We’ve not been gadding for ages. He who builds sheds has been much occupied during our rainless days, taking the internal house doors off their hinges and, one by one, stripping them down and repainting them. As may be imagined with a hundred year old house, there are many layers to remove. He’s working outside with wallpaper stripping gun which peels off ancient gloss and varnish like a dream.
It was during one such operation on the cloakroom door that we decided opaque glass panels in the upper door half would make for more light in the neighbouring gloomy utility room. Glass panels were duly ordered and on Friday we set off (from the somewhat isolated fastness of Bishop’s Castle) to collect them.
This involved a twenty mile drive to our county town of Shrewsbury. We’d not been there for over two years, not since our house selling days and foiled attempts to find a rental property there. In some ways the prospect of this outing made me realize how our horizons have shrunk, though not in a bad way. But once our life was repeated long haul flights between UK and Africa. Now, I feel I’ve been on a journey if we go to next door Clun, eight miles away or to Montgomery, just over the Welsh border. But then both those places are so lovely, each in their own particular ways, what else could one want?
One of the reasons the Shrewsbury trip turned into a haul was because the main route out of Bishop’s Castle was closed and we were sent on a diversion, wending back and forth between Wales and Shropshire. But it was a sunny day and the countryside, with its undulating hillscapes, glorious, so why should we complain. We even had a red leg partridge step into the lane in front of us. (It withrew unscathed). And there were buzzards and red kites high in the blue, wafting over newly mown hayfields, the roadside hedgerows full of wildflowers – honeysuckle, willow herb.
After such bucolic byways, Shrewsbury with its multiple bypasses (internal and external), huge traffic islands, and peripheral industrial estates and retail zones is something of a culture shock. But the old town itself, on a hill and cupped in a loop of the River Severn, has been going since at least Saxon times, and so has many ancient and scenic parts. These days, too, it is cafe culture central. Just look at this LINK.
And one of the best locations for eating out is Shrewsbury Market. Which is where we headed (after negotiating the ring roads and industrial quarters) for a spot of lunch at the Moli Tea House. To say their exquisitely served Asian offerings are delicious is an understatement – tiny Chinese dumplings with dipping sauce, delicate meat balls served in a crisp lettuce leaf wrap. Heavenly.
Later, we wandered around the stalls of artisan bread, fresh vegetables, farm eggs and meat, looked at what people were enjoying in the other eateries, bought some fresh fish. Then headed back to our border refuge, to the Castle that has no castle, this time on the truck-roaring A49, the main highway south, which is quicker if further. We were anyway glad to leave it behind, back to the quietness of our home terrain and a restful cup of tea.
I don’t think I have ever been inside Shrewsbury market hall, but your description of the food makes me wish that I had. I know what you mean about shrunken horizons. But when you live in a beautiful location why the need to go elsewhere?
Exactly, Jude. The horizons expand in different planes, but in one place somehow.
well Jude has said everything I was thinking, so all I can do is applaud you for the post and Jude for her comments 🙂
Thanks, Becky. All applause apprecited 🙂
It is always fun to get away even of much needed supplies…but it is always good to be safely back home.
Just my thought, Beverly.
Nothing quite matches a trip to a good market.
Precious places.
A grand day out, Tish! In some ways you were always a country mouse (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) xx
Yes, you’re spot on, Jo. A country mouse through and through.
Shrewsbury Market is woderful in so may ways, but yes, the Eating Offers are excellent. Worth a detour …. Oh, hang on ….
Nice to think you’ve been there too 🙂
👍
I like your outlook on of the size of your world and that smaller isn’t necessarily worse. You love in a beautiful area and I’m happy you enjoy it while allowing me to do the same through your words and photos.
So pleased you can come along to my part of the world, Janet.
I’m glad you enjoyed your day out and were so glad to be home. I may not live in the country, but when you compare the suburbs to a city–well there’s no comparison! Thanks for the virtual tour of Shrewsbury Market.
Pleased you enjoyed the tour, Anne.
😍😍
In the second photo, I liked that down view a lot – with the dots of red and it foloowed the opening green photo nicely for contrast- also, smiled with “delicate meat balls served in a crisp lettuce leaf wrap” because two months ago we had jumbo pigs in the blanket, from a kitchen that sells to grocery stores – and they were meatballs in cabbage and oh so good!
Hello, Yvette. Always lovely when you drop in, and especially when we can share meatball delight 🙂
🙂🙂
Dear Tish
We can understand you really well. We sometimes go to Norwich, really a fine city, but after several hours there looking at bookshops and the Sainsbury Centre (Museum), we are really happy to go home to our little coastal village.
Keep well
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Cheers, Fab Four of Cley – Yes, the peaceful small-scaleness of village life truly is a gift. V. nourishing, I feel.
Beautiful pic 👌
What a beautiful rural outlook in the first photo compared with your description of the city. Detours can be maddening, I always manage to loose my way, but in this case, a much more scenic and pleasant drive. Good to have an outing, but always good to get back home.
I’ve lived in Shropshire for most of my life – diversions in Kenya apart, but I’m still amazed at what a beautiful county it is, particularly in the borderlands with Powys (another beautiful county). We are very lucky to be here.
Rediscovering the joys of a big(ger) town where you once lived is a nice outing. Happy gadding.
Cheers, I.J.
Do you think ‘he who builds sheds’ would like to come and tackle our 100+ year old doors next?! I’m afraid we just add a layer to the paint each time we decorate 😀
Your outing to Shrewsbury sounds lovely. We were there a few years ago and had a great short stay. My grandmother lived there fand we used to go often as children, but that was my first visit back.
Well he does seem to be getting stuck in with our doors. A new ‘profession’ perhaps? I could ask him 😉
Interestingly, having taken a couple of downstairs doors off their hinges, we’ve now decided to leave them off, a great improvement to both sitting rooms. Interesting too, your connections with Shrewsbury. The ever sprawling outskirts are a bit mind boggling, but the town itself still has charm.
Nice!
Good post
Its a real treat to read your prose – following along on every word that conjures the way there and back so vividly. My mouth watered at those dumplings and ‘bucolic byways’ so memorable.
Thanks so much for coming with me, Laura. And for your own v. kind words.
Moli’s: great place to eat! “Delicious is an understatement” – spot on!