.


Back to the Station and into town, which was very busy now with shoppers but we managed to catch the bus to the Robin Hood.

Unfortunately it was only going to the city boundary and one bearded gentleman, with a small white hat, decided he didn't like it and started an argument with the blonde lady driver.  After a few heated words like ... legal rights, racist, not getting off bus ... the driver stopped the bus and she refused to go any further till he got off.  By now there were a few different nationalities joining in and telling him to shut up or get off, and eventually he got off, ... we all clapped and cheered!!!!
I love these international bus routes!

We had a great meal, laughing and joking with the staff as per usual and catching the last bus home.
As we say round here - "ain't we had a lovely day?"   "ain't we just!"