Cotheridge

Water plays a big part in this, with the river Teme and a number of smaller water courses complemented by numerous pools at Cob House Fishery and Hucks Farm.

These all provide useful habitat for a wide variety of water birds, from kingfishers to swans.

There are smaller pools too, dotted throughout the fields, and even the remains of a moat at Woodend Farm.

FACTFILE

Start: St Leonard’s Church, Cotheridge, off A44 west of Worcester; grid ref SO785547.

Length: 8½ miles/13.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Arable and pasture, with a couple of gentle slopes but no real hills.

Footpaths: Variable; many are good but others need improvement.

Waymarking is very poor in places.

Not all paths have been reinstated after ploughing. One path is obstructed by a padlocked gate (illegal, but they’ve got away with it for decades so far). Another path is subject to possible change depending on the outcome of a planning application, but this shouldn’t cause any problems.

There have been both path creations and extinguishments near Cobhouse Farm, so that the OS map is no longer accurate, but the changes have been fully waymarked.

Stiles: Twenty-five.

Parking: Park Lane.

Transport: First 420 to Cotheridge, Mon-Sat, or Astons 310 to Cob House Fishery, Mon-Sat; worcestershire.gov.

uk/bustimetables or 01905 765765.

Refreshments: The Mayfly Café at Cob House Fishery is very close to the route.

DIRECTIONS

1 Walk up Church Lane to the A44 and turn right towards Worcester. Take a path on the left just after a bungalow, opposite Church Farm. Walk through four fields, keeping straight on at a junction, to meet a lane at Tinkers’ Cross. Cross to another lane almost opposite. After 400 metres turn right along the driveway to Allsetts Farm. Pass between houses and then through gates to a field.

2 Turn left towards a pylon, pass to the left of it, continue across a narrow field then over a bridge into a large one. Walk to the left-hand end of a long line of trees and then straight on along a field edge towards a road. Access to the road is impeded so many walkers use a short track instead of following the right of way. Take care at the gate if you do use the track. For the right of way, climb a fence next to a water trough then walk parallel with the track to a hedge corner. Follow the hedge for 25m to find a place where you can climb over an overgrown fence to the road. Turn right.

3 At a road junction take a path on the right and go to the far corner of a field. Follow waymarks through two more fields to reach a junction at a hedge gap at the far side of the second field. Keep straight on, then straight on at another junction and again straight on at a hedge corner, following powerlines to a gate opposite, then turn left along a track. Turn right where waymarked, passing between fish nursery pools. Go left at the next junction, soon crossing a footbridge then turning left across a large field. There are two gates in the hedge ahead – go to the left-hand one. A well-trodden path then leads across another field to a lane.

4 Cross to a path almost opposite, just a little to the left, and climb two overgrown stiles. Go diagonally left to cross a footbridge, then in much the same direction to an open gateway. Walk by the left edge of the next field, cross a track and go straight on across a meadow. Pass to the left of a pool to meet a track where a waymark directs you straight on up a steep, pathless bank – ignore it and turn right instead. After a short distance you’ll find a path leading up the bank to a pool. Walk along the edge then continue past a second pool and then through a field to a lane.

5 Turn left and keep straight on at a junction. Fork right at the next junction (Wants Green) towards Doddenham and Knightwick, then take the next path on the left. Cross a field then go through a long narrow wood to a lane. Turn right, then left at a T-junction (Munn’s Green). Take the next path on the left, following the left edge down to the bottom corner of a field. Bear slightly right across the next field to go through a gate at the far side, about halfway along. Continue in the same direction across another field to meet a long narrow wood just to the right of a hedge corner.

6 Walk through the wood then down the next field, bearing right to meet a valley bottom at a hedge corner, by a willow tree.

Walk uphill with the hedge on your left and keep straight on at the top until you come to a junction. Turn left, soon joining a track. Proceed to a lane, turn right, and then soon left on another path, which is waymarked and easily followed through fields. After crossing a footbridge follow a brook until you can cross it at another footbridge.

Proceed through fields to a lane near Broad Green and turn right to a T-junction on Weston Hill.

7 Turn right and walk down the lane to the A44. Turn left then take the first path on the right.

Walk along a tree-lined green lane, then straight on along a field edge for 100m before bearing right to meet the river Teme. Follow it for 150m then turn left and walk to the A44. Don't join the road but take another path which is easily followed across two fields to St Leonard’s Church.

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