Wadborough (From Worcester News)

Wadborough

12:39pm Monday 11th July 2011 in Local walks By Julie Royle

National Trust members will be aware of the impressive restoration project being implemented at Croome Court and Croome Park. But you don't have to be a member to use the public footpaths which cross the park, or the permissive footpaths which have been created through an environmental stewardship scheme. This walk includes a truly delightful permissive path alongside Croome River. Unless the agreement is renewed, access will end on 30 September 2012, so enjoy it while you can. Any non-members who would like to join the Trust can do so at the reception area near Croome Court.

FACT FILE

Start: Station Road, Wadborough (between Worcester and Pershore), grid ref SO898478.

Length: 8½ miles/13.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 190, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Meadows, arable, woodland, mostly flat.

Footpaths: Superb on National Trust land but variable elsewhere; some are excellent but several (mainly between points five and six) are shameful, with serious over-cropping.

Waymarking is often absent.

Stiles: 22 and one locked gate.

Parking: Look for roadside parking at Wadborough or Pirton but please be considerate. There is a National Trust car park at Croome. The route is from Wadborough becauise it is accessible by bus as well as by car.

Buses: Diamond 382, Worcester- Pershore service, daily; worcestershire.

gov.uk/bustimetables or 01905 765765.

Refreshments: Masons Arms, Wadborough and National Trust café at Croome Park.

DIRECTIONS

1 The first path of the walk leaves Station Road north of Wadborough, on the left side of the road if you’re going towards Worcester. Look for a rusty gate spanning a track and a waymark hidden in trees, almost opposite two obvious footpaths on the right.

Walk through Narrow Wood then turn right along a field edge and keep straight on, passing through more woodland before crossing the railway. Keep straight on along two more field edges then across a track into another field. Go to the far right corner then turn right at Hill Road. Turn left at a road junction.

2 Pass Pirton House Farm and cross two stiles on the left to a field. Walk along the right-hand edge for a few paces then through a gate. Go diagonally across two fields to a stile near the far right corner of the second. Walk along the right-hand edge of the next field and through a hedge gap to a much larger field. Follow the overhead powerlines to a hedge corner. Keep straight on to the left of the hedge to find two stiles in a corner – cross the right-hand one then turn left, passing to the right of a house to meet a road.

3 Turn right, then left towards Kinnersley. Pass Pirton Court then take the next path on the left, which heads diagonally across fields to Lickmoor Coppice. Make sure your dog is on a lead here.

Cross a footbridge then turn right along the woodland edge to find access to Croome Park. Follow the path to a road then continue opposite, diagonally left across a meadow.

When you come to a junction turn right and follow the path around the outer edge of parkland then across a field towards a house.

4 When you reach the far hedge, just before the house, turn round and walk back across the field, going obliquely right on a less obvious path. Cross a footbridge to a driveway and keep straight on in much the same direction. Soon after crossing a cattle grid you have a choice of routes. The right of way goes straight on and is easily followed, but a much better walk may be had by turning left on a permissive path. Keep to the edge of grassland, beside Croome river.

Follow the waterway almost to its end, where you’ll rejoin the right of way. Follow the waymarked path out of the park then uphill through fields to a junction. Turn left, back into Croome Park. Go straight across, keeping to a ridge top and passing well to the right of Croome Court, to meet a road.

Turn left.

5 Turn left, back into the park.

There is access to the National Trust car park, café and reception over to the right, but the footpath goes to Croome church and then turns right. Keep straight on at a waymarked junction but descend left 200m further on, to join a road.

Turn right, then left at a Tjunction.

After 450m take a path on the right at a bend in the lane.

There is no signpost or waymarking so look for an open gateway used as a rubbish dump.

Walk along the right-hand field edge. In the next field the right of way goes obliquely across to an overgrown footbridge but no path has been made. Your best chance of finding the bridge is to keep to the right-hand edge for about 100m, after which it should be visible to your left. Continue in the same direction across another field (also over-cropped) and as you approach the corner go through a wide gap to the next field. Go to the left, cutting across the corner on another over-cropped path to find overgrown access to the next field.

Go along the left-hand edge and through a gate to another field.

6 Go diagonally right towards the far corner of Croome Perry Wood, climb over a gate and proceed across a small field to a gateway halfway along the left side. Continue in the same direction, soon crossing the railway. Go diagonally left through young woodland to reach mature woodland. Turn left, proceed to a road but don’t join it. Turn right along the woodland edge until a stile gives access to the road. Cross over to find a path next to a house.

Follow it across a bean field to a road. Turn left to Wadborough.