BETWEEN the Worcestershire village of Clifton upon Teme and the Herefordshire village of Whitbourne there is some exquisite countryside which is not much explored.

This may have something to do with the local footpaths which were notorious in the past for neglect and obstruction.

There are still problems today, but huge improvements have been made and you'll encounter no difficulties at all on this walk.

In any case, with fields still waterlogged, one of the aims in devising this route has been to keep footpath use to a minimum.

Much of it is on quiet lanes, most of which are "no through roads" and therefore largely free of traffic. There are still plenty of muddy sections, but only what you would expect in a normal winter, and there are no ploughed fields so it never becomes a tedious slog.

The landscape is hilly and dissected by numerous streams, notably Sapey Brook, Whitbourne Brook and their tributaries. Sapey Brook is particularly beautiful.

It has carved out a secluded, steep-sided valley, or dingle, most of which has proved too steep for cultivation.

Consequently, it remains well-wooded. It also offers relatively sheltered conditions, allowing masses of ferns to flourish throughout the winter.

The brook itself is fast-flowing, with occasional waterfalls, and its water is clear, thanks to its stony bed.

If you do the Whitbourne loop you will have the opportunity to visit Whitbourne Glebe, a woodland nature reserve managed by Herefordshire Nature Trust.

It's a small wood on a west-facing slope and is managed in the traditional way as coppice with standards.

There is a very rich variety of species, including holly, field maple and wild cherry, and lots of wild flowers in spring. The Trust leases the wood from Hereford Diocesan Board of Finance and the Church is known to have owned it since at least 1615.

FACTFILE

Start: Clifton upon Teme; GR 714615 (or Whitbourne).

Length: 6 miles or 8 miles (9.6km or 12.8km).

Maps: OS Landranger 150, OS Explorer 204.

Terrain: undulating, with occasional steep bits; pasture, woodland and quiet lanes.

Stiles: Two on the short route, with a further five on the longer route, though these can be avoided by following the lane from Meadow Green to Whitbourne.

Parking: Clifton.

Buses: Worcester-Clifton services 310/311/312/313, Mondays to Saturdays; Worcester-Hereford services 419/420 to Whitbourne, daily; County Bus Line 08457 125436.

Refreshments: pubs and shops at Clifton and Whitbourne.

DISCLAIMER

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.