Things To Do
A Rivermead holiday home gives you something that cannot be replicated with a rented cottage or a hotel room: the freedom to come and go as you please, to follow a morning walk with an afternoon on the river, to find a rhythm that suits you rather than someone else’s itinerary. Here is a guide to what lies on your doorstep.
Walking & The Outdoors
The Avon towpath
The River Avon runs directly alongside Rivermead — and the towpath offers immediate access to one of the country’s most rewarding waterside walks. Head south towards Pershore and you will reach the town’s riverside park and abbey in under an hour. Head north and the river meanders through open farmland, with heron, kingfisher, and otter regularly sighted along this stretch.
The Malvern Hills
Distance: approximately 30 minutes by car
The Malvern Hills offer some of the finest ridge walking in England — a dramatic spine rising to over 400 metres and offering views across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and into Wales. The hills are managed by the Malvern Hills Trust and are freely accessible year-round. The circuit from Great Malvern to the Worcester Beacon and back is a classic outing of around 6 miles.
Cotswolds walking
The Cotswolds Way National Trail runs for 102 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath, and sections of it are easily reached from Rivermead for a day’s walking. The stretch from Broadway to Winchcombe, passing Hailes Abbey and the escarpment above the Vale of Evesham, is particularly rewarding.
Cycling
The lanes around Wyre Piddle are quiet and gently undulating — ideal for cycling without needing to tackle steep gradients. The route into Pershore follows back lanes through the Vale and is suitable for most riders. For more ambitious cycling, the Sustrans National Cycle Network routes through Worcestershire connect Evesham, Pershore, and Worcester.
Bredon Hill, just south of the park, is a popular cycling destination — a 5-mile circular route to the summit rewards the climb with wide views across the Vale.
Coarse Fishing
The River Avon at Rivermead offers excellent coarse fishing, with bream, roach, perch, chub, and pike all present in good numbers. The river at this point is broad and slow-moving, with well-established swims along the park’s frontage. Day tickets and permits are available — please speak to the park office for current arrangements.
The wider Avon and its tributaries throughout Worcestershire and Warwickshire offer further sport for anglers looking to explore beyond the park. Evesham Angling Association manages a substantial stretch of local water.
Gardens & countryside
Batsford Arboretum
One of the largest private collections of trees in the country, Batsford near Moreton-in-Marsh is outstanding in spring (blossom and magnolias) and in autumn (Japanese maples and ginkgos). The on-site garden centre and tea room make it a comfortable half-day outing.
Hidcote & Kiftsgate
Two of England’s most celebrated gardens sit side by side on the Cotswolds escarpment near Chipping Campden. Hidcote (National Trust) was created by Lawrence Johnston and pioneered the ‘garden room’ design that influenced a generation of garden-makers. Kiftsgate Court gardens are privately owned and famous for the largest rose in England.
Croome Park
Capability Brown’s first complete landscape, Croome in Worcestershire has been carefully restored by the National Trust. The parkland, church, walled garden, and lakeside walks make a full afternoon’s outing, and the wartime connections — the park hid a secret Cold War bunker — add an unexpected dimension.
Pershore Abbey Gardens & riverside park
Just two miles from Rivermead, Pershore’s riverside park and abbey grounds offer a peaceful hour’s walking without the need to travel far. The abbey itself is Norman in origin and well worth visiting — free entry, and the interior is quiet and beautifully proportioned.
Culture & events
County cricket at Worcester
Worcestershire County Cricket Club play their home matches at New Road — one of the most scenic grounds in county cricket, with the cathedral visible beyond the far boundary. The combination of a day’s cricket and a wander around the old city makes an excellent outing.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Distance: approximately 25 minutes by car
Shakespeare’s birthplace and home of the Royal Shakespeare Company is close enough from Rivermead for a day out. The RSC’s programme runs throughout the season, and the town’s theatres, galleries, and riverside walks can easily fill a day.
Three Choirs Festival
The oldest choral festival in the world rotates annually between the cathedrals of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester. When the festival comes to Worcester — typically every third year — it fills the city with orchestral and choral music for ten days in late July and early August.
Evesham River Festival & local events
The Vale of Evesham has a lively calendar of local events throughout the open season — from farmers’ markets and horticultural shows to the Upton Jazz Festival (June) and the Evesham River Festival. The park’s notice board carries details of local events relevant to owners.
