Powick

The village doesn’t lack historic associations, however, because both the first skirmish and the final battle of the English Civil War took place nearby. Two memorial stones by 15th century Powick Bridge mark these events.

The river Teme at Powick is bordered by low-lying flood meadows known as Powick Hams.

The hams, like similar meadows throughout the country, were once known as Lammas meadows because commoners were forbidden from grazing animals on them from Candlemas (February 2) to Lammas Day (August 1).

Lammas meadows were usually owned by the lord of the manor but commoners held grazing rights.

These ancient common rights have since been translated into rights of access for all of us and enshrined in law by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. This means we can explore Powick Hams as we wish without needing to keep to public footpaths.

Because the hams were subject to winter flooding they produced better hay crops than other meadows, due to the fertilising effect of the silt deposited by the floodwater. Many species of wild flowers flourished in these conditions and the hams must have been a magnificent sight.

They have long since been drained and ‘improved’ so that flowers are now scarce and the floods are less welcome. But the hams are still attractive, bordered by wooded hills and bisected by rows of magnificent willow trees

FACT FILE

Start: Old Powick Bridge, Old Road, Lower Wick; grid ref SO835525.

Length: Four to five miles/6.5 to 8km, depending on the exact route you decide to take.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Pasture and woodland, mostly flat.

Footpaths: Some are in need of slight improvements needed but most of them are excellent.

Parking: By Powick Mills in Old Road.

Stiles: 15.

Buses: Worcester-Malvern 44/363; worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or 01905 765765.

Refreshments: There are facilities close to the route at Powick, Collett’s Green and Lower Wick.

DIRECTIONS

1 Cross the old bridge and keep straight on along a track (the old road). Approaching the roundabout, turn right onto access land, and take a footpath indicated by a fingerpost. Follow the Teme for 100m then fork left to tunnel under the bypass and enter Powick Hams. You can walk wherever you like but the quickest way to escape the traffic noise is to follow the waymarked path towards a stile at the far end of a line of willows.

2 You can walk straight across the next two meadows, or take any other route you like. The most pleasant option is to follow the river Teme for as far as you can, until you reach the edge of the access land and have to move away from the river. Follow the righthand boundary to the northwestern corner of Powick Hams and cross a stile. Go straight on along a field-edge footpath which now runs much closer to the river than shown on the map. Turn left at the far side, past a pool and wetland area, then over a stile in the field corner to enter Lord’s Wood.

3 A good path runs through this lovely wood, along the top of a bank lined with oak trees, until waymarks direct you to the right, then left up a slight bank and along the left-hand edge of a field until a stile gives on to a track. Continue in the same direction to a lane and turn left. Join a path on the right after a short distance. Walk past a line of oak trees marking a former hedge then keep on in the same direction across the field, soon with a hedge on your left. Ignore branching paths and continue beside the hedge, then cross a broken stile and keep straight on along a track, climbing diminutive Bush Hill. Go left at the top, across a cattle grid, soon passing a reservoir. Continue past a farm to reach a junction at a stile.

4 Turn left without crossing the stile and walk across the field, descending a slope to a gate in the corner. Turn right into Whitehouse Coppice and walk to a junction.

Turn left into a field and left again by the field edge. Ignore all branching paths. When you come to a woodland garden the path goes straight on along the edge of it (despite the temporary fencing across it at the time of writing) even though there is a green lane running to the left of the garden.

When you come to the main garden gate climb a stile on the right and continue through trees to a field.

Turn left by the field edge. A hedge gap soon gives access to the lane but the right of way is actually by the field edge, joining the lane further along.

5 Keep straight on along King’s End Lane for 200m then take the first path on the left. Cross two sheep pastures then turn right along a track that runs alongside Lord’s Wood. Follow this track through two fields and as you approach the far side of the second field you’ll see a stile below on the left. This offers walkers an easy route to Powick Hams but for a much nicer route turn right up a steep but very brief slope then walk across a pasture to Ham Lane.

Turn left and stay on the lane, ignoring a path that branches right at Bank Farm. The lane eventually becomes a track descending through woodland and then it levels out along the edge of Powick Hams. Walk past a white-painted house to find a gate giving access to the hams and return to Powick Bridge.

Your Worcester News recommends the use of OS Explorer Maps, your ideal passport to navigating the countryside. This walk is based on OS Explorer 204.