Places to visit in and around the area

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove. Restored buildings including working windmill, agricultural buildings, industrial buildings, timber-frame houses, mission church and the National Telephone Kiosk Collection. Contact for opening times (01527 831886/831363).

Bevere Vivis Gallery & Picture Framers: Exhibitions by local up-and-coming professional artists, one-day art and craft courses for adults and children. Contact for opening times (01905 754484).

Bewdley Museum and Tourist Information Centre. Load Street, Bewdley. Wyre woodland crafts and industries, daily demonstrations of rope and clay pipe making. Please ring for details of opening times (01299 403573).

Burford House Gardens, Burford, Tenbury Wells. Rare trees, shrubs, clematis, roses, herbaceous plants. Coffee shop open every day. Ring for opening times (01584 810777).

Cider Museum and King Offa Distillery, Hereford (off A438 to Brecon). Explore the fascinating heritage of cider making. Please ring for opening times (01432 354207).

Commandery, Civil War Centre, Sidbury, Worcester. Charles II's Royalist Headquarters during the Battle of Worcester in 1651. 16th and 17th Century period rooms and Civil War museum. Special events all year. Ring for opening times (01905 361821).

Croft Castle, near Leominster. Restored 14th Century mansion in 1,400-acre estate. Iron Age fort of Croft Ambrey nearby. Please ring for opening times. Tearoom available (01568 780246).

Dean Forest Railway, Lydney, Glos. Locos, coaches, wagons. Shop and museum open daily Easter to Christmas. Open daily for static display. Steam train rides as advertised. Talking timetable (01594 843423).

Droitwich Spa Heritage Centre, St Richard's House, Victoria Square, Droitwich Spa WR9 8DS. Two thousand-year history of Droitwich from the Iron Age settlement to the present day spa town. Ring for opening times (01905 774312).

Eastnor Castle -- Georgian fairytale castle stands at the end of the Malvern Hills. Lavish interiors, surrounded by an arboretum, deer park and lake. For opening times (01531 633160).

Elgar's Birthplace Museum, Crown East Lane, Lower Broadheath, near Worcester. Cottage where Elgar was born in 1857, now museum. Ring for opening times (01905 333224).

Green Badge Guide Walks. Walking weekdays 11am, and Wednesday afternoons 2.30pm, from the Guildhall. After Easter to the end of September. Parties/groups and other times by arrangement. Cost, adults £3, children under-12 free with accompanying parent (01905 726311 or 07890222117).

Greyfriars, Friar Street, Worcester. National Trust House. Late 15th Century timber-framed town house with walled garden. Ring for opening times (01905 23571).

Hagley Hall. Palladian home of the Viscount Cobham, built 1760, in 350-acre parkland setting. For times of opening (01562 882408).

Hanbury Hall, School Road, nr Droitwich. Red-brick, Wren-style house with painted ceilings, porcelain collection and Dutch flower pictures. Orangery and icehouse in 18th Century garden. Ring for opening times (01527 821214).

Harvington Hall, near Kidderminster. Moated mediaeval and Elizabethan manor house famous for its priest holes and unique wall paintings. Ring for opening times (01562 777846).

Hellens, Much Marcle. 600-year-old mansion. Pictures, tapestries, armour, carriages and pleasant gardens. Please ring for opening times. Group tours by appointment. Contact Nick Stephens (01531 660504).

n Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, Broad Street, Hereford. Archaeology, social history, natural history, decorative art and fine art. Temporary exhibitions. Please contact for opening times (01432 260692).

Herefordshire Waterworks Museum. Broomy Hill, off A49 in Hereford. Diesel pumping engines, horse-drawn fire engine, pumps and gauges for visitors to work. For opening times (01432 361147).

Ledbury Craft Centre: 1 High Street, Ledbury, Herefordshire. Gift shop, picture framing, craft books. Please contact for opening times. Coach parties welcome. (01531 634566).

Lower Brockhampton, near Bromyard. Late 14th Century moated manor house with 15th Century gatehouse. Contact for opening times (01885 488099).

Ludlow Castle, Shropshire. Magnificent 11th-16th Century castle. Please contact for opening times (01584 873355).

Malvern Museum. Abbey Gateway, Malvern. Featuring the history and development of Malvern. Please contact for opening times (01684 567811).

Malvern Priory Church. Church Street, Malvern. Benedictine foundation priory church of early Norman and Perpendicular architecture. Open daily, please contact for opening times (01684 561020).

The Museum of Worcester Porcelain, Severn Street, Worcester. Ring for opening times (01905 746000).

Old Grammar School, Ledbury. Heritage centre in Church Lane. Please contact for opening times (01531 636147).

Pershore Abbey, Pershore. Decorated vaulting, intricately-carved bosses, fine Norman architecture. Please ring for opening times (01386 561520).

Ragley Hall, Alcester. 17th Century home of Marquis and Marchioness Hertford. Gardens, park, adventure wood and country trail. House, garden and park. Contact for opening times (01789 762090).

Ravenshill Woodland Reserve, Alfrick, near Worcester. Private woodlands, picnic area, waymarked trails. Contact for opening times (01886 821661).

Royal Worcester Ltd, Severn Street, Worcester. The oldest continuous porcelain factory still in production. Museum -- largest collection of Worcester Porcelain in the world. Museum and a variety of shops. Guided tours of museum and manufactory available seven days a week. Also family restaurant. Ring for opening times (01905 746000).

Severn Valley Railway Station, Bewdley. 16 miles of nostalgic steam travel from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth. Steam trains daily. Station open all year. Santa Steam specials each Christmas. Please ring for all opening times. Steam locomotive footplate duties (learn to drive a train) (01299 403816).

Spetchley Gardens (Charitable Trust), Spetchley, near Worcester. Thirty-acre garden with rare trees, shrubs and plants, red and fallow deer. Please ring for opening times (01905 345213).

Tewkesbury Abbey, Church Street, Tewkesbury. Dates from Norman period. Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Open all year. Ring for opening times. Admission Free. Guided tours of Abbey and tower. For details and bookings contact (01684 850959).

New Visitors Centre with refectory and exhibitions. Refectory (01684 273736).

Abbey shop. Ring for opening times. For information (01684 276655).

Warwick Castle, Warwick: Set in 60 acres of grounds. State rooms, armoury, dungeons, torture chambers. Open all year daily Please ring for opening times. Tel (0870 4422000).

Webbs of Wychbold Garden Centre, Wychbold, Droitwich: 50 acres of gardening, leisure and pleasure, inspirational gardens, gift shop. Please ring for all opening times. Tel (01527 860000).

West Midland Safari and Leisure Park, Bewdley. Drive around wild animal safari. Pets' corner, live sows. Amusement area featuring Zambezi Water Splash ride. Please ring for opening times (01299 402114).

Witley Court and the famous St Michael's 'Baroque' Church by James Gibbs. The court is a ruined Italianate mansion and grounds, once the home of the Earls of Dudley. Contact for opening times. Refreshments and toilets available (01299 896636).

Worcester Cathedral. Dates from 11th Century, contains tomb of King John, fine cloisters and crypt. Guided tours by arrangement. contact Deputy Stewart (01905 28854). Please ring for opening times. Volunteers always required, contact Mark Glossop (01905 333265).

Worcester City Museum and Art Gallery. Foregate Street, Worcester. Includes exciting programme of temporary art exhibitions, River Severn Gallery, 19th Century chemist shop and the museums of the Worcestershire Regiment and Worcestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. Cafe, shop. Toilets. Access for disabled. (01905 25371).

Worcester Garden Centre, Droitwich Road, Worcester: Open all year. Please ring for all opening times (01905 451231).

Worcester Guildhall, High Street. Queen Anne building. Assembly Room. Restaurant and facilities. Please ring for all opening times (01905 723471).

Worcester Racecourse, Pitchcroft. One hundred acres with tree-lined promenade beside River Severn. For race dates (01905 25364) or see Evening News.