Castlemorton

Castlemorton has no hotels of its own, and that is very much part of its appeal - this is a village to escape to rather than one built up for visitors. Most people staying in the area choose a bed and breakfast, country inn or small hotel in nearby Great Malvern, a handsome Victorian spa town just a couple of miles north with a good choice of accommodation to suit most budgets, from traditional guesthouses to boutique stays. Ledbury, just over the Herefordshire border, offers a similar range in a pretty market-town setting. For a more rural feel, self-catering cottages and farmhouses scattered around the Castlemorton parish itself put you within walking distance of the common and the hills, which is hard to beat for anyone planning to spend their days out on the paths. Booking ahead is wise during the summer months and around Malvern's various festivals, when accommodation across the area fills up quickly. Wherever you choose to stay, the compact geography of this corner of Worcestershire means Castlemorton, the Malverns and the wider hills are all within a short drive of one another, so it is easy to base yourself in whichever style of accommodation suits and still explore everything the area offers.

Castlemorton is a village to slow down in rather than tick off a list of sights, but there is more here than first meets the eye, and it makes an excellent base for exploring the Malvern Hills.

• Castlemorton Common — one of England's largest tracts of unenclosed common land, criss-crossed by informal paths, grazed by free-roaming sheep and cattle, and a haven for ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.
• St Gregory's Church — a striking 12th-century church with three fonts, including a rare Saxon font brought from Deerhurst and a notable Agnus Dei carving above the north doorway.
• Castle Tump — the earthwork remains of a 12th-century motte-and-bailey castle built by the Folliott family, with a mound around six metres high and traces of medieval fishponds still visible in the surrounding fields.
• Malvern Hills AONB — the long chain of hills rises immediately to the west, with waymarked paths up to the Worcestershire Beacon, the highest point in the county, giving views across the Severn Vale to the Cotswolds and Welsh borders.
• Great Malvern — a short drive away, this handsome spa town has a Victorian priory, independent shops, theatres and cafes, and makes a natural pairing with a stay in Castlemorton.
• Castlemorton Parish Hall — hosts a regular monthly film night and community events, a good sign of the village's tight-knit character.

The Robin Hood on Gloucester Road is the heart of Castlemorton's food and drink scene, a traditional black-and-white country pub with an oak-beamed bar, open fire and large garden looking out towards the hills, serving locally sourced food and also offering camping and caravanning pitches. Beyond the village, Great Malvern and the surrounding villages offer a wider choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants, from traditional Worcestershire fare to more contemporary options, all within a short drive of Castlemorton.

Castlemorton's biggest draw for outdoor-minded visitors is its setting: a huge expanse of common land right at the foot of the Malvern Hills, with grazing animals, open skies and direct access to some of the best walking country in the West Midlands. It is worth being clear from the outset that wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's explicit permission, and Castlemorton Common, despite its wide-open feel, is common land with grazing rights attached rather than a free-for-all - so pitching a tent without permission is not allowed, whatever its history with festival-goers back in 1992. The good news is that proper camping options are close at hand. The Robin Hood pub in the village offers camping and caravanning pitches in its grounds, putting you right in the heart of Castlemorton with a pub on your doorstep, while a handful of small campsites and glamping retreats are dotted around the surrounding parish and the wider Malvern Hills area, including safari-tent and eco-glamping options that make the most of the AONB setting without anyone needing their own tent. The terrain here ranges from flat, grassy common land to the much steeper slopes of the Malvern Hills themselves, so campers who fancy a serious hike should come prepared with proper boots and layers, even in summer, as the exposed ridge can be considerably windier and cooler than the village below. Late spring through early autumn is the most comfortable stretch for camping, with long daylight hours for evening walks up onto the hills and a good chance of clear views across the Severn Vale, though the area's popularity with walkers means weekends can get busy in peak season. For a slightly softer introduction to sleeping outdoors, the glamping sites in and around Castlemorton offer safari tents and similar fixed accommodation with proper beds and cooking facilities, a good compromise for families or anyone who wants the setting without the full camping kit. Whichever option you choose, Castlemorton's combination of common land and hills right on the doorstep makes it one of the more distinctive small camping bases in Worcestershire.