Relocating to Worcester

[lilly1]

Hello, I'm moving from the isle of man to Worcester.

Is it a horsey area?

I need to find accommodation for myself but may base that around the horses. I'll need livery for two and good hacking. Any area or yard recommendations gratefully received. It's such a large county, how bad is the traffic in and out the city?
Thanks

 

[Orangehorse]

Yes, it is a horsey area. Traffic is heavy as the M5 goes right through the county, north to south which makes all parts of the country accessible as the M50 to Wales and M42 to the east link off the M5. I haven't had to commute to Worcester for a good long time, but yes, the traffic is notoriously bad in Worcester! There is a river to cross, in fact in the whole of the county there are only 5 bridges over the Severn at Stourport, Holt Heath, Worcester, Carrington Bridge on the outskirts (which links to Malvern on one side) and Upton upon Severn. Then there are Teme and Avon too!

However, there is a fair bridlepath network, if you don't mind some riding on lanes. Even in the busier middle to north, around Kidderminster and towards the Clent Hills, there are bridlepaths and off road riding. And not every road is busy!

Wyre Forest next to Stourport is a large forest for no traffic at all and people ride on the Malvern Hills, and there are bridlepaths on Bredon Hill, but I am not familiar with that area. I don't know what goes on in the Pershore, Evesham area, although there is a good riding club.

The terrain to the west of the county, over the River Severn, gets much more rural with steep hills, and probably more bridlepaths, but they get pretty impassable in the winter just because it is clay soil and steep gradients.

There are competition centres at Gracelands near Droitwich with an indoor school, Allens Hill near Pershore with several all weather arenas, Lincomb cross country with a show jumping arena, near Stourport, and a huge indoor arena and riding school at Stourport Equestrian Centre. Not forgetting the Three Counties Showground near Malvern which hosts several national breed shows, as well as the annual big show.

This is all just off the top of my head without thinking too much. There are riding clubs and pony clubs and a driving club.

Where will you be living/working? And what is your main interest?

 

[lilly1]

Thank you, that's really helpful. Not sure where I'll be living yet. It might be easier to find a yard first and move close to that. Work wise I'll need to commute to the hospital 2/3 times a week but I'd like to live outside the centre. Bromyard looks affordable property wise but I dont know the area at all. I'm happy to commute up to around 45 minutes each way.
Interest wise just general low level riding club stuff. I do like to hack.

 

[Orangehorse]

Bromyard to Worcester Hospital isn't a great journey, rather twisty, hilly roads, and you would be crossing the Carrington Bridge from the west side, along with everyone else! It would be 45 minutes easily, but since you only have to go in 2-3 times a week I expect you could cope with this! However, because of this, property is probably a bit cheaper than closer to Worcester, and you get more for your money.

Bromyard is "quaint" and over the border into Herefordshire, so you are dealing with different health authority, council, etc. But it is real countryside. I don't know about livery yards, but there are feed stores there so there must be a horse population around! (If I were to retire and live somewhere else I would seriously look at Bromyard).

The town has one High Street but there are sufficient shops for everyday needs, and plenty of good food shops, and a library and a theatre. There have been quite a few new houses built in recently years, so this has given the town a boost. There are several festivals held there throughout the year including a very well established folk festival.

Tipton Hall Riding School is on the Bromyard to Great Witley road, which is an alternative route to Worcester, but you would be travelling on the A44 mostly. (Although I think a lot of people use this alternative route to cross the river at Holt Fleet and then join the A449 down to the motorway junction 6, which is where the hospital use the rugby club park and ride.)

 

[DabDab]

Yes, it is a horsey area. Traffic is heavy as the M5 goes right through the county, north to south which makes all parts of the country accessible as the M50 to Wales and M42 to the east link off the M5. I haven't had to commute to Worcester for a good long time, but yes, the traffic is notoriously bad in Worcester! There is a river to cross, in fact in the whole of the county there are only 5 bridges over the Severn at Stourport, Holt Heath, Worcester, Carrington Bridge on the outskirts (which links to Malvern on one side) and Upton upon Severn. Then there are Teme and Avon too!

However, there is a fair bridlepath network, if you don't mind some riding on lanes. Even in the busier middle to north, around Kidderminster and towards the Clent Hills, there are bridlepaths and off road riding. And not every road is busy!

Wyre Forest next to Stourport is a large forest for no traffic at all and people ride on the Malvern Hills, and there are bridlepaths on Bredon Hill, but I am not familiar with that area. I don't know what goes on in the Pershore, Evesham area, although there is a good riding club.

The terrain to the west of the county, over the River Severn, gets much more rural with steep hills, and probably more bridlepaths, but they get pretty impassable in the winter just because it is clay soil and steep gradients.

There are competition centres at Gracelands near Droitwich with an indoor school, Allens Hill near Pershore with several all weather arenas, Lincomb cross country with a show jumping arena, near Stourport, and a huge indoor arena and riding school at Stourport Equestrian Centre. Not forgetting the Three Counties Showground near Malvern which hosts several national breed shows, as well as the annual big show.

This is all just off the top of my head without thinking too much. There are riding clubs and pony clubs and a driving club.

Where will you be living/working? And what is your main interest?

Bridge over the Severn at Bewdley too ?.

OP - as much as it might sound odd to list bridges over the river as key considerations, like Orange horse says, unfortunately they dictate traffic conditions in huge swathes of Worcestershire. If you can manage to have horses, home and work all on the same side of the river then this will save you a lot of traffic agro.

Depends on what you are comparing with, but I think the bridleway network in Worcs is pretty pants. There are some localised areas with really great hacking, but it is really localised so you would have to check out yards.

I live by the Wyre forest (unfortunately I have to cross an A road to get to it though), which has good hacking for longer rides, but doesn't really lend itself to fast rides. So it depends what you like. I can comfortably get to Worcester hospital in 45 mins so long as it isn't a busy time on the roads. Otherwise very much not. I'm also by the hot mess that is Kidderminster and Stourport where the traffic is so bad at the weekend that through the summer months I tend to avoid competing unless I'm going in the other direction (isn't much the other way though)

Personally I love the countryside around Bromyard, so seems as good a place as any to look. You're still the wrong side of the river though ?

 

[Orangehorse]

Bridge over the Severn at Bewdley too ?.

OP - as much as it might sound odd to list bridges over the river as key considerations, like Orange horse says, unfortunately they dictate traffic conditions in huge swathes of Worcestershire. If you can manage to have horses, home and work all on the same side of the river then this will save you a lot of traffic agro.

Depends on what you are comparing with, but I think the bridleway network in Worcs is pretty pants. There are some localised areas with really great hacking, but it is really localised so you would have to check out yards.

I live by the Wyre forest (unfortunately I have to cross an A road to get to it though), which has good hacking for longer rides, but doesn't really lend itself to fast rides. So it depends what you like. I can comfortably get to Worcester hospital in 45 mins so long as it isn't a busy time on the roads. Otherwise very much not. I'm also by the hot mess that is Kidderminster and Stourport where the traffic is so bad at the weekend that through the summer months I tend to avoid competing unless I'm going in the other direction (isn't much the other way though)

Personally I love the countryside around Bromyard, so seems as good a place as any to look. You're still the wrong side of the river though ?

Sorry Bewdley! It was a quick response, but I really should have remembered that. In fact there are 2, one in the town and one that is the bypass bridge.

 

[Billyandme]

I live in Evesham area. Evesham or Pershore is an easy commute 20 minutes or so bit livery yards vary enormously. Any of the villages dotted around Bredon Hill would give you access to lovely hacking plus easy access to Allen's Hill for competitions. Broadway a few miles from Evesham would potentially give you access to great riding with the Cotswold way to explore, Allen's Hill about 30 minutes away bit the commute to Worcester hospital would be more difficult having to go through Evesham. Constant traffic problems taking up to 30 minutes to cross during commute times.

 

[Orangehorse]

Bearing in mind that there is going to be a lot of building around Junction 7 of the M5 in coming years, as Worcester expands.

There are really good bridlepath networks in places, even in some very unlikely places, but as DabDab says, it is very localised and one livery yard might have great hacking, just a couple of miles away it might be very poor. I would want to go and see for myself anywhere that advertises "very good hacking" because I see that sometimes and raise my eyebrows!

 

[AdorableAlice]

A yard that might be of interest to you if you do choose to live Bromyard side of Worcester is Rosie Thomas the event rider who is at Grafton Farm Rosie Thomas BHSII Instructor - Grafton Horse Riding School (graftonfarm.co.uk)

I have no idea of availability and its not the smartest set up, but the hacking is good and the owners highly experienced and very pleasant, they also run a small riding school.

The previous comments about crossing the new bridge are very valid and at peak time you could easily sit in traffic for a long time. If you come north of Worcester the travelling is better and the M5 is still within easy reach. Bromsgrove/Droitwich areas have many yards.