Explore the countryside in the Shropshire Hills

Wildlife

Stargazing

Landscapes & Nature Reserves

The rich and varied landscape of the Shropshire Hills makes the area as popular with wildlife as it is with walkers and others who enjoy the freedom of its wide-open uplands and tranquil valleys of woodland and meadows.

The borderlands in the Shropshire Hills owe their character to the rocks that lie beneath: they contain a great variety of geological features from most time periods. No single hill or range of hills dominates the area – the individually distinctive Long Mynd and Stiperstones, The Wrekin and Wenlock Edge, Clun and Clee Hills each owes its distinctive character to the specific local rock type.

The very nature of the rocky ground underfoot make the majority of the area unsuitable for intensive farming and has helped to ensure that there are rich woodland and meadow habitats to complement the uplands and these qualities together mean the area is home to a great diversity of species.

Be inspired to make the most of this special place by taking in the views, visiting the nature reserves, watching the wildlife, or gazing at the stars in the unpolluted sky.

Perhaps you may even be lucky enough to see one of England’s rarest mammals – the elusive pine marten, which was only recently discovered to be among those creatures that has made the Shropshire Hills its home.

All Countryside in Shropshire

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    Nature Reserves in the Shropshire Hills

    The Shropshire Hills are blessed with a rich variety of landscapes , often providing exceptional habitats for a wide variety of species. Many of these are protected in different ways, over and above the Hills’ designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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    Pine martens in the Shropshire Hills

    The Shropshire Hills are a great place in which to go exploring for wildlife – and even more so when you consider that the area has now been confirmed to be home to pine martens. Confirmation that the elusive pine marten was alive and well and living in the Shropshire Hills debunked the long-held belief that this mostly nocturnal predator was extinct in England.

© Shropshire Hills Tourism Association