ENJOY fine views of the Teme Valley and glimpses of the Severn Valley from this route, which stays high enough above both valleys to avoid any flooding.

When you reach Church Lane at Hallow (point five), it’s worth a brief detour from the set route to visit Hallow Old Churchyard, a peaceful, wildlife-rich oasis at the end of the lane.

You’ll also find two interpretation panels provided by Hallow History Group, with information about Hallow Farm, Hallow Park and Hallow Farm Heritage Walk.

For views of the Severn Valley, take the path which runs to the left of the old churchyard, although the view, which used to be panoramic, is now largely obscured by a wood planted around 25 years ago.

FACTFILE START Crown East Lane, Broadheath Common, Lower Broadheath, grid ref SO805558.

LENGTH 10 miles/16km.

MAPS OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

TERRAIN Pasture, paddocks, arable, orchard; a few slopes but no real hills.

FOOTPATHS Mostly excellent, apart from some absent signage and waymarking.

STILES 15.

PARKING Laylocks Lane or Sling Lane, Broadheath Common. Please take notice of signs advising against parking on grass verges.

BUSES Aston’s 308 serves Crown East Lane, Bell Lane, Hallow Lane and Hallow Road; Aston’s 309/310 serves Martley Road; Diamond 294/295 and Yarrantons’ 758 serve Hallow Road; Aston’s 417 serves Bransford Road; First 420 serves Bromyard Road; all Mon-Sat only; worcestershire.gov.uk/ bustimetables or 01905 765765.

REFRESHMENTS Pubs and shops at Broadheath and Hallow; café at Elgar Visitor Centre.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication.

No responsibility is accepted by eithertheauthororpublisherfor errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

WorcesterNewsrecommendstheuse of OS Landranger Maps, your ideal passporttonavigatethecountryside.

This walk is based on OS Landranger 150.

DIRECTIONS 1 Walk south on Crown East Lane.

Just after Elgar’s cottage a fingerpost indicates a path on the right, but there are actually two paths here. Take the one with no signage or waymarking, bearing left across a field to a fence corner.

Most walkers then just follow the left-hand field edge, but the right of way actually bears slightly right to pass to the left of a pond before rejoining the field edge and merging with another unsigned path next to a cottage. Stay by the field edge from now on, and walk to Bromyard Road.

2 Cross to a bridleway opposite.

After passing a few houses take to the fields on the right, heading towards the Malvern Hills. Go through a gate and then downhill, passing close by fishing pools then past woodland to a gate in a corner.

Keep close to the left-hand edge of the next field as far as a woodland corner then follow a track which runs straight across the field for 150m before turning sharp left to meet Bransford Road. Turn right, then right again on Otherton Lane, which leads back to Bromyard Road.

3 Cross the road and turn left, stepping over a ditch to join a footpath which runs along field edges to Crown East Lane. Turn left, then take a bridleway on the right at Elgar’s Birthplace, between the cottage and the visitor centre.

After 600m a pair of gates spans the bridleway. Turn left here on a wellmaintained footpath which you can clearly see running across two large fields. There are fishing pools between the fields and the path goes through the fishing site.

Follow the waymarked route to find access to the second field. Walk uphill to a hedge and turn right.

4 Turn left at the next junction and walk past Birchen Grove to Martley Road. Cross to a bridleway opposite then shortly fork left on a footpath which goes diagonally to a stile. Cross the next field to a hedge corner then turn right to join Lovington Lane. Turn left and ignore all branching paths to reach Lovington Farm. Turn left, following a bridleway downhill.

Cross Laughern Brook, proceed to a junction and turn left, walking uphill to the main road at Hallow.

Cross over and turn right.

5 Take the first footpath on the left, just after the churchyard, and follow it to Church Lane. Turn right, then first left. When the path enters a field follow the hedge to a corner then turn left. Turn right at the next junction, then go second left, through a green gate. Walk to the main road, cross and turn right.

Turn left on Moseley Road then left on Oakleigh Avenue, by the post office. Keep straight on when the avenue bends left at Oakleigh Heath, then take a footpath on the left. Turn left when the path enters a field and go straight on at a junction.

6 Turn left on Shoulton Lane then cross Hallow Lane to a footpath.

Turn right along a passageway just before Hallow Playgroup. Pass a recreation ground and scout hut then turn left across Hollybank.

Go downhill at the far end to Hallow Lane. Turn left then cross to a footpath. Head to a pair of telegraph poles near the far left corner of a field, then continue in the same direction to enter a paddock.

Follow the right-hand hedge to a corner then go across the paddock to a gate.

Cross another paddock then turn left by the field edge. Join a track, pass Ashfield Farm and proceed to Peachley Lane. Turn right, then fork left when you come to Church Lane. Follow it to Martley Road, turn right then cross to Frenchlands Lane.

Follow it for 800m.

7 Take a footpath on the left. Go diagonally left across the first field, after which the path is easily followed through three more fields until you draw level with Partridge Farm, at a junction where there’s a waymarked post.

Turn right, with the hedge on your left, go through a gate in the next corner and cross a footbridge to another field.

The path goes diagonally left (although footprints reveal that everybody uses the field edge instead) to an oak tree at a hedge corner. Turn left here and walk to Bell Lane and Broadheath Common.

Walk along Sling Lane then turn right on a footpath along the edge of the common to Laylocks Lane and Crown East Lane.