DIRECTIONS

JOIN the Worcestershire Way Circular Walk (WWCW - it's a loop off the main north-south route) which leaves Church Lane and heads diagonally across a field before turning left to meet the road.

Leave the WWCW, turning right and then taking a footpath just beyond the Crown Inn. It leads to a field, where you turn left along the edge. Turn right in the first corner (don't go through the hedge gap) and cross a stile in the next corner.

Walk through a strip of woodland, cross a stile, climb steps, turn right and then immediately left uphill to join a well-made path across a cornfield. Turn right at a path junction and walk to the hedge where an overgrown stile gives access to the road.

Turn left, then right towards Noak Farm. Keep straight on at a junction to reach another road. Turn left, then soon left again on to a lane, after Hillend Sawmills. You should be able to take a path on the left after about 250m, but, at the time of writing, the stile is seriously overgrown. Unless it has been cleared, or you feel like braving the nettles, stay on the lane.

Turn left at a T-junction and keep going along the lane until you can join the Worcestershire Way (main route) on the right. The Way climbs steadily up Pudford Hill.

When you come to a junction, ignore a path descending right and go through a gate to continue along the Worcestershire Way. Leave the Way at the next junction, turning right on a bridleway, but only for a few paces. Turn right again, by an ash tree, just before a bridle gate, on a faint, unsigned path.

The path leads to a stile giving access to woodland. Follow a clear path down through the wood then cross a stile to enter a field. Turn left over another stile and descend to join a farm track, which leads to a road.

The bridleway continues opposite, soon reaching a junction where a signpost indicates a path branching right. This is the WWCW again and frequent waymarkers guide you across fields to a road.

Leave the WWCW and turn left towards Prickley Green. After about 400m, take a path on the right at a green gate, after Plum Tree Cottage. Cross an apple orchard then turn right at the far side until you can cross Laughern Brook. Turn left and follow the brook to a wooden footbridge. Re-cross the brook and cut across the corner of the orchard to join a lane.

Turn right up Witton Hill. As the gradient eases you'll see a footpath on the right, just after a house with a prominent garage. Follow the right-hand field edge until a stile gives access to another field. Keep straight on past a farm to a road.

Cross to another path opposite and follow the right-hand edge, ignoring a first stile but crossing a second one, in the field corner. Walk past several gardens, ignoring paths branching right, until the path ends at a stile. Join a track, turning right to follow it through woodland.

Keep straight on at a junction by Larkins, then take the second path on the right, after Highcroft. Walk along the right-hand edge of a field, then down the next field to cross Laughern Brook. A well-made path then runs across another field to meet the WWCW at the far side. Turn left to a lane then turn right.

Go left at a road junction then head across a field before passing Chantry High School and continuing to Martley.

Cross the road to enter the churchyard and return to your starting point.

PERHAPS the finest part of this walk is the ridge-top section on Pudford Hill.

Unfortunately, recently planted trees are already tall enough in places to obscure the magnificent views of the Teme Valley which used to be obtained here.

So why not walk along it now before the views disappear altogether?

In a happier context, trees of another sort contribute much to the enjoyment of the walk - this is cider apple country, with Bulmer's orchards extending north-east from Martley Hillside to Little Witley.

With so many orchards having been lost in recent years, it's good to see these, and to walk through some of them too.

Martley itself is an attractive village, with some fine old houses, an historic school (founded in 1315, attached to a chantry chapel) and a mellow sandstone church.

Though Norman, it has been much altered, but a 1909 restoration uncovered traces of mediaeval paintings on the walls, and it's well worth going inside to look at these.

Mediaeval churches were strikingly colourful, with bold decorations, often featuring mythical beasts or gruesome scenes of Judgment Day.

The Victorians were offended by these and destroyed thousands of them all over the country in the course of the heavy-handed "restorations" they were so fond of.

Martley is lucky to have its wall paintings, faded and damaged though they are.

Most of the parish's footpaths are well-maintained, in striking contrast to neighbouring Clifton and Wichenford.

Much of the hard work on Martley's paths has been done by local volunteers. An encouraging sign that the improvements might be sustained is that most local farmers now comply with the law by reinstating paths after ploughing.

FACTFILE

Start: Martley Church, grid reference SO756598.

Length: 5 miles/8km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150,

Terrain: farmland, woodland, orchard; two slight climbs.

Stiles: 22.

Parking: Church Lane.

Buses: 310/312/313/314 from Worcester, Mondays to Saturdays only; also excellent new 308 Parish Link evening service on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (tickets just £1, or 50p if bought in advance); Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: Martley.

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.