The peaceful river Severn meanders along its way through Upper Arley.

Upper Arley is very popular in the summer, and so are Trimpley Reservoirs and Eymore Wood, thanks to the extensive public access long permitted by both Severn Trent and the Arley estate.

They are all enjoyable places to visit, and you can easily escape the crowds by heading off on this delightful walk, which uses the North Worcestershire Path (formerly the Worcestershire Way) to go beyond Eymore Wood, through lovely Gunhill Wood and Cox's Coppice to Shatterford, where the Bellman's Cross Inn is located at a little over the halfway stage. From Shatterford, a series of relatively little used but mostly well-maintained paths leads back via Nash Elm and Castle Hill to Upper Arley, passing within 100m of the entrance to Arley Arboretum (open Wednesday to Sunday, and on bank holidays, March to November).

The walk also gives access to Memorial Wood, planted on land made available to Acorns Children's Hospice by the R D Turner Charitable Trust, owner of the Arley estate.

DIRECTIONS

1 Leave Upper Arley on the Severn Way, heading downstream towards Bewdley. Pass Trimpley Reservoirs then cross the railway and follow signs for Eymore Wood car park as you climb through the wood to meet a lane. Cross to a bridleway/forestry track almost opposite and go straight on when you come to a cross-path, with the bridleway now forming part of three walks which have been created in Eymore Wood, waymarked in red, blue and green. Follow the bridleway to a ford at the northern edge of the wood and turn right, following red and blue waymarks uphill.

As the gradient eases, ignore a path going left and proceed through pine trees. Turn left at the next junction, now following the red waymarks only.

2 Join the North Worcestershire Path (NWP) at a junction next to a bridge. Turn left and keep left at another junction a few metres further on. Keep straight on at an unmarked junction by a recently felled area. The NWP then climbs slightly before turning left to descend to a brook. Cross a footbridge and turn right, following the brook for a while before moving away from it to enter Gunhill Wood. Eventually, the path becomes a track which leads past a couple of houses to a junction.

3 Turn left on a bridleway, leaving the NWP. Pass between Woodside Cottage and Hollies Cottage then turn right. Turn left at a T-junction then fork right at another junction. Cross a broken stile on the right after about 50m and walk across fields. Pass to the left of a pool and then go diagonally left to a stile. You may find it obstructed by brambles but there's another stile, usually better maintained, behind a small brick building. Proceed to Bellman's Cross Inn, cross the A442 and turn left along the footway. Go roughly straight on at Bellman's Cross, along a lane which runs almost parallel with the main road at first.

4 Take a path on the left, just after a farmhouse, and cross a field to the A442. The path continues opposite, along the edge of a field grazed by Hereford cattle. Turn left by a small building and walk towards a farm. When you come to a cypress hedge go through a gate on the right and walk across a field, with a pool on your left. Cross a stile at the far side then go diagonally right across the next field towards a waymarked post visible at the far side.

Cross a tree-lined brook into another field, go straight across to a pair of wooden pylons then bear left to go through a hedge gap. In the next field, stay close to the right-hand hedge until it curves away to the right.

Keep straight on instead, and as you reach the top of a slight rise you'll see a metal gate at the far side of the field - head towards this, not towards a farm. The gate gives access to a bridleway.

5 Turn right to meet a lane and then turn left. The lane soon becomes a bridleway and descends past Duttons Farm, shortly after which you can join a footpath on the left. Go straight across two fields and then across a third to a path junction at the end of a line of trees. Turn right, keeping the trees on your left. Descend steps, cross a footbridge and turn left along a field edge until steps take you down to a farm drive. Turn right, then take a path on the left after about 100m, just past a garage. Keep to the left edge of sheep-grazed parkland, eventually joining a lane at a stile hidden behind a conifer next to the entrance to Memorial Wood. If you want to visit Arley Arboretum you need to turn right. Otherwise, turn left, then right at a T-junction to return to Upper Arley.

FACT FILE

Start: Upper Arley, grid ref SO765801.

Length: Seven miles/11km.

Maps: OS Explorer 218, OS Landranger 138.

Terrain: Woodland, plantation and pasture; undulating but not steep.

Footpaths: Most are excellent, but you may have to climb over at least two locked gates on one path. There is also an apparent diversion at one point, where the path differs from that shown by Ordnance Survey. The waymarking is unhelpful in places.

Stiles: 16.

Parking: Upper Arley (or Eymore Wood).

Public transport: Bus (294/295/300/303) or train to Kidderminster then Arriva 297 to Upper Arley, Monday-Saturday only; Severn Valley Railway steam trains stop at Arley, operating daily for most of the summer; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/ bustimetables or Worcestershire Hub 01905 765765.

Refreshments: Riverside Tea Rooms, Harbour Inn and village shop at Upper Arley; pub at Bellman's Cross; tea room at Arley Arboretum.

Worcester News recommends the use of OS Explorer Maps, your ideal passport to navigating the countryside. This walk is based on OS Explorer 218.

9:43am Monday 19th May 2008

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