Ludlow Races

Ludlow is a beautiful town on the Shropshire/Herefordshire border with some lovely architecture including the old butter market building built in 1744 and known as the Butter Cross. The town also boasts many historical black and white timber framed buildings  and one of the finest examples of a medieval castle in England: the events organised at the castle will transport you back to medieval times -  castle tours, story telling, jousting, falconry displays and medieval games. The town has also become something of a gastronomic hub with many fine restaurants and two food festivals, one held in spring and another in autumn. Ludlow also has an arts festival in June - so plenty to keep you occupied, but my interest last week lay just outside the town at the racecourse for the last day of the jumping season. Ludlow Racecourse is, as you would expect for a small town - well, small! But it has everything - a beautiful old grandstand, private boxes with viewing balconies atop, a big screen so that you can follow every minute of the race, burger vans and hot drinks stalls, a members' marquee where the well-heeled were enjoying a three course dinner, bookies dotted about plying their trade, even some live music (well, I think they were alive!) but, most importantly, some beautiful racehorses and some brave jockeys for us to watch - even the Champion Jockey, Tony McCoy, was in action (yes, of course he won). It was a fine May evening (well, till it rained!) Anyway, here are some photos to remember it by.