Travel Writing & Walking in the Shropshire Hills
Fancy yourself a practising Michael Palin or Portillo? A budding Bill Bryson? Perhaps the next Nan Shepherd? Then why not combine a travel writing workshop with a walking holiday and let the landscape inspire your words. These breaks are ideal for both complete beginners and aspiring writers looking to build confidence and develop their style in the beautiful Shropshire Hills. Mornings are spent in guided workshops; afternoons on relaxed, scenic walks that spark ideas and stories along the way.
What you’ll love
- Expert-led morning workshops with your writing tutor
- Improving your writing in a relaxed and friendly environment
- Being surrounded by the stunning landscape of the Peak District
- Exploring the local area on foot with optional guided walks
- Staying in the comfort of our country house
What’s included
- All workshop-related materials
- Daily optional walks with an experienced HF Walks Leader
- 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 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.
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.
Morning
Travelling is one of life’s most extraordinary experiences and so often we want to record everything we have seen and done – either for ourselves or for others. This first session looks at what makes a great piece of travel writing, using examples such as William Dalrymple, Jan Morris, and Paul Theroux. How can we make a place really come off the page? How best to describe the sights, sounds, scents – and perhaps most importantly those small moments that we always remember?
Afternoon
Each afternoon, your HF Leader will offer an optional guided walk. Today, your walk will be:
Above Cwmdale and into Carding Mill Valley
Distance: 4½ miles (7km)
Ascent: 850 feet (260m)
In Summary: This route skirts along the edge of town before heading around Nover's Hill and then heading into the Carding Mill Valley, before heading back to the house.
Highlight: Relax at the National Trust café in the Carding Mill Valley and enjoy the views
of this local beauty spot.
Morning
Today’s workshop drills down further into the two things that are integral to travel writing: the places we go, and the people we meet. How do we describe that perfect view, the feeling of history while visiting an ancient site, the sense of camaraderie often struck up with complete strangers – whether an unforgettable evening with a friendly restaurant owner, a guide who brings a place to life, or the breakfast waiter who shares an unexpectedly fascinating life story?
Afternoon
Each afternoon, your HF Leader will offer an optional guided walk. Today, your walk will be:
Little Stretton & Ashes Hollow
Distance: 4 miles (6.5km)
Ascent: 1,350 feet (200m)
In summary: From Longmynd House we follow the Allen Coppice Trail to Little Stretton with views out towards Brockhurst Castle. We then head towards Ashes Hollow, a regionally important geographical site, before returning the same way.
Highlight: Exploring the chainsaw carvings of animals by the local “chainsaw sculptor”
Morning
In our final workshop, we look at the role of travel writing in fiction and how so many books take us places, immersing us in other worlds, traditions, and cultures. From Gatsby’s New York to Victoria Hislop’s Greece, many novels allow us to travel the world from the comfort of our own armchairs. Together, we’ll explore how we use our travels to create unforgettable fictional moments.
Afternoon
Each afternoon, your HF Leader will offer an optional guided walk. Today, your walk will be:
The Carding Mill Water Cycle
Distance: 4.5 miles (7km)
Ascent: 984 feet (300m)
In summary: Easy walk to the upper reservoir above Cardingmill Valley, which is one of the two damming streams flowing off the Long Mynd that provides water for Church Stretton.
Highlight: Great views of Caer Caradoc as you leave make your way up the valley. Onceat the top reservoir, it is a lovely place to rest and if you like, choose from 3 different ways to go around the reservoir.
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 InformationAddress
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.
For Writing
- Paper, pens and/or laptop (and charger) for writing and taking notes during your workshops
- Any source or reference material you may require or from which you can take inspiration
For Walking
To enjoy your walking comfortably and safely, it is essential that your footwear, clothing and equipment are suitable for the conditions likely to be encountered. Britain is famous for its changeable weather, so our advice is to come prepared for all eventualities.
Bring a rucksack, a thermos flask for a hot drink, a water bottle (at least 1 litre) and spare high-energy food such as a chocolate bar, a small torch (in spring, autumn and winter) and first aid kit – your leader’s first aid kit doesn’t contain any medication or blister kits (such as Compeed). Many guests find walking poles useful, particularly for descents. Insect repellent, sun hat, sunglasses and protection cream and a camera are all optional extras you may choose to bring.
Longmynd Hotel Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Members save £30 on all prices. Join today! Click here or call us to find out more.
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.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||||||||
|
19 Oct - 23 Oct 2026 4 nights |
Itinerary Single from £839 Double from £799 pp |
from £799 pp |
from £839 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||