Church Stretton is often called the Little Switzerland of England, and while the comparison is fanciful, the surrounding Shropshire Hills are genuinely dramatic. The Long Mynd rises directly above the town to the west, while Caer Caradoc and the Stretton Hills form a fine ridge to the east.

A small, friendly town with a direct rail link from Shrewsbury, Church Stretton is the perfect walking base for the Shropshire Hills — the Long Mynd is 10 minutes’ walk from the high street, and the Cardingmill Valley is a beautiful National Trust property just above the town.