Shropshire's Great Days Out - Quarry Park
Ben Bentley continues his month-long campaign to highlight the area's top visitor attractions. Click here for an overview of the great days out campaign and check back each day for the latest idea.
Ben Bentley continues his month-long campaign to highlight the area's top visitor attractions.
Where is it? Opposite Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1RD.
What is it? Twenty-nine acres of beautiful parkland in the heart of the town and set against the backdrop of The River Severn. It is also home to the famous Shrewsbury Flower Show which kicks off tomorrow, and other events throughout the year including the carnival, regatta, and live music concerts.
How much is it? Entry to the park itself is usually free, though charges apply for special events like the flower show.
What is there to do? The Quarry is the perfect place to relax, enjoy walks, have a picnic, or to let off steam. It is a place of simple pleasures that won't cost a penny.
Take a ball and have a kick-around with jumpers for goalposts. Step out along the banks of the River Severn in the footsteps of our Sunday best forebears. Teach your child to ride a bike, or simply plonk yourself down on a bench and have a quiet moment of contemplation.
There is also a sizeable play park with loads of equipment for children and, when the weather hots up, parents can take the young ones across to Quarry Pool – they'll love splashing about in the water.
The Quarry has been Shrewsbury's most important site for recreation since the 16th Century. At its centre lies the Dingle, once a stone quarry, now a formal floral masterpiece created by world-renowned gardener and Salopian, the late Percy Thrower during his 28 years here as Parks Superintendent.
A beautiful, sunken garden landscaped with alpine borders, colourful bedding plants, shrubbery and water features, it is a favourite destination for people looking for a moment's calm.
Each August The Quarry comes alive with the Shrewsbury Flower Show. Tomorrow, visitors will be confronted with the site of more than three million blooms. Which is quite a lot.
The town is a stone's throw away too.
Interesting fact: You'd never know it now, but The Quarry used to be a rough place, where tanneries were sited and stone was dug and the local women used to do their washing. The good gentlefolk of Shrewsbury were having none of it, though, and decided instead to create a riverside promenade for their refined Regency ladies. We still use it for precisely the same purpose. Things change slowly in Shropshire.
Opening times: For the flower show, gates open to general ticket holders at 10am tomorrow.
Verdict: A jewel in the crown of days out in Shropshire. Perfect for families and reminder of the simple things in life that won't break the bank.
