We were only staying in Ironbridge and Much Wenlock for a few days, waiting to take our canal boat from Worcester. Nevertheless, between the industrial revolution heritage of Ironbridge (the first ever iron-only bridge), Much Wenlock’s medieval ruined priory and guildhall, and the rolling Shropshire hills, we had a pretty productive few days in this charming part of the world.

As a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Ironbridge was always on our to-do list. The fact that it was another World Heritage Site ticked off the list was just icing on the cake. Unfortunately, the main Museum of the Gorge is closed for refurbishment throughout 2023, but we got to visit the eponymous bridge, wander the streets of Blists Hill Victorian Town, and mess around with the interactive exhibits at Ingenuity. At the village, the kids got a kick out of changing their modern money for ha’pennies and shillings (and then buying some Victorian sweets), riding the horse bus around the village, and learning a thing or two about life in the old days.

Meanwhile, Much Wenlock was just a 10 minute drive from the Ironbridge sites, and is a close-to-picture-perfect English village. We made the most of lovely weather to walk the hills and stroll the village sites.