This is a most beautiful walk in one of the lesser-known parts of the count, just north of Kidderminster.

It's sandstone country where, as on the more famous Kinver Edge nearby, there used to be a tradition of carving homes out of the soft rock.

You can see some of these cave homes on Sladd Lane, opposite the entrance to Drakelow Manor, and there are more cut into the cliffs above the Worcestershire Way near Solcum Farm.

Many of these caves are surprisingly recent, having been created during the Industrial Revolution for workers at the local ironworks. A much older structure is an Iron Age fort, traces of which survive above the caves at Solcum. The sandstone cliffs themselves are compacted sand dunes formed hundreds of millions of years ago when desert conditions prevailed.

One of the loveliest parts of the walk is the bridleway along the ridge of Castle Hill. There are superb views from here, despite the maximum height being a modest 140m.

Castlehill Farm sits in a commanding position on top of the ridge and a local tradition claims that in the early 13th Century it was the site of a hunting lodge used by King John.

Leaving Castle Hill behind, you descend through a mixture of woodland and plantation. The Forestry Commission calls this Shatterford Wood, but historically it is Castlehill Wood, Arley Wood, Spring Coppice and Coldridge Wood. The latter is densely carpeted with bluebells in April and early May.

On the edge of the woods is Bodenham Arboretum, which has been developing since 1973 but has only just opened to the public.

It contains rare and ornamental trees from all over the world, as well as native species. There are several attractive pools and a restaurant, but Bodenham is also a working farm with sheep, cattle and rare breeds of poultry. It is open daily from April to October.

A public footpath runs through the arboretum, but if you want to see the rest of it you should search out the main entrance to buy a ticket. However, one of the best things about Bodenham is the view it provides over the surrounding countryside, including Castle Hill, and this can be enjoyed free of charge from the footpath.

FACTFILE

Start: Crossroad junction of Sladd Lane, Lowe Lane and the B4189 just to the west of Wolverley and to the north of Kidderminster; GR 818797.

Length: 7 miles/11.2km.

Maps: OS Landranger 138, OS Explorer 218.

Terrain: Gently undulating woodland and sheep pasture.

Stiles: 12.

Parking: By the roadside near the crossroads.

Public transport: Train or bus (Midland Red 293/294/303/304 on weekdays, Kestrel 300 on Sundays and bank holidays) to Kidderminster, then Midland Red service 5, to the crossroads, Mondays to Saturdays only. Hopefully, summer Sunday and bank holiday service 100 to Bodenham will resume at the end of May - County Bus Line 0845 712 5436.

Refreshments: Restaurant at Bodenham Arboretum.

DIRECTIONS

Join Sladd Lane and, after 100m, turn right on a bridleway. As you reach a house branch left to descend into a valley and walk to Drakelow Lane.

Turn right, then first left. When you reach a farm, climb a stile on the right but continue in the same direction across fields to enter Solcum Coppice. Turn left on a waymarked path to Blakeshall Lane. Turn left, then immediately left again.

After 400m again turn left, joining the Worcestershire Way and following it past Solcum Farm, then below sandstone cliffs to a road. Cross over to rejoin Sladd Lane, then turn first right.

Turn left on a bridleway by Lower Kingsford Farm and, after a few metres, fork left.

As you approach Castlehill Farm keep straight on at a bridleway junction and again at the next junction.

When you come to a junction marked by two yellow arrows, take the left-hand path and follow it along the ridge top.

Having passed Start's Green Farm you arrive at a junction with a surfaced track.

Turn left and walk downhill into the Forestry Commission's Shatterford Wood (Arley Wood). The track eventually descends to a brook. Turn right here on a muddy bridleway, crossing the brook and walking uphill.

The bridleway keeps climbing close to the edge of the wood and passes a number of worked-out quarries, now reclaimed by nature.

When you join a track on a bend near Witnells End, fork left towards a farm and, just before you reach its gate, turn sharp left on a footpath which runs along the inner edge of Coldridge Wood to a stile, then continues along the outer edge of the wood.

Descend to cross a brook at a footbridge, then climb a steep flight of steps to enter Bodenham Arboretum.

Go straight on between conifers to a stile, then bear left across sheep pasture to the top of a ridge before descending to pass to the left of Bottom Pool. Continue along a track, passing Spencer Covert and The Log House.

At a T-junction, turn left past farm buildings until footpath signs send you left into a field. Follow its right-hand edge to a stile, then turn right over a footbridge and along a well-defined path.

At a junction turn left on another path to meet a lane, and go left again.

At the next junction turn right for a few paces, then left on a footpath. After crossing a footbridge, keep left by a brook for a short distance until it turns left and then strike out across the field, with a bank on your left, another brook on your right. Pass a red-brick bungalow, then turn right past Cinder House and right again on a bridleway.

When you reach Drakelow Manor turn right to Sladd Lane, then left to the crossroads.

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.