Three notable churches

This attractive walk in very quiet countryside links three villages which are mostly unremarkable, except that each has a church which is notable in some way. At Mamble, in Worcestershire, the church of St John the Baptist has numerous features of interest, including a 13th-century effigy of a knight, 14th-century glass, a 17th-century minstrels' gallery and a wonderfully macabre 16th-century carving of a skeleton.

          At Neen Sollars in Shropshire, All Saints' Church dates from 1300 and, like Mamble, has much of interest, but is most famous for an alabaster effigy of Humfrey Conyngsby, 1567-1610, who spent much of his short life travelling the world. Humfrey's adventures are described in entertaining detail on his tomb. 

          Back in Worcestershire again, St Bartholomew's at Bayton is less interesting, having been substantially rebuilt in 1905, but the churchyard has one of the finest views of any churchyard in the county. A bench near the rear gate is perfectly placed for enjoying a picnic while gazing across rolling countryside to the Clee Hills.

FACTFILE

START Mamble, on A456 between Newnham Bridge and Clows Top; grid ref SO688714.

LENGTH 6½ miles/10km.

MAPS OS Explorer 218, OS Landranger 138.

TERRAIN Pasture, arable, woodland, plantation, parkland; two unavoidable marshy patches; mostly flat or gently undulating.

FOOTPATHS Most range between adequate and excellent, but others are dreadful. At the time of writing, several field paths are obstructed by crops and are unlikely to be reinstated after harvesting and/or ploughing. Waymarking needs improving. Several stiles are wobbly and/or missing steps. There are significant discrepancies between paths on the map and on the ground.

STILES 13, plus two fences.

PARKING Picnic place by A456 between Neen Sollars turn and Mamble turn.

BUSES Yarrantons 758 Worcester-Tenbury, then R&B Travel 291 Tenbury-Kidderminster via Mamble (change at Newnham Bridge for a seamless connection if you get the 0900 from Worcester); alternatively, Coniston Coaches 296 Worcester-Bewdley, then 291 to Mamble; bustimes.org or Traveline 0871 200 2233.

REFRESHMENTS Sun and Slipper at Mamble.

DIRECTIONS

1 If you arrive by car, walk east towards Mamble from the picnic place/car park to a row of houses called Church Walk. If you arrive by bus, alight at the Mamble turn and go west to Church Walk. Go to the end of Church Walk to find a footpath into a field. Go roughly straight on, slightly uphill. At the top of the slope a gate gives access to Mamble, but turn your back on it for now and go downhill. Don't head towards a stile, visible to the right, but straight down towards a large oak tree. Pass to the right of it and you'll see a faintly trodden line which leads to a footbridge. On the other side of the bridge go diagonally up to the top right field corner. Climb a stile, turn left along a field edge, then keep straight on to Westwood Farm.

2 Pass the front of the farmhouse then go through a gate and across a driveway to enter  a paddock opposite. Go to the left, passing a ruined building, and continuing in much the same direction as before, then keep straight on across several fields towards another farm, Neenshilltop. Turn left when you meet a farm track, then turn right along a lane.

3 Take the next path on the left. Go along a driveway, climb over a fence next to a padlocked gate and downhill to another gate. Go straight down the next two fields. Ignore a branching path, descend to the bottom left field corner, then go towards a house, Tetstill. Join the access track and turn right. After crossing the river Rea, the access track (which is also a bridleway) curves to the right and leads to Neen Sollars, where you turn right. After passing the church, keep straight on at a junction.

4 Cross the river Rea then turn left on an unsigned footpath after the Old School. It begins as a green lane but eventually dwindles to an ordinary path. Climb over a fence and/or gate, then keep straight on across a field. Turn left at the far side, after a heap of stones, on a path which leads past conifers then down to a pair of gates. Descend steeply through plantation and woodland, where the path disappears. Pick the best way down to a valley.

5 Turn right, shortly leaving the wood for a meadow. Keep close to the fence on your left. After about 400m cross a stile and a brook, then walk through woodland and bracken to meet a stony track and turn left. Ignore branching paths and stay with the track as it runs through Wissett's Wood, passing a pond and crossing a minor stream before swinging left to cross Shakenhurst Brook. After a short distance there's a waymarked junction, where you turn right, leaving the track and the wood. Entering parkland, turn left uphill, by the woodland edge. At the top corner of the wood go diagonally right to meet Shakenhurst Hall's access road.

6 Turn right, eventually leaving the park at a lodge. Keep straight on along the private access road until you see two footpaths signed on the right. Take the one which goes left to the hill-top church at Bayton. Approaching the churchyard gate, turn right and go downhill. The path is obstructed with maize but the crop was sown late in the year and may not grow large enough to form a serious barrier. Pass a solitary oak tree, cross a track and head towards a half-timbered building partially visible through the trees ahead, with the spire of Mamble church beyond it. Pass a line of three oaks and you should meet the field edge in the correct place. Cross a brook to meet a lane.

7 Turn right and follow the lane to Mamble. If you're going to the car park on the A456, take Church Lane, then keep straight on past Tudor Cottage and along a passageway to the field you crossed at the start of the walk. Retrace your steps to the road. If you're catching the 291, you can pick it up by the side of the pub.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author

or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

© Julie Royle 2018