Newport, Telford and Wrekin Reviews

Living in Newport, Telford and Wrekin

The market town of Newport in Shropshire (quite a small settlement in England) is NOT the same thing as the city of Newport (one of the biggest settlements in Wales). Make sure you've got the right one!

So having safely established that we’re in Shropshire and not somewhere else, we can start having a look around. It’s a pretty safe bet that if you’re considering the university near Newport as your future education path, you’re the kind of person that quite enjoys being in the middle of rural nowhere. This is lucky because the first thing you’ll notice is that you’re in some amazing countryside. The university here is three miles outside of Newport itself and very self contained so all around it are uninterrupted views. Unless you really enjoy the one hour walk it could be wise to bring a car (or makes friends with someone who has one), as it's Newport you’ll be using for most of your shopping and immediate entertainment. For a town of its size it has a surprisingly good nightlife, mostly encouraged by the presence of the students, and pubs offering everything from sports games to quiet corners. Most of this is centred round the wide high street so it’s easy to find. Also on the high street are a lot of the food shops, and there are two supermarkets and a market in the town.

Only slightly further away is Telford, which covers all your more serious retail therapy needs. Its shopping centre has over 150 different shops and eateries so there isn’t much that you won't be able to find there. Telford also has a thriving nightlife of its own, two large cinemas, and is your nearest train station for exploring the rest of the country.

Getting outside is a must, especially with the Shropshire Hills so close. All around the area are fantastic walking and cycling routes, BMX biking and climbing locations can be reached by public transport, and for serious trekkers it only takes two hours by car to reach Snowdonia.

Day trip

• Local: There’s a lot of old stately homes in the area, many with large grounds and seasonal events held all through the year like the beautiful Attingham Park. Treat yourself to a posh scone while you’re there.
• Birmingham: One of England’s biggest cities is only an hour away with its massive shopping area and multiple big venues for concerts and theatre shows, so you’ve really got no excuse for complaining that you’re bored.
• Peak District: As you head east towards Stafford you’ll quickly find yourself getting into the Peaks, with opportunities to go walking, boating, maybe even something nutty like hang gliding.

Good to know

• Bus: Arriva runs the local service, and buses go from Telford to Newport, and then from Newport to the Edgmon campus. There are also free shuttle buses during term time.
• Taxi: Telford Taxis or Diamond Cars
• Bicycle: Definitely.

2 Newport, Telford and Wrekin Reviews