Where are the Welsh Borders?
It’s a common question (often asked by those living in the United Kingdom). It comprises the English administrative counties on the English side of the border (Cheshire West & Chester, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire) and the Welsh administrative counties on the Welsh side of the border (Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys and Montgomeryshire).
Personally, I think Shropshire is the best county, but that probably has something to do with the fact it’s my home county 😁.
I set my Mortiforde Mystery series in the fictitious county of Borderlandshire, somewhere along the Welsh Borders (think Shropshire/Herefordshire).
It’s surprisingly isolated, and I’m not just referring to the mobile phone black-spots and the broadband speeds that are outpaced by particularly energetic snails.
The characterful market towns of Ludlow and Leominster are between 30 and 40 miles from the nearest motorway. The county centres of Shrewsbury and Hereford are over 50 miles apart, and linked by the predominantly single carriageway A49. International travellers from Birmingham International Airport find themselves over 60 miles from Shrewsbury and over 75 from Hereford.
The pace of life round here is slower, and rightly so, because the scenery is absolutely stunning. And the sense of community round here is overwhelming. I live in a small market town of fewer than 2,800 people, but there are over 135 local clubs and societies.
What perfect surroundings to set a light-hearted cosy-crime series, where the criminals think they can get away with murder, because there’s nobody about!
Here is a small sample of some of my photos to that hint at what the Welsh Borders are all about …
