This short walk visits one of the most unspoilt corners of the county.

It includes ancient cherry orchards, secluded valleys and a wonderful dingle - one of those steep-sided, wooded, fern-filled valleys for which the Teme Valley is famous.

Cut by a tributary of the Teme, the valley sides are immensely steep at first, far too steep for cultivation, and the presence of veteran limes and yews indicates that this tiny patch of woodland may be a relic of the original "wildwood".

Further on, as the valley becomes shallower, the limes and yews are replaced by shrubby hawthorn, hazel and elder, probably a sign that this part of the wood was once managed as hazel coppice.

At the head of the dingle is an abandoned cottage called The Old House (shown as Oldhouse Farm on Ordnance Survey maps). Take a look at the first-floor window as you approach the cottage, because a long-eared owl sometimes uses this as a daytime roost.

FACTFILE

Start: The Suckley/Alfrick turn on the A44 at Knightwick, grid ref SO731558.

Length: 5 miles/8.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landrangers 149 and 150.

Terrain: Orchard, woodland and pasture, with two boggy patches; undulating but not steep.

Footpaths: Several would benefit from some improvement but there are no significant problems as long as you can cope with nettles.

Stiles: 20, and a locked gate too.

n Parking: Behind the bus shelter opposite the turning, by the track leading to the Talbot.

Buses: Worcester-Hereford services 419/420 daily; 01432 260211 or www.herefordshire-buses.

tbctimes.com

Refreshments: The Talbot is 300m from the starting point.

Walk westwards beside the A44 for 120 metres to a footpath on the left - take care because there's a hole in the ground as you approach it.

Walk across a cherry orchard, through a hedge gap and along the left of a field. When the hedge turns a corner, keep going across the field towards a gate. Shortly before you reach the gate, branch left to a stile.

Walk along a lane opposite, soon passing Knightwick Chapel. A little further on, a stile gives access to the burial ground and the path follows the left edge to a stile in the bottom left corner. Follow the left edge of a field then go uphill in the next field to find a stile to a lane.

The path continues opposite, going diagonally left to a stile near the far left of a field, then along the right-hand edge of an orchard towards Knightwick Manor. Continue past the house then turn right into a field.

Walk to the far left then go through a copse to an apple orchard. Cross to the other side and proceed through a hedge gap then turn left along a valley, with a brook on your right.

Walk through four fields. In the fourth, the path moves away from the brook, climbing towards a fence. Follow the fence to a stile and continue along the edge of a meadow to the Suckley road. Turn right, then soon left towards Highfields.

The next footpath lacks a sign where it leaves the lane. Look for it on your left after 150m, where there is a small brook bordered by holly trees.

There's a broken fence here, but no gate or stile. Step over the fence and turn right across a meadow. Head towards an embankment (a sad reminder of the old Worcester-Bromyard railway) then turn left past an abandoned outbuilding.

Hidden in the trees on your right is the forlorn ruin of The Old House. Go through a gate and follow a faint path through nettles which leads to the rear of the house and then bifurcates.

Go to the left - and beware the ankle-twisting rabbit holes in the path, which soon improves and runs along the edge of a steep dingle.

As the valley becomes shallower, the path becomes wider and clearer.

Go left at a junction, crossing the brook then climbing through nettles to a stile. Go straight across a field to the Suckley road. Turn right, then after 200m take a path on the right at a gate, next to a broken fingerpost.

Go downhill, cross the brook again and walk past a cottage on a trodden path which starts to descend left - leave it and go uphill instead, through an orchard to a gate to a track.

Turn right for a little way to find a footpath at a gate on your left.

Go diagonally left across a field to the far left corner. Go through a gate and turn left in the next field. After 100m you'll come to a cross-path by a gate. Turn right here across the field then continue between two woods to enter a large field.

Keep close to the right-hand edge and go through a gate at the top. Pass under a former railway bridge then go up the next field and cross a stile into the woodland which crowns the top of Round Hill.

Climb to the top of the hill, passing to the right of an old quarry, then go left at the top on the Worcestershire Way. Follow it to the Alfrick road and turn left.

After 400 metres you'll find a waymarked gate (locked) on your left. Follow the right-hand field edge, cross a footbridge then go straight on by a brook to a stile. Turn left and proceed along the valley until you're back at the place where you turned right towards Round Hill.

Turn right again, along the right-hand edge of an orchard, then up a green lane to meet the road opposite Knightwick Chapel. Turn right and retrace your steps to the start.