Strolling around Ellesmere in Shropshire

If you are looking for a relaxing and scenic getaway in the heart of the Shropshire countryside, you might want to consider a stroll around Ellesmere. I did think of calling this a walking tour, but really the charming market town with its rich history isn’t so big that you feel like you have been on a hike! I recently spent a week there visiting friends and spent two warm calm evenings just wandering around the mere and admiring the stunning natural beauty. Ellesmere is located near the Welsh border and the towns of Oswestry and Whitchurch, and the Welsh city of Wrexham. I’ve created a collection of my favorite images from Ellesmere on the UK print site, Photo4Me as well as my normal US based printers. You can obtain prints from there if you wish.

Ellesmere is famous for its proximity to a number of prominent meres, which are glacial lakes that offer a variety of wildlife and recreational activities. The largest and most popular mere is Ellesmere Mere, which has a formal garden and a woodland walk with art and sculpture trails. Colemere, Blake Mere, Whitemere, Newton Mere, and Crose Mere are all within a few miles of Ellesmere and will undoubtedly be visited on my next trip!

The parish church of St Mary’s stands on a hill overlooking the lake and the town. It is a Grade I listed building that dates back to the Norman era and has been restored and altered over the centuries by various architects. The church has a striking tower with eight pinnacles, a low-pitched roof with carved beams and bosses, and a richly decorated east window.

The church itself is fascinating, but around that historic part of town are some lovely old streets and homes. This one is right outside the church gates and I thought would look good as a pastel drawing:

Continuing this part of the stroll, you can climb to what is now the bowling club, built on the remains of a motte-and-bailey castle built by the Normans in the 11th Century and from where the panoramic view of the town seen in my first photo can be seen. That area of town, has a long history and the narrow stone-lined streets lead to the delightfully named Love Lane!

Back on Church Street, the wisteria nicely decorates this 18th Century Georgian home that must have gorgeous views of the Mere from its rear gardens.

Ellesmere was also an important hub for the canal network in the 18th and 19th centuries, and still is a popular place to moor the delightfully colorful narrowboats that are both available for hire as well as longer-term homes.

But it is perhaps The Mere in Ellesmere that is one of the most attractive features. This natural lake was formed by the melting of glaciers about 10,000 years ago. It is the largest and most beautiful of the nine meres and mosses in this area, covering over 48 hectares and reaching a depth of 19 metres. I spent two evenings walking around the shoreline (hoping for a gorgeous sunset!) and capturing the views of both wildlife and the town as the mists gathered over the water as the evening drew to a close.

Part way around the lake is a short pier using for fishing, but it makes a great location for views in all directions across the Mere, of the wildlife preparing for the night and, of course, the skyline of the town.

And so you can see, I did get my sunset over the town!

Interestingly, this article was seen by the producers at BBC Radio Shropshire shortly after I published it, and they contacted me to ask if I would be willing to do an interview on the radio about the background to my visit and what prompted me to photograph Ellesmere. That was broadcast in mid-May of 2023 and I recorded it for posterity! If you are interested in my own background and some of the story behind this visit, you can listen to the interview here: