A frosty morning on Whitcliffe Common

Mist swirls around Ludlow Castle at dawn - this was my view from a frosty Whitcliffe Common.

A frosty morning on Whitcliffe Common

A promising weather forecast saw me leave the house at 4.30am, but the sun made only a brief appearance and I ended up with a very moody shot.

The twin summits of Brown Clee - Abdon Burf and Clee Burf - can just about be seen on the horizon as they emerge from the mist.

The castle occupies an imposing position high above the River Teme and is acknowledged as one of the finest medieval ruins in England.

It was described as ‘the very perfection of decay’ by Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe.

The castle was once home to the so-called Princes in the Tower, and also to Prince Arthur, son of Henry VII and elder brother to Henry VIII, who died here at the age of just 15.

I stood and enjoyed this wonderful view for a while before deciding it was time to head back home and catch up on some much-needed sleep.

Published by Shropshire and Beyond on

2023