Picturesque villages on the south side of Bredon Hill house a group of artists, designers and crafts people who have collaborated to launch Bredon Hill Open Studios.

As the name implies, they all work from open studios based along a four-mile stretch of road from Beckford to Bredon, together making a permanent, open all year, arts and crafts trail that visitors can follow from January to December.

Bredon Hill is immortalised in A E Housman's In Summer Time on Bredon, a poem of tragic young love, and little has changed on the beautiful hill that he knew.

Samantha Dadd, a professional artist who works from her studio gallery in Conderton, said: "The countryside round Bredon Hill inspires some of the finest designers, artists and craftsmen. A picturesque drive takes visitors through pretty villages and past the front doors of four open studios.

"They each have a shop that is guaranteed to thrill and inspire. Meeting the person who designed and made a lovely object or painting is always a pleasure and following the route of Bredon Hill Open Studios allows just that at a leisurely pace, perhaps stopping for lunch at one of the friendly pubs along the way."

She added: "In this largely undiscovered area can be found a hidden gem where the mixing of contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship brings quality and style in equal measure."

Others taking part in Bredon Hill Open Studios are Beckford Silk, a unique country workshop for the hand-printing of silk and other fine textiles, Toff Milway, who creates pots that reflect his interest in food and in entertaining with style, and Bredon Pottery where Tony and Sue Davies make a range of handmade, decorated pottery.

At the launch at Beckford Silk, Carolyn Elwes, of Colesbourne Park, Cheltenham, was the guest speaker.