Shrewsbury travel vlogger captures beauty of Shropshire

And for those who love to travel they provide a wealth of inspiration and tips for how to make the most of day trips, short breaks and far-flung holidays.

The spread of coronavirus have made it much harder to hit the road and discover new surroundings in recent months.

But vlogger Brendan James of Shrewsbury has still managed to provide some escapism to those who need it the most.

He started his journey exploring some of the best towns and cities Britain has to offer often accompanied by his dad Malcolm for his new YouTube channel in December last year.

But when the lockdown put a stop to his travel plans, he turned his attention to showcasing the beauty of his home county of Shropshire in the hope of providing a welcome distraction to people stuck at home.

"One of my most recent videos was a reunion trip with my dad to Little Stretton in Church Stretton to take anyone who was shielding and self isolating on a guided walk so they could mentally experience the Shropshire countryside," Brendan tells Weekend.

The 28-year-old, who works for the ambulance service, taking patients to and from their pre-arranged hospital appointments, says one of the reasons why he started making videos was to make the most of his days off.

"I started my YouTube channel in December with the intention of travelling around different towns and cities in the UK. It was a good excuse to get out of the house and to see a bit more of our country.

"But then the lockdown restrictions and I had the choice of quitting the channel because I couldn't travel around as I originally planned or I could continue and focus on Shropshire. A lot of my journeys so far have been Shropshire based including Ironbridge, Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth.

"People have responded really well particularly people who are self-isolating or shielding. It's like a mental breath of fresh air and it's been good for me too," he explains.

Since the start of his channel, which launched with a video tour of Bridgnorth, his dad, Malcom, has joined him for many of his outings.

"My dad loves it. He's always up for a walk or an adventure and he enjoys making the videos," says Brendan, who has previously made short-films.

Inspiration for his travel vlog comes from a desire to explore new places and learn about local customs, history and food.

"I love to see other towns and cities and get an insight into the different subcultures," says Brendan, who has also been accompanied in some of his videos by his friend Kurt Durnell.

"I am subscribed to a few different travel vlog channels and what I like about them is how they can mentally take me to a different place altogether - true escapism.

"I binge watch vlogs from around the world where the creator takes a camera into a bustling market and gets a real taste for local culture.

"I want to do the same with my channel initially in the UK first and show the world all the little towns and cities Great Britain has to offer. I'm also a big foody so sampling the UKs best foods is perfect for me.

"One memorable trip was when I did a video tour of Blists Hill Victorian Town with Kurt and tried some traditional fish and chips cooked in beef dripping. Delicious!," he adds.

Another highlight was a father and son lakeside walk in Ellesmere with his dad as they made the most of the sunshine. "It's been good to have more time to take a breath and relax without having to rush," he says.

Making the videos has also helped Brendan to cope better with the current situation which has taken its toll on everyone.

During this pandemic, it's been pretty depressing and sometimes you don't feel like going for a walk outside but making these videos has given me another reason to go out. And once I'm outside, the sun is shining, I see nature and wildlife and I feel more positive, "says Brendan, who has a Canon 250D and GoPro Hero 8 Black as part of his filming kit.

His future plans, once lockdown restrictions have been lifted, include a return trip to Chester to explore more of the city which left a lasting impression on him when he visited for the first time with Malcolm.

"It's such a beautiful city and very historic city. I would love to go again and see more of it," says Brendan.

"I would also like to go to the Welsh coast, which we can't do at the moment. I love the beach and proper fish and chips," he adds.

And he is also working towards turning his video adventures into a full-time career in the future.

"I plan to continue my travels all over the UK with my dad, Kurt and some new faces while experiencing some of the best towns and cities the UK has to offer. I will also be sampling whatever amazing food I can get my hands on!

"My long term goals for the channel are to take my adventures abroad and all over the world," says Brendan.

But for now he is enjoying discovering more about the county where he lives and sharing all of the sights and sounds with his audience.

"I'm so lucky to live in such a beautiful county. If you've got to be stuck in one place during lockdown then it's privilege and a pleasure for it to be Shropshire," says Brendan.

*To watch Brendan's videos go to www.facebook.com/brendanjamesvlog or his YouTube page www.youtube.com/channel/UC6oxePsoLa0FMCQXFgdc14w