THE bluebells may be over now but there are plenty of other flowers to enjoy in Monkwood, including stitchwort, yellow archangel and bugle.

Monkwood Green is dotted with wild flowers too, especially in the marshier parts, where cuckoo flower (also known as lady's smock) grows prolifically, as it also does in several of the damper meadows throughout the surrounding area.

The lapwing (also known as peewit or green plover) likes damp meadows too, and you may be lucky enough to see a few of these lovely birds, especially near Cockshoot Farm.

Not so long ago, it was commonplace to see huge flocks of lapwings, but they are increasingly scarce these days. Perhaps the important new stewardship systems available to farmers, which come into force this year, will help to reverse the lapwing's decline.

Other attractive birds which you may see on this walk include red-legged partridge, little owl and yellowhammer. It's worth looking out for butterflies too, especially in Monkwood, where 36 species have been recorded, including the uncommon wood white, which is on the wing in May.

Monkwood is jointly owned by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation.

FACTFILE

Start: Monkwood (west of A443 north of Hallow), grid ref SO 804606.

Length: 6 miles/10km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Woodland, pasture, orchard, arable; marshy in places.

Footpaths: The Wichenford area has always had more than its share of problems. Recent improvements have made a huge difference, but some paths remain way below the required standard, particularly those which have been cropped over. Waymarking is intermittent.

Stiles: 12.

Parking: Monkwood.

Buses: 308/309/310/312/313 and 314 (some serve Monkwood, all serve Wichenford) Monday-Saturday; there is no Sunday service as such, but the 759 passes close to King's Green (less than a mile); Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk or www.parishlink.net

Refreshments: The Fox at Monkwood Green.

DIRECTIONS

n Walk through a gate into the wood and go forward a few paces on a bridleway before taking a path on the right. Follow it to the edge of the wood and turn left. Eventually, the path turns left to a junction. Turn right here, and right again at the next junction. Before long, you'll be walking by the edge of the wood again.

Turn right when the path rejoins the bridleway and leave Monkwood. Ignore a footpath on the right, follow the bridleway a few more paces to a junction and turn right. A little further on, take a path on the left just before a gate spans the bridleway.

Walk along the right-hand edge of a field until an inadequate stile gives access to the next field. Cross another dodgy stile near the corner and proceed to the right-hand corner of another field where an even worse stile gives access to an orchard. Go straight on along a track to Woodhouse Farm.

Pass to the left of the outbuildings then along a grassy path in front of the farmhouse to enter a field. Keep going in much the same direction to meet a road, then cross to the access track for Cockshoot Farm.

After about 400m, start looking for an easily missed stile on the left (there's a signpost on the right) and follow a faint path through a crop. At the far side, go through a gap into the next field, then through another gap on the right, so that you continue in the same direction as before, but with a hedge on your left.

Meet a road and turn right, then left at a junction. Pass Ridgend Farm then turn right on a bridleway. Follow it to a wood, then turn left, walking past the wood and then across King's Green to a road. Turn left.

The road bends left after about 500m: take a footpath on the right here. There are two paths, but you want the left-hand one of the two, by the left-hand field edge.

Keep straight on at all junctions. A completely overgrown footbridge can be bypassed on the left (Guises Lane) but return to the field edge after. (NB: Guises Lane is an alternative route which runs beside the footpath for much of the way.)

Eventually, the path leaves the field edge (and Guises Lane) and heads towards Wichenford - make the most of it, for it is a rare example of a cross-field path which actually complies with the law, having been made by the farmer to the required width.

Turn left at Wichenford, then right at a T-junction. Walk to the edge of the village where you'll see two paths together on the right. Take the one which goes along the left-hand field edge.

Continue along the edge of the next field, ignoring a stile. When the hedge turns a corner, keep straight on across the field to a stile at the far side. Go to the left corner of the next field and turn left across another field to a gate. Walk up a slope towards a wooden pylon then keep to the left of a house to meet a road.

Turn right for a few paces then cross to a footpath. Follow the right-hand hedge to a stile and cross the next field, as indicated by the yellow arrow, to a gate. Go diagonally right to cross a plank footbridge near a fence corner then proceed towards a house, guided by yellow arrows.

Cross a field to Monkwood Green and go straight across to meet a road near a '30' sign, then walk along the road to meet the main road. Turn left, then immediately left again. Enter the southern part of Monkwood, on the right of the road, and follow the path back to your starting point.

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 either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.