THESE walks don't always work out as planned, especially in the east of the county, which has more than its share of neglected and deliberately obstructed footpaths.

This one is a case in point. The original plan for a Pershore-based exploration of Besford and Chevington, returning to Pershore from the north, was defeated by the appalling state of Besford's footpaths.

The OS maps show a super-abundance of rights of way around Besford but only a tiny percentage of these is actually walkable, especially in summer, with impenetrable oilseed rape planted across far too many.

So here's a compromise: a delightful, short, easy walk based on Pershore, with an optional "there-and-back-again" extension to Besford.

The short walk includes the River Avon, Tiddesley Wood and some lovely meadows and orchards by Bow Brook, then more meadows, bursting with buttercups and clover, to the north of Tiddesley Wood.

The optional Besford extension uses just about the only walkable paths available, but even these are often overgrown, or overcropped, or both.

However, it's worth the effort if you appreciate period buildings, because Besford Court is truly spectacular. It's a Grade II-listed manor house (currently being converted into eight units) comprising a neo-Tudor stone wing built in 1912 on to a smaller, very beautiful timber-framed house dating from around 1500.

St Peter's Church is less magnificent but equally charming and even older. Its 14th-century timber-framed nave is unique in this county. Plenty of Worcestershire churches were built of timber originally, but all the others have been rebuilt, though timber-framed towers survive in the churches at Pirton, Dormston, Kington and Warndon.

DIRECTIONS

CROSS the A44, if you have arrived by car, or walk down from Broad Street if you have come by bus, and join a riverside footpath along the north bank of the Avon.

As you approach the A4104 you will cross three footbridges over tributary streams - after the third one turn right to the road. Cross with care, turn left and then first right into Tiddesley Wood.

Keep to the main track, which climbs gently at first before levelling out.

After a crosstracks, it climbs again, to the highest point of the wood, then descends quite steeply, swinging left, then right, with the gradient easing as another crosstracks is reached.

Turn left here on a bridleway. There are currently no waymarkers (though there will be soon) but you can easily check you've got the right path: look for horses' hoofprints underfoot and a stand of tall, bare-stemmed ash trees on your right.

Ignore any turnings until you reach the edge of Tiddesley Wood, where there is a stile on the right.

This is the way to go if you're doing just the short walk.

For the longer walk, keep going in the same direction, cross Bow Brook into a field and keep straight on to meet Salters Lane.

The path is uneven and overgrown. When you reach the lane you'll have to climb over a heap of rubbish.

Turn left and walk as far as the entrance to a cadet training centre - take the footpath opposite this, on your right.

A narrow path runs through corn, aiming to the left of a line of trees on the horizon, then past Besford Court to meet Ladywood Road near some Scots pines.

Cross to a footpath almost opposite and go diagonally left towards a farm. When you come to a stile, stop heading for the farm and bear a little more to the right, aiming to meet Harewell Lane near a phone box and Besford Church, which provide useful (though only intermittently visible) direction indicators.

Turn right along the lane for a few paces before joining a footpath on the right, which takes you back to Ladywood Road without undue difficulty. Turn right and shortly retrace your steps past Besford Court to return to Salters Lane.

Turn left to return to the overgrown bridleway and follow it back towards Tiddesley Wood. After crossing Bow Brook you'll soon see the stile on the left which marks the point where you left the route of the shorter walk earlier in the day.

Once across the stile, the path runs along the outer edge of Tiddesley Wood, with meadows and orchards on your left. When you come to the far corner of the wood, ignore a stile and turn right, along the inner woodland edge now. Go straight across a track to continue in the same direction, but by the outer edge again.

Eventually, Tiddesley Wood is left behind and you continue by a fence, with

Bredon Hill to your right, the Lenches ahead. At a fence corner, turn left, with the Lenches and Pershore Abbey on your right now.

Go straight across a field to a road (Holloway) and turn right. When you meet the A4104 turn left, then first right on Newlands.

This leads to the Abbey, and you can walk through the grounds to Broad Street and the A44.

FACTFILE

Start: Pershore Bridges, GR952450.

Length: 4.5 miles (7km) or 7 miles (11km).

Maps: OS Explorer 190, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: mainly flat, with a couple of gentle slopes; the short walk is very easy, but don't attempt the Besford option unless you can deal cheerfully with overgrown footpaths - the overgrowth includes thistles and conceals rough, uneven ground in places.

Stiles: Two on short walk, with a further nine on the Besford option.

Parking: Pershore Bridges picnic place.

Public transport: frequent daily bus services (166/382/550/551/557) to Pershore; also daily trains, with bus link to town centre; Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: Pershore.

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.