Part of this lovely walk is through Shrawley Wood, an area which is renowned for its small-leaved lime trees, writes JULIE ROYLE.

Close to the point at which you enter the wood, you will see a massive multi-stemmed lime many centuries old. It is the traditional art of coppicing which produces such mighty trees and fortunately coppicing is still practised at Shrawley.

Outstanding trees feature throughout this walk, not only in Shrawley Wood.

There are many grand old oaks in the fields and hedgerows, and close by St Mary's church there are two magnificent sweet chestnuts which must rate among the finest in the county.

They are currently heavily laden with thousands of spiky green fruits which will soon split open to reveal the shiny brown nuts contained within.

On the slope below the church there was, until quite recently, a wonderful avenue of ancient pollarded lime trees.

These have mostly been removed, and their spindly replacements struggle to survive.

One veteran lime remains near the top of the avenue, a reminder of what we have lost.

There are more splendid chestnuts in the parkland around Shrawley Wood House, and some beech too - an uncommon tree in Worcestershire.

This is because Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire mark the northern limit of the beech's natural range in the British Isles - in general, it occurs to the north of the counties only when planted.

Start: New Inn, Shrawley; grid reference SO799664.

Length: 51/4 miles/8.4km.

n Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 138 or 150.

n Terrain: farmland and woodland, no real hills, some nettles and brambles.

n Stiles: 22 - and you may also have to deal with an electric fence (lacking the requisite insulated section) which, at the time of writing, obstructs one of the paths.

n Parking: Shrawley Picnic Place, behind the New Inn.

n Buses: 293/294 Kidderminster service, Mondays to Saturdays, stopping at the New Inn - on Sundays the closest you can get is Holt Heath (300); Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: New Inn, Rose and Crown, both at Shrawley.

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Walk along New Inn Lane until a cluster of signs sends you left into a field and across to the far side. Turn right across two more fields, then pass through a gap into another field to find a freestanding stile, bereft of hedge or fence, but covered in waymarkers.

Turn right across the field to the far side. Cross the next field to a gap, signed 'to the monastery'. A good view of Abberley Hill is now revealed ahead as you follow the right-hand field edge to a stile. Turn left in the next field then shortly cross another stile, up steps on your left.

Walk along the left-hand edge of the ensuing field until you come to a stile/footbridge. Having crossed, continue along the left-hand edge of another field to Goodyear's Farm. Pass the farmhouse then turn right across the field, towards a row of trees at the other side.

Look for a waymarker on one of the trees then walk along the edge of the row until another waymarker sends you left into a field, a small wood on your right. Walk to the field corner, go through a gateway into the next field and turn left on a track leading towards a farm.

Turn left again at a junction and continue along the track until you come to a stile in the fence on your left (the right of way appears to take a slightly different route to arrive at this point - you will see two stiles which betray its line - but at the time of writing the track offers a more realistic option).

Cross the stile on your left and follow a good path across a field to a solitary oak tree. Bear slightly left then follow a line of oaks to a stile. Walk up the next field, cutting across the corner, to climb a stile on the left and then cross another field towards a group of trees around a pond.

Pass the trees then go to the far left corner of the field and join a lane. Turn right, and then right again at the first road junction, signed 'unsuitable for motor vehicles'.

This lovely sunken lane climbs slightly between overhanging trees clinging to sandstone banks. When it levels out, look for a footpath on the right. Walk across two small fields to a lane.

Cross to a path opposite, to the left of Red Acres, and follow it to a stile. Proceed in the same direction to another and then turn left to cross a third stile.

Go diagonally right across a field then cut across the corner of the next one to meet a lane. Turn right, then join a path on the left opposite a farm. Go diagonally towards another (Church Farm), meeting a lane by a large oak tree.

Cross to a path opposite, walk past Church Farm and negotiate the electric fence if it is still blocking the footpath. Keep going to a stile/gate just beyond an oak tree and then head diagonally towards St Mary's church.

Walk through the churchyard to locate a path by a sweet chestnut tree beyond the church. The path descends to a field, past another chestnut, then continues down to the road along the remains of a lime avenue.

Turn left, then first right on a footpath. When you come to a junction go straight on, soon crossing a footbridge into Shrawley Wood. The path swings left and then crosses parkland, before continuing past a pond to reach a junction marked by a Forestry Commission signboard. Go forward by the edge of Shrawley Wood.

Turn left when you reach a crosspaths,

Start: New Inn, Shrawley; grid reference SO799664.

Length: 51/4 miles/8.4km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 138 or 150.

Terrain: farmland and woodland, no real hills, some nettles and brambles.

Stiles: 22 - and you may also have to deal with an electric fence (lacking the requisite insulated section) which, at the time of writing, obstructs one of the paths.

Parking: Shrawley Picnic Place, behind the New Inn.

Buses: 293/294 Kidderminster service, Mondays to Saturdays, stopping at the New Inn - on Sundays the closest you can get is Holt Heath (300); Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: New Inn, Rose and Crown, both at Shrawley.

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