Details of the Walk

A 4, 6 or 8 mile walk visiting the Market Gardening area of the Vale.

The walk starts at the far end of Badsey Lane, off Elm Road, Evesham, where there is roadside parking (nearest postcode WR11 3BA) and is indicated by the disc ‘Evesham Vale Circular Walk 2’.

1. At the end of the road, go down the tarmac path and cross the by-pass with care. As you enter Badsey Lane, take the first turn left onto the drive leading to Castle Nurseries. Turn right onto a wide footpath and continue straight ahead. Go through a farm gate and two kissing gates and then head up the field to reach a tall gate in the hedge. Go up the steps and continue ahead through the orchard and then between fenced fields. Cross the ditch and walk towards Badsey, with views of Broadway Tower and the Cotswolds over to the right.

2. When you reach a junction of paths, if you are opting for the 4 mile walk (Badsey and Aldington) go straight ahead, crossing a footbridge over Badsey Brook and following the footpath into Badsey. Cross the road into Old Post Office Lane at Point 6. Follow the walk instructions from there. For the longer routes, turn right at the junction and follow the track to a lane.

Market gardening began in the area about 1870 when farm labourers were Being laid off because of the decline in agriculture. Landowners tenanted pockets of land to their former labourers who grew a variety of vegetables, fruit and flowers, including asparagus, plums and hops. This produce was easily transported to the cities by the opening of the Littleton and Badsey Railway Station in 1884.

Cross the lane (Badsey Lane) and continue in the same direction, passing a wooden shed and then look for a waymarked footpath on the left just before an old shed showing flood levels. Take this path towards Wickhamford, crossing the bridge over Badsey Brook.

On your left you’ll see the Church of St John the Baptist and then the 16th century Manor. Wickhamford Manor was originally in the ownership of the Throckmorton family of CoughtonCourt, but was sold to Sir Samuel Sandys in 1594. His tomb, together with his wife, Mercy, is in the chancel of the church, alongside the tomb of their son, Sir Edwyn Sandys and his wife, Lady Penelope. Also in the chancel is a floor slab monument to Penelope Washington. She was the daughter of Col Henry Washington, first cousin of George Washington’s grandfather, Lawrence. She came to Wickhamford when her widowed mother married Samuel Sandys, the son of Edwyn. The Washington Arms on the monument are a prototype for the ‘Stars and Stripes’ of the USA.

3. Here, there are two ways to continue the walk. If you wish to walk down Manor Road with its picturesque thatched cottages, follow the lane round to the left and then turn right. Walk carefully on the verge to reach a roadside footpath that takes you to the Memorial Hall at Point 4. Otherwise, the main route takes you right and then, just over the brook, left to a field gate. Cross the field diagonally, pausing to admire the large thatched cottage over to the left. After two gates follow the brook on the left to a bridge which you cross. Go diagonally left to a stile and continue in the same direction to a gate onto the road. Cross the road to the Memorial Hall.

4. From the car park of the Hall, pass through a series of kissing and pedestrian gates until you reach a bridleway where you turn left. Continue on this bridleway to the road.

This bridleway is part of the Roman road which connected a settlement on the River Severn at Tewkesbury and Buckle (Icknield) Street at Honeybourne.

Cross the road and turn right to walk along the wide verge for just under half a mile to the bend in the road.

5. Continue down onto Pear Tree Lane and turn off first left along a bridleway, staying on this route with the fence on your right to cross a bridge. Cross the stile that you see on the left then head up the field to a footbridge, accessed through a kissing gate. Walk up the defined path between cultivated fields to reach a lane. Turn left towards Badsey and on reaching the Recreation Ground, go through the third gate and walk up the left-hand side to a gate. Continue on the path to a further gate and out onto Badsey Fields Lane. Turn left and then right at the T-junction. Turn left to pass through the lychgate of Badsey Church and through the churchyard to come out onto High Street. Turn right, noticing the fountain commemorating the Coronation of King George V. Pass the shops to reach Old Post Office Lane. If you are opting for the 6 mile walk, turn left onto the footpath between Harrington House and The Manor House. The footpath crosses Seward Road and continues across the brook to reach the junction of paths at Point 2. Continue ahead to retrace your route into Evesham.

The Manor House originally belonged to Evesham Abbey. It is unusual in that it has four styles. The ground floor, of the local blue lias stone, was constructed in the 14th century; the rest of the building is half timbered; in the front is a mansard roof of about 1800, while the windows are arts and crafts.

6. Go along Old Post Office Lane and follow it round to the left where it becomes a footpath. Continue to the main road. Turn left, and in 50 yards cross with care to a wide footpath between houses. Follow the path to a kissing gate and then bear right across the field to a footbridge. Continue in the same direction and head towards fencing and a kissing gate that leads onto a road. Turn left and at the Blackminster sign, turn left again. Take the bridleway and continue between the hedges until you reach cross tracks. Turn left to follow the footpath and at the open field, continue ahead to cross Broadway Brook. Turn diagonally left through the orchard to a track. Turn left and continue into Chapel Lane, Aldington, to a T-junction.

Look across at the unusually tall building that borders the lane. This is a former hopkiln that was in use from the mid 1870s to the turn of the century. Hop-growing was introduced here at Aldington by a young gentleman farmer who came to live at Aldington Manor.

7. Turn left at the T-junction and follow the track down to a narrow bridge across the brook. Turn right to follow the brook, and then go straight ahead between power posts to reach steps leading onto a main road. Turn right and at the end of the bridge, cross the road with care to take the steps by the right-hand side of the bridge. At the open field, turn left to follow the brook to the junction of paths at Point 2. Turn right to retrace your route into Evesham. As you walk through the orchard, enjoy the views across to Bredon Hill and beyond.

You can find endless fascinating facts about this area on the Badsey Society website: www.badseysociety.uk/village-life .

About Evesham Vale Circular Walks

This is one of six circular walks to choose from based in the Vale of Evesham.

The walks are managed and maintained by Evesham Rambling Club as part of a project to attract walkers to the area.
Each walk is supported by a leaflet and is waymarked throughout. A QR code on the waymarker discs allows you to access details whilst on the walks.

1. Evesham Country Park
2. Evesham, Badsey, Wickhamford, Aldington
3. The Littletons, Offenham, Cleeve Prior
4. Evesham, Netherton, Elmley Castle 
5. Evesham, Charlton, Cropthorne
6. Wickhamford, Murcot, Childswickham