Worcestershire consists of a central plain ringed by hills, all modest in height but with their own distinctive characteristics. The mostly bare tops of the Malverns contrast sharply with the lush, jungly dingles cut deep into the rumpled Temeside hills. The sheltered cherry orchards of the north-western hills are a world away from the sheep-grazed turf of Bredon in the south, with its gnarled, stunted hawthorns revealing the direction of the prevailing wind.
The plain is dissected by three major rivers – Avon, Teme and Severn – as well as by a wealth of lesser rivers and brooks. With their fringing willows and peaceful water meadows, the rivers provide pleasant walking routes and picnic sites. Two canals, the Worcester and Birmingham and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire, also enhance the landscape and offer the chance for a spot of gongoozling (watching inept boat users trying to steer through the numerous locks). More water comes in the form of attractively landscaped reservoirs and abundant pools resulting from gravel extraction, making Worcestershire a good destination for birdwatchers. Architecturally speaking, the county doesn’t really do grand and showy, with only a few impressive stately homes or castles. But there is a wonderful abundance of beautiful farmhouses and cottages and some marvellous village churches. The local vernacular has great variety: the mellow red Midland brick; the irresistible black-and-white timber framing; and the different colours and textures of the stone, from the pink and red sandstones of the north to the golden and honey-hued Cotswold limestones of the south.
