Eckington Wharf Picnic Place

In the summer the atmosphere is busy yet relaxed as beautifully painted narrowboats moor up near the bridge and glide past beneath the arches of the medieval bridge. In winter it's a lovely place for a quiet walk or a spot of bird watching, as it is home to numerous wildfowl and waders. It is also the starting point of the enjoyable 3 ½ Eckington Wharf Circular Walk along the riverbank and back via the village.

The bridge was the route taken by monks travelling between the abbeys at Pershore and Tewkesbury. The earliest evidence of a bridge dates back to 1440, which would have been made of timber. Before this there would have been a ferry crossing here. In 1720 the parish paid for the stone bridge, which still stands today. Timber and boards from the old bridge were given to parishioners of Eckington. With prominent cutwaters on both sides and low archways, it really is an attractive bridge to while away some time by.

The surrounding countryside of fruit orchards, farming, market gardens, and in past osier growers, meant this was, and still is, an important crossing supporting the livelihoods of local people. The village of Eckington is believed to have got its name from Saxon origins. A local chiefton named Ecci, together with his retainers (ing) and palisade (tun) produced the name.

The River Avon is navigable from Alveston near Stratford-upon-Avon, to Tewkesbury. In 1639 it became one of the first English rivers to benefit from a system of locks and weirs to control water levels. The river supports canoeing, sailing, angling, birdwatching and walking, as well as narrowboats.