The Old Vicarage is at the heart of the pretty village of Lydbury North in the South West Shropshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Kwerky Cottage is a self-contained annex comprising the south wing of the main house. It is the oldest part of the building and is truly ‘quirky’. Entrance to it is via the garden room or sauna room, both leading in from the large garden at the back of the house. At the heart of Kwerky Cottage is the kitchen-breakfast room. This contains a sink unit, dishwasher, fridge-freezer, electric cooker, microwave, storage shelves and a table and chairs. In addition there are washing machines, and tumble driers available by arrangement in the main house. A welcome tray awaits you. Leading up from one corner of the kitchen-breakfast room is an ancient door that opens into a boxed staircase, this leads to a landing bedroom with a en-suite shower room. Double doors lead into a further bright, sunny, south-facing double bedroom. The landing bedroom can also accommodate two additional members of the same family group on put-you-up beds. From another corner of the kitchen-breakfast room a door leads into a small lobby, on the left of which rises a small staircase leading into a second south-facing double bedroom. On the further side of the lobby is the main shower room which also houses an infrared sauna and leads out to the garden. A further door in the kitchen-breakfast room leads into the large garden room (18x18ft). This is part stone built and contains a pine table and chairs that can seat six people, a flat screen TV, a large futon and some easy chairs. The futon opens out into a further full size double bed. There is a sliding door that leads out into the large south facing garden. Please note that Kwerky Cottage is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Children are welcome but please discuss your requirements with us before booking. Well behaved dogs are also welcome, please let us know should you wish to bring one with you.

A little about your hosts Duncan and Rita....Duncan's first career was in the Royal Navy where he specialised as a submarine navigator. It was here that he met Rita, as her father was commander of the submarine base at HMS Dolphin in Gosport. They then had 9 years in the Diplomatic Service working in London, Kenya and the Yemen Arab Republic. It was there that Duncan learned Arabic and became interested in language teaching which had been Rita’s specialisation since university. They moved to Lydbury North in 1985 and have been running a small residential language centre since then. Mostly they have been training business and professional students in English as an international language. With the changes in the world market for English language training and their wish for a change of professional emphasis, they are now able to start letting out their very comfortable and well-equipped accommodation to people eager to enjoy everything that this beautiful and historic part of the country has to offer. They live in the main house on the site and are always available to help and assist if required.

The Old Vicarage is at the heart of the pretty village of Lydbury North in the South West Shropshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a friendly village with a small community shop, run by volunteers, for your essentials and more. There is also an excellent local pub, as well as a church and school. We can offer leisurely village strolls, including privileged access to the Walcot estate with its beautiful lakes and trees. The lovely town of Bishop’s Castle is only 5kms away. There you will find a garage, two small supermarkets, a chemist and a wide selection of independent shops! It is also home to the ‘Three Tun’s Brewery’, the UK’s oldest licensed brewery, dating back to 1642! Our location is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors – whether you love walking, hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching, photography or soaking up the atmosphere at our local festivals. GETTING AROUND Private transport is essential for getting around the area. We can arrange transport, at cost, from Craven Arms station. There is no bus service in the village of Lydbury North but there is a limited bus service in Bishop's castle, 5 kms away, which connects with train, bus and coach services in Shrewsbury. There are several small, friendly, attractive country towns in the area as well as many National Trust and English Heritage properties. For hikers we are very well placed to entice you to put on your boots and visit Offa’s Dyke, the hill fort at Bury Ditches, Carding Mill Valley and the Long Mynd. A few local towns for you to visit are: Ludlow, famous for its beautiful buildings and vibrant food scene is only 25 minutes away. Church Stretton, also known as 'Little Switzerland' thanks to its dramatic landscapes and scenic walking trails, is just 20 minutes' drive away. Clun, visit the 11th century Castle ruins, a great place to picnic, just 15 minutes away. Knighton is just short of half an hour away, it is set in the Welsh Marches and is home to the Offa’s Dyke Centre.