Worcestershire

One of the most attractive counties in the West Midlands, Worcestershire is the bridge between the gritty heartland of the Black Country and the green and pleasant borderlands between England and Wales. At its best the landscape is the epitome of Englishness, surprisingly sparsely populated, with green rolling and rich agricultural providing an enticing spectacle form the county's many high points and beacons, especially in the Malvern Hills, which is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and like the rest of Worcestershire traversed with footpaths and cycleways. There are many enticing places you can stay and enjoy all this rural beauty – in the attractive town of Worcester itself, with its ancient cathedral, but also in the countryside beyond: a host of hotels and B&Bs, cosy country cottages and glamping sites, each of which makes a great base for exploring this rather underrated county.