21. Ludlow

Where: Ludlow, England

When:  July 22, 2015

With: Me!

Continuing on my opportunistic solo travels in England (see Chester), my next stop by nature of proximity would be the very tiny town of Ludlow. Similar to my issues with visiting Chester during my two years living in London, this town was even more difficult to get to. However, from Chester, it was only a short jump on the train, making it an easy stop for a day trip before returning to friends in London. 

Ludlow sits right along the border to Wales, giving it its own unique culture. The town is tiny at best, and most of it is taken up by an old castle. After disembarking the train, I saw almost the entire town just by walking from the station to the castle.

As the castle seemed the biggest attraction, there was nothing stopping me from starting there...except the opening time. Thankfully, this additional wait time allowed for a kind woman behind the ticket desk to take pity on me, ignore the rules and offer to store my knapsack behind the counter. This allowed me to explore the town and castle free of weight for the day. She was the best!

The Ludlow Castle ruins are massive, and with no real sight to see per say, they were simply mine to explore. With no agenda, camera in hand and a good cloudy day that made the greens pop and the mood more dramatic, it was a marvelous way to spend the morning. 

It is believed the castle was built shortly after the Norman conquest in about 1094. Therefore, it is likely nearing 1,000 years in age. While it held great importance for a time, it fell into disrepair in about the 1600s, resulting in what we see today. 

Upon entering the grounds, I was standing in the center of the castle walls on a large lawn, surrounded by the ruins of the buildings. Everything is open to explore. 

The insides of the buildings are gutted and the roof is mostly gone, but the main structure remains. So with enough imagination, I could picture what it might have been like 400 years ago. It was cool to see the elevated doorways and balconies with no flooring underneath them.

 

However, on the first floor, there was an endless maze of passages and doorways that had been built into the stones and survived. They were dark and dingy, and my footsteps echoed as I went through. So eery and spooky. 

I also thought it was beautiful to see nature taking over the structure. There were so many flowers and plants growing from divots that used to hold floorboards.

In one section of the castle, a staircase was built to allow views from the top. I found something so romantic about the stormy clouds and the green pastures providing the backdrop to this abandoned castle. 

The view back over the town of Ludlow.

After being super high, I got super low: in the old moat around the castle.

I had such a nice time wandering around. It just felt like this big, beautiful thing that been forgotten but wasn't dead. I could have stayed there all day, and did for a good chunk.

Once finished with the castle, it was time to explore the town. While Ludlow is small, it is not lacking of character. Four days a week, a small market opens in the shadows of the castle, selling everything from fruit to wares to clothes, for both the local and the tourist. 

Additionally, the half timbered homes, similar to Chester, continued to make their mark here.

I love England for its ever changing weather. While its reputation makes it out as consistently rainy, actually, English weather is just volatile. One minute it's dark with clouds, and minutes later the sun is out. You can always see the weather churning. And this day proved no different when the clouds suddenly disappeared and the sky turned blue.

I took advantage of the sun and decided to walk a footpath around the base of the castle. There were beautiful wildflowers lining the trail, and Ludlow Castle was always poking over the edge of the shrubs.

 
At the end of the trail, and in front of the castle, there's a really pretty garden. It reminds me of something from Italy.

Ludlow has also recently found a new calling as a gastronomic capital. While I didn't have my foodie Dave around to pick the best place for lunch, I found a wonderful little cafe that let me sit, eat and read while I waited for my train. With a little more time, there are a ton of new restaurants boasting local ingredients and gaining quite a reputation on the food scene.

My last stop before hurrying back to the train station was in St. Laurence's Church. While smaller than the typical English cathedrals, it was peaceful and beautiful and a perfect end to my visit.

One last loop through town.

While my visit to Ludlow covered all the bases, it still felt altogether too short. I feel that a long weekend in this slow-paced town, enjoying the food and walking the footpaths of the castle would be one of the most peaceful vacations one could ever hope for.