Wick, Elmley Castle & Fladbury

The three villages sit in the Vale of Evesham within Wychavon, where arable fields and market gardens spread from the lower slopes of Bredon Hill down to the River Avon. Fladbury occupies a bend on the Avon with a riverside lane, mill pond and stretches of willow-lined meadow that flood in winter. Wick lies amid orchards and farmland with a compact street pattern and parish facilities serving local farms. Paths and lanes link the settlements and offer direct access to the riverbanks and the long-distance routes across the vale.

Elmley Castle takes its name from the earthworks that remain beside the village church: a clearly visible motte marks the site of the medieval stronghold. Local life still revolves around the parish churches, village halls and small farms, with seasonal work in market gardening and fruit growing. Birdlife and wetland vegetation are prominent along the Avon channels, and traditional river management like pollarding and sluice maintenance can still be seen on the river margins. The area is therefore shaped by agriculture and the river more than by tourism.