Beckford to Bredon

The Trail starts at Beckford which is a small village in the north of the Cotswold region of the A46, the road between Evesham in Worcestershire and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. Bredon Hill close by is part of the Cotswolds but stands separate and apart from the other hills and is a prominent landmark. From the top of Bredon Hill on a clear day Broadway Tower can be seen as well as Tewkesbury Abbey, Cheltenham and Gloucester Cathedral.

Beckford boasts a pub, post office and shop as well as a thriving local community. Beckford Hall, seen at the start of the Trail has a long history and has always been important as a Catholic centre.
From Beckford the Trail heads to Overbury and then Kemerton. Apparently the squire of Kemerton in 18th Century, John Parsons V, wanted to raise the summit of Bredon Hill and had a two-storey stone tower built known as Kemerton Tower or Parsons Folly!

This whole area was made famous by A E Houseman’s poem “In Summertime on Bredon”, which starts

In summertime on Bredon
The bells they sound so clear
Round both the shires they ring them
In steeples far and near
A happy noise to hear.

Finally the Trail finishes in Bredon itself (pronounced Breedon) and there is a shop to buy a picnic, a choice of pubs and a riverside picnic spot all along the route.


This is a Murder Mystery Trail. You can drive, cycle or walk between the three villages as the distance overall is no more than 6 miles. After Beckford, the Trail heads for Overbury and then Kemerton finishing in Bredon. The Trail is suitable for light pushchairs but regrettably, would not be easy for heavy prams or wheelchairs. It will take approximately 2 hours if you choose to drive between villages and longer if you walk or cycle. There is parking at the start point.

By the way, if you are looking for somewhere to stay when you do this Trail, try http://www.the-old-post-house.co.uk