YES, I remember Adlestrop" is the first line of a poem written by Edward Thomas after a journey from Paddington to Ledbury in June, 1914.

You will surely remember Adlestrop too after passing through it on this lovely walk. Thomas had only a glimpse of the station when his train stopped there for a few moments, but he was captivated and vowed to return. The First World War intervened and Edward Thomas was killed in action in 1917.

No train has stopped at Adlestrop since 1962 but the station nameplate and bench, painted in GWR's brown and cream livery, survive in a bus shelter. The poem is inscribed on a plaque fixed to the bench.

This is not Adlestrop's only literary connection. The novelist Jane Austen was related to the Leighs of Adlestrop and made at least three visits to them at Adlestrop Rectory (now Adlestrop House) in 1794, 1799 and 1806. Jane was a keen walker and must have enjoyed exploring the local paths. Adlestrop even provided inspiration for some scenes in Mansfield Park.

The walk visits other charming villages too, such as little-known Bledington, and Lower Oddington, where the church has a 14th Century "doom painting" featuring grotesque monsters and tortured souls - it's well worth a look.

Further north, Evenlode, set in lush meadows, was an island of Worcestershire, entirely surrounded by Gloucestershire, until 1931.

At tiny Chastleton, magnificent Chastleton House (National Trust), has remained virtually unchanged since it was built in 1607-12 by wool merchant Walter Jones.

In 1651, Arthur Jones returned home to his wife Sarah after the Battle of Worcester, pursued by a troop of Roundheads.

He hid in a secret room off the main bedroom while they searched the house.

Unable to find him, they decided to spend the night in the Jones's bedroom. Resourceful Sarah spiked their wine with laudanum and Arthur escaped on their fastest horse while they slept.

DIRECTIONS

Leaving Kingham Station, turn right beside the main road. After passing a watermill, turn right beside the River Evenlode. Eventually, pass a sewage works, cross a stile and bear left past a line of willows to a footbridge. Turn first left to Bledington.

Cross the road to Church Lane, follow it to the church then turn right to the village green and pub. Follow the road towards Stow then turn right at a sign for a byway to Oddington.

It soon becomes a bridleway and is mostly easy to follow, but take care to go right when it forks. Eventually, it turns sharp left, indicated by blue arrows.

Turn right at a T-junction, ignore branching paths but then turn right at a pair of blue arrows, leaving woodland but continuing by its edge. Keep straight on to Lower Oddington.

Turn right, following a lane round to the left, past a pub, to the main road. Turn right, cross the railway, turn left, then immediately right on a footpath (part of the Macmillan Way). Walk across Adlestrop Park to meet a bridleway and turn left to the village.

Pass the church and shortly turn left to pass the post office.

At a road junction look behind a large oak tree on the right to find the bus shelter with Edward Thomas's poem, then cross the road to follow the Macmillan Way along a farm track to a meadow.

Bear left on a trodden path which climbs to the top of a slight ridge before crossing a brassica field to Chastleton Park. Go straight on, along a lime avenue, to a lane. Access to Chastleton House is to the right, but the walk continues to the left.

Turn left again on a byway (signed "no through road") by a postbox. Ignore a footpath branching left after a farm. Eventually, the byway arrives at a complex junction.

Ignore a bridleway joining from the right and proceed a few paces further to find a small gate on the left and a large one ahead.

Go through the small one and turn right. Keep straight on to Evenlode.

Turn right, then right again at a T-junction. After about 100m turn left on a footpath. Walk along a driveway, climb a stile and cross a meadow to two more stiles into cattle pasture. Turn left, pass to the left of some barns and keep straight on to a junction in a strip of woodland.

Turn left, cross the railway and the River Evenlode and keep straight on to a cross-paths. Turn right, soon passing Frogmore Coppice.

After Moreton Church comes into view the path turns slightly right, so that there is a hedge on your left.

Pass through Frogmore Farm then cross a stile on the left after the last barn.

Turn right and keep straight on, soon joining a broad track which heads towards Moreton.

When you reach the first houses, turn left on a fenced path which leads to a street then resumes almost opposite. Reaching a T-junction, turn left to find Church Street. Go straight on for the station or turn left to explore Moreton.

DISCLAIMER

PLEASE NOTE: This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be correct at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss or injury, however caused.