4 Night Creative Writing & Walking in the Shropshire Hills

Combine a creative writing workshop with a walking holiday. Designed to help you become the writer you want to be, these breaks are perfect for both absolute beginners and budding authors looking to build their skills, style, and confidence in the stunning surrounds of the Shropshire Hills. You’ll enjoy a mix of group writing workshops and one-to-one sessions with a published author followed by guided afternoon walks in the great outdoors.

What you’ll love

Group writing workshops 
One-to-one session with your writing tutor* 
Half-day guided walks with our HF Holidays Leaders 
Free time to relax, write, and explore  
Sharing ideas with like-minded people 
A more personalised experience thanks to small group sizes (maximum 15 people)

* To receive feedback from your tutor during the one-to-one session, please submit a piece of writing at least 14 days in advance of your holiday. More details can be found on the itinerary tab.

What’s included

En-suite accommodation in our 4-star country house
Cream tea on arrival day
Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
Daily packed lunches
Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information available in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently

Trip Notes

Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.

Day 1: Arrival Day

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00 in 2026. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

Day 2 - 4: Creative Writing and Walking

We’ll be diving into the creative writing process with morning workshops exploring a range of themes, such as setting, character building, and plot. Days two and four provide an opportunity to enjoy guided walks in the inspirational landscapes of the Lake District with an HF Holidays Leader. A free afternoon on day three gives you time to dedicate to writing.

To receive feedback from your tutor during the one-to-one session, please submit a piece of writing at least 14 days in advance of your holiday. This should be sent to creativewriting@hfholidays.co.uk including the date and location of your holiday in the body of the email.  All submissions should be up to 1000 words and sent in Word or PDF format.

Evenings are varied. You’ll have the option to listen to readings from your tutor, take part in house activities, or simply relax. On our final evening together, there’s the opportunity for you to share a short snippet from your own writing with the group. Guests are asked to keep their readings to approximately 500 words to ensure everyone gets an opportunity.

Day 5: Departure Day

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

Longmynd Hotel

For rural calm in the Shropshire Hills National Landscape, the location of this characterful country house is hard to top. Set in a wooded hillside just a short stroll from the market town of Church Stretton (nicknamed Little Switzerland for its picturesque landscape), you’ll be within walking or driving distance of the Stiperstones, Caer Caradoc, Ironbridge Valley of Invention, and the historic towns of Ludlow and Shrewsbury. And then, of course, there’s the Long Mynd itself – an area of registered common land that has been cared for by a group of farmers (the self-named commoners) who have grazed sheep and ponies here for generations.

Rooms

Designed with your comfort in mind, Longmynd Hotel has 56 well-appointed guest rooms available in two categories: Classic and Premium.

Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.

Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

We love: For more privacy, the lodges have their own terrace.

The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.

Room supplements

Premium single	Premium double/twin	Choose your room
£20 pppn	£20 pppn	£30 per room

*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location

About your stay

A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).

Evening entertainment

While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.

Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.

The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.

Food & drink

Seasonal dining, tailored for you

Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.

Welcome Cream Tea

What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.

A hearty breakfast to start the day

Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.

Our famous picnic lunch

Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.

3-course evening meals

Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.

Accessibility

For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Longmynd Hotel

Getting to Longmynd Hotel

Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.

More Information

Travel Details

Address

Longmynd Hotel
Cunnery Road
Church Stretton
Shropshire SY6 6AG

Tel: +44 (0)1694 722244

By train

The nearest station is Church Stretton. Although Longmynd Hotel is less than a mile from the station, it is at the top of a steep hill and there is no taxi rank at the station. Taxis are in extremely limited supply in the Church Stretton area and drivers usually come from further afield which is reflected in fares.

Shrewsbury has more choice of trains, and you can take a taxi directly to the house from the station (see below).

Check National Rail for train times and routes.

By taxi

From Shrewsbury, it’s a 15-mile journey taking 30 to 40 minutes.

Single journeys are approx £45 but please contact Shropshire Cars directly for confirmation.

You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended Shrewsbury based company, Shropshire Cars*. We recommend booking your taxi, including your return journey if needed, at least seven days in advance by contacting via WhatsApp or using their App:

WhatsApp: 07379338526

APP STORE:

https://apps.apple.com/app/shropshire-cars/id6578451220

and

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shropshirecars.passengerapp

By car

There’s free car parking at Longmynd Hotel if you decide to drive.

Follow the A49 to Church Stretton. At the traffic lights turn off into town, then at the first junction turn left onto the High Street. Go straight over the mini-roundabout, and then take the next right into Cunnery Road. Follow the road up the steep hill to Longmynd Hotel.

By air

The nearest airport is Manchester International Airport.

Trains take about two hours, with a change in Crewe.

You can also fly into London Heathrow airport, but it’ll take at least 4 hours to reach Shrewsbury by train.

National Rail has up-to-date routes and train times.

Packing List

For writing

Paper, pens and/or laptop (and charger) for writing
Any source or reference material you may require

To receive feedback from your tutor during the one-to-one session, please submit a piece of writing at least 14 days in advance of your holiday. This should be sent to creativewriting@hfholidays.co.uk including the date and location of your holiday in the body of the email.  All submissions should be up to 1000 words and sent in Word or PDF format.

For walking

The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.

Essentials

Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip
Waterproof and windproof jacket, preferably insulated
Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
Waterproof overtrousers
Gloves and a warm hat (or sunhat)
Rucksack
Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
A small torch
Sunscreen
Mobile phone and portable charger
Watch
UV sunglasses

Recommended

Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve)
Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
Sit mat
Spare pair of socks
Energy snacks
Waterproof pouch for valuables
Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
Wallet/purse

Optional extras

Walking poles, useful for descents
Flask for hot drinks
Durable lunch box
Gaiters
Blister kit
Waterproof rucksack liner
Head torch
GPS device

Longmynd Hotel Calendar

Guided Walking
Self-Guided Walking
Special Interests
Unavailable to Book

Lizzie Enfield

Lizzie Enfield is a journalist and regular contributor to national newspapers, magazines and radio, has written four novels and had short stories broadcast on Radio Four and published in various magazines. She also teaches creative writing and is regular interviewer and panelist on the literary circuit.

Her latest novel Ivy and Abe (published as Elizabeth Enfield) is out now and she is currently working on a 'contemporary Jane Eyre."

www.elizabethenfield.com

Guest reviews

All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.

Extra Savings for Members

HF Members save £30pp in the UK, £50pp in Europe & £80pp on worldwide holidays. Call us to join, add membership when booking online, or find out more here.

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.