HF Book Club in the Shropshire Hills: Shropshire Stories

Discover stories shaped by the Shropshire Hills with this fascinating book club break. Staying at the Longmynd Hotel, our characterful country house in Church Stretton, you’ll explore works inspired by the beauty and character of this much-loved National Landscape. Discussion groups guided by an expert leader and the company of fellow literature lovers make for an enriching and sociable weekend – ideal for solo travellers seeking friendship-forming experiences as well as book clubs looking for a memorable holiday together.

What you’ll love

Meeting like-minded book lovers
Discussing a variety of literary works
Staying in the comfort of a HF country house
Discussion groups with our expert leaders

What’s included

Free-flowing literary discussions throughout your holiday
Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our 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 4pm. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival.

Day 2 - 3: HF Book Club

On our book club breaks, your leader team will facilitate discussions about the themes and topics featured in their chosen titles and there’ll be an open forum to discuss opinions. There will be free time during the day for you to explore the area independently or stay in the comfort of the HF country house.

Reading List

Precious Bane by Mary Webb

Set in rural 19th-century England, Precious Bane follows the life of Sabine, a young woman with a disfiguring birthmark. The novel explores themes of love, beauty, and resilience as Sabine navigates social rejection, family dynamics, and personal growth, ultimately discovering her inner strength and worth.

A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

In A Morbid Taste for Bones, Brother Cadfael, a medieval monk and amateur sleuth, investigates the suspicious death of a priest during the saint's relics’ relocation in 12th-century Shrewsbury. As he uncovers secrets and motives, Cadfael’s sharp wit and moral compass lead him to a truth buried beneath deception.

Day 4: 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

Please bring along your own copy of the books we'll be discussing either in paper format or on a tablet/e-reader if you prefer.

Longmynd Hotel Calendar

Guided Walking
Self-Guided Walking
Special Interests
Unavailable to Book

Guest reviews

All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.

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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.