Ludlow Castle welcomes strong start to spring season
One of Shropshire’s most iconic landmarks, Ludlow Castle, is reporting a strong start to the spring season, as visitors look closer to home for days out and short breaks.
With the arrival of warmer weather and another Bank Holiday on the horizon, the Castle is seeing growing interest from families, couples and day visitors keen to explore historic sites and make the most of time outdoors.
The trend reflects a wider national picture. According to VisitBritain, domestic day trips account for more than 1.7 billion visits annually in England, contributing over £60 billion to the economy. Day visits continue to significantly outnumber overnight stays, highlighting their importance to the UK’s tourism sector.
At a local level, recent figures also show that Shropshire’s visitor economy has surpassed £1 billion, underlining the vital role that heritage attractions play in supporting the wider regional economy.
At Ludlow Castle, this momentum is already being felt, with a busy programme of events and experiences planned for the summer ahead.
Gemma England, General Manager at Ludlow Castle, said:
“We’re really encouraged by the start to the season and the level of interest we’re seeing as we head into spring and early summer. Day visits are such an important part of what we offer - whether it’s families visiting during the holidays or people enjoying a spontaneous day out in Ludlow. Footfall over Easter was up compared to 2025 and it was great to see so many children (and grown-ups alike) enjoying our Easter Egg Hunt!”
“The Castle plays a key role not only as a historic attraction, but as part of a wider visitor experience in the town. Many of our visitors go on to explore Ludlow’s independent shops, cafés and restaurants, so there’s a real benefit to the local economy.”
The Castle continues to play a central role in attracting visitors to the historic market town of Ludlow, offering a mix of heritage, events and open space that appeals to a wide range of audiences.
Mark Hooper, from Visit Shropshire, added:
"Shropshire’s visitor economy has continued its strong momentum into 2026, building on a landmark year in which the sector surpassed the £1 billion mark in economic value for the first time. With over 10.6 million visitors and sustained growth in both visitor spend and overnight stays, the county is firmly establishing itself as one of the UK’s leading and fastest growing rural destinations. “
Mark went on to say, “This performance reflects not only the quality and resilience of our tourism businesses, but also the strength of partnership working across the public and private sectors. We’re seeing particularly strong demand across self-catering, holiday parks and experiential tourism, which plays to Shropshire’s natural strengths. As we move through 2026, our focus is on sustaining this growth - encouraging longer stays, extending the season, and ensuring the visitor economy continues to deliver economic value to the county.”
