FOLLOW in the footsteps of Ray Ward, who led 28 members of Malvern Hills District Footpath Society on this walk on November 8, as the first of his 90s.

Cross Evendine Lane and take the road to Netherpaths. In about 120 metres, go over the first stile on the left and down the field and over a stile by a gate. Cross the tractor bridge and go up, fence of the farm on the right, then bearing slightly left, go over a double stile near a large oak tree. Go forward, over a plank bridge and follow left hand fence. Go over plank bridge and return to fence. Go over a third plank bridge, two stiles and steps. Turn left to a stile and up the field to a waymark post. Continue up field gradually moving to a track by the hedge. Turn right, fence on left, through a gate and on to the top of the hill. Go through a gate and on to the old Ledbury Road. Turn right downhill, through a gate and on to the Colwall Road. Turn left, then right on the A449. (Ignore road on the right leading to the farm.) GR 744401.

In a few metres go through the gate opposite Barton Farm and across to a stile by a gate. Cross lane and into a field. Follow direction of waymark to a footbridge, about 40 metres to the left of a tree in the hedge, and forward to a stile. Bear left uphill and over a stile leading into wood. Follow path uphill to track. To the right it leads to the Eastnor Park, but turn left. After about 80 metres take the right fork and then right again. Go forward on the main track and at the first junction take the track straight ahead. After a steep climb, this leads on to the Worcestershire Way. Turn left, over a stile on the right and on to another stile in a fence. (Ignore all tracks to left and right) and onto the main road A449. GR 758402.

Turn left for 50 metres then take track on right going downhill. Leave the track at a waymark post on the left, down to a stile in the wood boundary. Go down to another stile, turn right downhill to another stile by a gate. Turn right on a permissive path and at a waymark post bear left to a footbridge and stile. Go over and follow the Worcestershire Way waymarks to Evendine Lane where turn right. GR 759413.

At the corner, go up the drive of Spindrift and just past the stream go over the stile on the right and up the field to a stile near the top left corner and into the wood. Go forward to the stream then bear right upwards to a broken stile in a fence on the left, across to another stile and on to a kissing gate marked Perrycroft.

Go forward and bear left to a stile on the Worcestershire Way. Follow WW waymarks to a hedged track. Go over stile on right, and straight ahead over another stile (ignore stile on right) and down to a stile on the right. Follow track ahead, Linden Manor on the right, and at waymark post take track on left leading past Hunter's Lodge and to the Colwall Road. GR 760430.

Turn left. After 80 metres, cross the road and take the footpath along the drive to the Winnings. Leave the drive and go through the first kissing gate on left. Go forward and pass two waymark posts and on to Brockhill Road. Turn left then pass between beech hedge and an all weather games court. At the end bear slightly left to a waymark post and a footpath leading to a wicket gate. Forward to another wicket gate then follow the path with playing field on left to another wicket gate and the Mathon Road GR 754431.

Turn left for a few metres then right along a narrow footpath and through a kissing gate into Ballard's Orchard. Go forward down to a kissing gate on the left, along the track for a few metres then take the narrow path on the right just past a house. Take the first stile on the left, along the path, over another stile to the road. Turn left to Church Road, then right. GR 748427.

After about 550 metres go through the kissing gate on the left and forward to another kissing gate in the left hedge and on to yet another kissing gate in the top right corner.

Go forward along the right hedge to the corner then cross field to a footbridge to the left of an oak tree in the right hedge. Cross, turn left and follow edge of field to a stile and the road near a public house. GR 751421.

Cross the road. Go over stile by gate, forward to corner of hedge then up the field to cross the railway line by two stiles. Turn right round the Elms School playing field and over a stile in the right fence near the far corner.

Turn right then left to walk along the end of the rugby field, through a gate, hedge on right, to tractor bridge and a field gate. Cross field to stile in far left corner, through gate ahead, along a track between fence and ditch and over a stile by a gate. Forward to a wicket gate to the left of an iron gate and the road, Evendine Lane. GR 755412.

Turn right for about 450 metres then right again to the cars.

MALVERN HILLS DISTRICT FOOTPATH SOCIETY.