As some of you may be aware, my rural general practice placement was in south Shropshire. My university placed a group of us there, and provided us with accommodation. Since exams were over, we had ample time to explore the surrounding area and take in what Shropshire had to offer. I thought I would share some of the things I particularly enjoyed whilst I was there.

Fair warning: we spent a lot of time eating – you’ll probably notice a theme! We also spent most of our time in or around the historic market town of Ludlow. If you are looking for some more ideas, the town website is a good place to start.

Number One: Pizza Ten (Ludlow) 

This little pizza restaurant is set inside a courtyard, which really adds to the atmosphere of the experience. I normally can’t eat pizza because something about it makes me feel ill afterwards (I think it might be the cheese), but the food was so good that I was fully prepared to pay the price for eating it. I ordered the pizza with king prawns, which I highly recommend, although they have plenty of options. The waitress was also lovely which was the icing on the cake. Bellissimo!

Number Two: Ludlow Museum (Ludlow) 

Ludlow has a little museum which encapsulates the architectural and cultural history of the town. I personally love learning the history of the places I visit, as I feel it adds to my appreciation of the traditional structures and landmarks I see. If this is something that resonates with you then I highly recommend a visit to the museum.

Number Three: The Charlton Arms (Ludlow)

As a popular gastropub set on the edge of the river Teme, The Charlton Arms provides really delicious food with a wonderful atmosphere, particularly in the summer months. We ended up going there several times, and it did not disappoint!

The only downside to such a beautiful place is that it often requires booking, so spontaneous decisions to dine there may lead to disappointment as they are often full.

Number Four: Ludlow Market (Ludlow)

We went to the market every weekend whilst on placement. The market sells everything from vintage jewellery, to handmade vases and also food. My friend bought a really beautiful ring for herself and I bought my mum a really pretty vase. A perfect place for souvenirs, unique gifts, or treats for yourself!

Number Five: Croft Castle (Herefordshire) 

I am not ashamed to admit that I have National Trust membership because I absolutely love going to national trust estates. It is always such a wonderful day out, and Croft Castle was no different. Surrounded by 1500 acres of parkland and woodland near Leominster, the home originally belonged to the Croft family, who repurchased it in 1923.

The grounds were really beautiful, and there was an exibition about the females of Croft Castle when we went, which I found extremely interesting.

Number Six: Chang Thai (Ludlow) 

Our farewell dinner was at Chang Thai, a beautiful restaurant in the town centre. I was a little apprehensive about going, having had a bad experience with several Thai restaurants in the past. However, I will be the first to admit that I was wrong, because the food was amazing. One of my friends and I were both stuck over two dishes, so we decided to order one each and share. We also all shared the starter platter together, which I highly recommend.

Sadly, I forgot to photograph the food, because I was too busy being delighted at how delicious it was. However, I do have a very blurry photograph of my friend’s drink, complete with a decorative flower. How fancy.

Number Seven: Dugan’s Patisserie (Ludlow)

If you are looking for a sweet treat in a sweet little cafe, look no further than Dugan’s. I went for a little tea break with my friend, and we shared a tart with some real, freshly made hot chocolate. They really do have some delicious desserts!

Number Eight: Berrington Hall (Herefordshire) 

Berrington Hall was the second National Trust estate we visited. It is close to Croft Castle, near Leominster.

Berrington Hall is a grade I listed Georgian mansion. It was one of Henry Holland’s first houses, and boasts some exceptional interiors. The gardens were also amazing, so many wonderful photo opportunities. They also had a nice coffee shop on the grounds, although it was rather busy when we went.

Number Nine: The Rose and Crown (Ludlow

The Rose and Crown is another lovely pub set in the heart of Ludlow. We ate there several times, and I really enjoyed the food. I personally don’t drink, but my friends really enjoyed the variety of drinks on offer. If you’re looking for a casual place to eat some nice food, I would really recommend.

Number Ten: Ludlow Castle (Ludlow)

Last but absolutely not least, Ludlow Castle and its surrounding areas are wonderful for walking. I was lucky enough that my placement coincided with the Ludlow Food Festival, which is held at the castle. If you have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was incredible.

Otherwise, walks towards Dinham bridge, particularly at sunrise or sunset, are beautiful.   The landscape is phenomenal – my photo absolutely does not do it justice.

So that’s it! There were many more enjoyable moments that didn’t make it onto this list, but Shropshire really has a lot to offer. I’m going to be living there for a year from September and I’m really looking forward to it! Let me know if you would be interested in more posts about recommended places.

When I started this blog, I never imagined how much writing would help me so vastly develop as a person. Writing this title has made me proud of myself; it shows me just how far I have come on my journey of self acceptance. Although I hasten to add, I am definitely not fully there, yet.

Some of you reading this may have found this blog post confusing so far, especially those who don’t know me in person. Let me give you a little bit of context: I was born with congenital microphthalmia in my right eye. As a consequence, I am blind on that side, and have been since birth.

This is not a topic that was ever readily discussed in my family – through no fault of their own, they all brushed it under the carpet when they realised that I would grow up to have a fairly ‘normal’ life (I put that quotation marks because what the hell is a normal life these days?). However, as I grew up, it became increasingly apparent that my appearance would become a perpetual point of frustration and self-doubt.

You see, people are cruel. I used to believe that age played a role in a person’s ability to filter their words, but I now understand how naive that was. I was badly bullied by children, but some of the worst encounters I have had regarding my ‘impairment’ (again, I don’t really feel very impaired?) have been with fully grown, fully educated men and women. Never had I experienced more judgement or unwanted opinions, than I did at the start of medical school.

My coping mechanisms as a hormonal teenager were poor, to put things politely. I was fundamentally unable to deflect the negativity radiating off the Negative Nancys in my life. I hated the way I looked, and I also hated the limitations that people would place in front of me.

“You surely can’t DRIVE in your condition?!”

“Medical school? Will they accept you with only one eye?”

“Do you really think you can sit those exams without extra time?”

I settled into the destructive idea that if nobody expected anything of me, then why should I expect anything of myself? I was fed up of being treated differently, and I tried to hide my eye as much as possible, because I thought I could ‘blend in with normal people’ (I can’t even justify that one…what is a ‘normal person’?!)

I have a feeling I would’ve stayed that way, had it not been for a few individuals who made it their mission to show me that the judgements I was facing where not from a place of genuine credibility.

I slowly began developing my self-belief, and despite it wavering often, I convinced myself I could achieve the things I wanted in life. I still get comments, even from professionals, about how different I am, and “what a pity it is” that I have this condition. People still treat me as if being blind is a novelty, or a party trick. But increasingly, I am learning to accept that I would not be me, without all the parts that make up me.

In the wise words of the Sugababes: People are all the same, and we only get judged by what we do. Personality reflects name, and if I’m ugly, then so are you.