Touring Elgar’s land of hope and glory!
JANE TYLER
With lockdown restrictions now partially eased more of us are enjoying the great outdoors again – while socially distancing. packs a picnic and heads south to sample the wonderful sights in Worcestershire
Worcestershire is blessed with not one, but two sets of hills, and both are free to wander around. In the north of the county there are the National Trust-owned Clent Hills.
There is a charge for the car park (although it’s free for National Trust members), but there is plenty of free parking on the lanes around the hills.
The hills have breathtaking views across Worcestershire. On a clear day you can see as far as central Birmingham.
The Clent Hills are on the North Worcestershire Way, a 27-mile walking route.
These really are the jewel in the crown of Worcestershire’s great outdoors.
They are suitable for experienced hikers and those who just want a casual weekend stroll, with trails suitable for all levels of fitness. However, mountain rescue teams have warned people to stay safe and not test themselves, to help avoid putting rescuers at risk of coronavirus infection.
It goes without saying, the views from this official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are stunning.
You can either pick your own path, or follow some official walking routes.
If history and classical music are your thing then the trail celebrating the great English composer Sir Edward Elgar’s life is a perfect day out.
As Elgar spent much of his life in Great Malvern you can retrace some of his footsteps and see some of the marks that his legacy left on the landscape.
Some of the sights on the trail include the Elgar Statue in Worcester and Priory Gatehouse, which is now the Malvern Museum in Abbey Road.
There is a suggested driving route around Elgar’s Worcestershire or you can follow the trail on bike or by foot.
Along with most open spaces, this park has stayed open during lockdown.
There are beautiful woodland walks through two nature reserves, perfect for bird spotting.
During more normal times there is great adventure play area for kids and a cafe where you can make use of the free wi-fi – once it reopens after lockdown.
Kinver Edge is a beautiful, peaceful spot. It boasts opportunities for great walks along the sandstone ridge, giving you panoramic vistas.
As well as a kids’ trail thorough the forest, there’s also an Iron Age hill fort to explore.
It’s also a great location for outdoor picnics and you can explore the National Trust’s Rock Houses here too (when they reopen).
You may not be able to go inside the cathedral itself, but you can still look around the outside, which is impressive in its own right.
Located on a bank overlooking the River Severn, the cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Worcester.
Its official name is The Cathedral
Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester and was built between 1084 and 1504.
The cathedral is renowned for representing every style of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic and has an exquisite central tower.
The cathedral’s west facade also famously appeared, with a portrait of Sir Edward Elgar, on the reverse of £20 notes issued by the Bank of England between 1999 and 2007.
There are many places you can go and wander along the banks of one of the UK’s longest rivers, which flows through Worcestershire.
Most popular and easily accessible places for a riverside amble are in Upton upon Severn, Worcester city centre, Stourport and Bewdley.
Hopefully the shops, bars, restaurants and cafes dotting the routes will re-open later in the summer.
This local authority memorial park, built in honour of those lost in the First World War, borders the River Severn and boasts footpaths and a pond with ducks.
This well-maintained park is great for family picnics in good weather and well behaved dogs are welcome all year around - but they must be kept on a lead in the formal park area.
You can park for free in Waterworks Road car park, and there’s both disabled and cycle parking at the Pump House Environment Centre.
The cafe, splashpads, playgrounds, toilets, tennis courts, outdoor gym equipment and table tennis tables are currently closed during lockdown.