Looking forward to spring? Take a snowdrop walk in Shropshire
They may not be the biggest, most colourful or grand flowers, but the humble snowdrop is a British classic – and Shropshire has been named one of the best places to see them.
The National Trust today revealed that three of the top 20 places to see the little white flowers carpeting the ground and heralding the end of winter are in our county or on its border.
It says February is the best time to blow away the cobwebs and go on a walk through the snowdrops at Dudmaston Hall near Quatt, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury and at Chirk Castle near Oswestry.
Jon Hignett, visitor experience manager at Chirk Castle, 18th on the list of best places to visit, said the snowdrops were just emerging in the pleasure ground wood in the garden and across the estate.
He said: "They should be fully carpeting the ground in the next few days. I think we like them so much because they are a sign that spring is on the way." Glimpses of snowdrops can be found throughout the garden, scattered between clipped yews, shrub and rock gardens, as well as drifting along the woodland floor. Take a moment in the Pleasure Ground Wood to enjoy more stunning snowdrop displays, and warm up around the fire in the Woodsman's Hut. "
There is a specially signed snowdrop walk at Chirk for people to enjoy.
At Dudmaston Hall, number 13 in the top 20, volunteers said that the abundance of planting they undertook during spring 2016 means they hope the display will be better than ever.
Attingham Park, number 11 in the snowdrop charts, says a leaflet available from visitor reception shows the best places to see the snowdrop displays in the woods around the Mile Walk.
Both Dudmaston and Attingham have snowdrop days on the weekends of February 18-19 and 25-26 while there is a special, half price admission ticket for Chirk Castle during February.
