Guest Post: A Day In Ludlow by Tiffany from The Amateur Anthropologist

Today's post is a guest post all about the village of Ludlow, written by travel blogger Tiffany from The Amateur Anthropologist.

If you haven't visited Tiffany's fab blog before, be sure to check it out (link at the end)! Here is a little about her:

What do you get when you mix anthropology, food, fashion & travel? You get me, the Amateur Anthropologist (hence the name of my blog). Dreamer, globe trekker and beginner baker, my motto is "live life to the fullest before it runs out".

Now onto the post!

A Day In Ludlow by Tiffany

If you asked someone that knows me, be it a friend or family member, how they would describe me, one characteristic that will undoubtedly be mentioned is organized.

There’s a chilling sense of anxiety that arises whenever I feel unprepared. And although, it’s not a positive one, but it does motivate me to plan well ahead.

I’ve had troubles in crafting my timetable way too far in advance. Thankfully with experience, I’ve learnt to tweak this so that I can prepare just in time.
It applies to all areas I’ve touched in life, both in work and play. You can tell that travelling is not an exception.

Although it may seem rather tedious looking up train and bus times, and calculating which one to take to maximize my exploration duration, it does make my voyages far easier to experience.

So, in short, I’m a talking, breathing and walking PDA.

Generally speaking, the plans I create work out the way they’re supposed to. But sometimes they don’t, and on this occasion, they didn't.

Upon reading an article online about the quirks of England, I suddenly changed course and navigated myself to a small market village in Shropshire called Ludlow.

The author had recommended this place due to its history, medieval architecture, and range of independent stores, set upon a delightful hillside environment. There wasn’t a single part of his description that sounded unattractive to me, so I was more than keen to find out.

And I am pleased to report, he was truly spot on with his suggestion.

Ludlow Castle

If you ever visit Ludlow, an obvious place to head to is the Castle. Situated near the mighty River Teme, this medieval fortification offers a wealth of history to enlighten the minds of the young and old. Being one of the first English stone castles ever constructed, its exterior and interior truly deserves an equal amount of admiration. And needless to say, there’s more than enough areas forming the ruined landmark to fill the adventurous side of all visitors (it certainly did for me).
A big tip would be to challenge oneself to head up one of the taller towers, like the North-West one. Although the steps are narrow and steep, I can assure you that you’ll definitely be rewarded with the most spectacular view this late 11^th century landmark can provide.

Boutique paradise

In truth, shopping is a hobby of mine. Be it for clothes, stationary or food, the chance to spend the day purchasing attractive products can be somewhat relaxing to me at times. Although high street shops are appealing, I’d much prefer going to an independent store and browsing through their stock. Why? Simply because of the desire to be unique. I mean, what’s the point in buying an outfit that everyone else has when you can acquire something different that will help you stand out?

Fearlessly independent – that’s my motto for fashion.

So, you can probably guess that I was immensely thrilled to see the vast range and quantity of independent retailers dotted all around Ludlow town center. To me, each boutique had a personal glow or aura which shone brightly in the slightly grayish rainy day. This was further reinforced by the friendly and warm attitudes that every owner and employee which I met bore.

It was as though I had stepped through a portal that led my wandering self into a treasure trove of hand-crafted trinkets, treats and toys. An irreplaceable sight, as you can imagine. My longstanding understanding of Yarm (North East England) as the King/Queen of little boutiques had definitely been surpassed by the brilliance of Ludlow.

And of course, my trip would not be complete without a slice of walnut and coffee cake! I will definitely have to try the Michelin star restaurants in town one day…

Until next time, dearest lovely little Ludlow.

Time to show Tiffany some love! Visit her blog, follow her on Twitter and Google+, like her Facebook page, and of course leave her some lovely comments below!