Shrawley Wood, Worcestershire

The route is capable of infinite variation so if you want a very short walk with no stiles simply stay within Shrawley Wood.

For a slightly longer walk, with just two stiles, it's well worth leaving the wood for the riverside meadows before returning by Dick Brook.

For the full six-and-a-half miles, including Lower Astley Wood and a riverside inn, head northwards on the optional loop to Astley Burf.

Even if you do this loop, there are still several possible short-cuts, including one towards the end when you have descended through Upper Astley Wood to Dick Brook: instead of turning left to cross the brook at a footbridge, turn right instead to cross at stepping stones.

FACTFILEStart: New Inn, Shrawley; grid ref SO799663.

Length: Variable, up to 6 miles/10.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 138.

Terrain: Mostly woodland and pasture, slightly hilly in places.

Footpaths: Mostly excellent.

Stiles: Nine.

Parking: Walkers' car park behind the New Inn.

Buses: Worcester-Stourport services 293/294, Monday-Saturday only, to the New Inn; on Sundays/bank holidays take the 300 to Stourport then the 3 to Astley Cross, which is three-quarters of a mile (mostly by footpath) from the northernmost point of the route; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: New Inn and Hampstall Inn.

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.

DIRECTIONS:1 Cross the B4196 and walk along a track to Shrawley Wood. Turn left on entering the wood. As the path starts to descend towards a waymarked junction ahead, take an unmarked path on the right, initially heading back the way you've come until the path swings left. It soon joins the main ride, close by the edge of the wood, but turn left just before it does so, on another unsigned path. This path soon swings right and leads to a junction. Turn right, then ignore all branching paths until you come to a waymarked junction. Turn left and very soon go left again at another waymarked junction. Turn right when you come to a junction marked by two wooden posts. Proceed to a cross-path.

2 Turn left, then left again at another cross-path, by a memorial bench. Before long you'll come to a clearing carpeted with bluebells. Walk past it until you see a narrow path running through the bluebells, just before a group of silver birches. Follow the path uphill, passing to the right of a tall conifer on top of a knoll. Ignore a lightly trodden path branching left as you draw level with a second conifer and stay on the main path, which now descends, bearing right to meet another path at a waymarked junction. Turn left and ignore branching paths, following the waymarked path which runs close to a brook descending towards the river Severn.

3 Turn left in the riverside meadows but stay close to the edge of Shrawley Wood. After 700m, re-enter the wood at a stile and cross Dick Brook at a footbridge. Fork right across a field, passing through a gate to meet a bridleway. Follow it northwards, initially along the edge of Lower Astley Wood, and then through the wood. Keep straight on after emerging from the trees.

4 Turn right at the end of the bridleway, then soon left by Astley Wharf. Pass the Hampstall Inn and a row of caravans then go through a gate to a path junction. Turn left, up steps to a stile to a field. A waymark arrow points straight across while a fingerpost points left, though there is only one path. The fingerpost is correct, as the right of way follows the left-hand field edge, gaining access to a lane just to the right of a house. Turn right along the lane then go left after 250m on a bridleway which passes a few houses then runs around the base of a tree-covered knoll, Astley Burf. Cross a stile on the right after 400m and walk along the left-hand edge of a field to a junction.

5 Go diagonally right across sheep pasture, to the far right corner, where there is a stile. Don't cross this, but turn round and walk along the right-hand edge of the field to cross a stile in the next corner. Continue across a large arable field, heading initially towards the far side but not proceeding quite that far: instead, turn right after 200m, to cross a stile in the hedge on the right. Continue across another field on a trodden path to a fence corner. Turn left, walk to a lane and turn left.

6 Turn right by Astley Burf Outdoor Education Centre, turn left at the next junction and then turn right at another, by Crossways. Take a path on the left after 50m. Cross a small field then follow a well-trodden path across a large field, climbing to a slight ridge. Continue across another large field, passing to the right of Lower Astley Wood then proceeding towards Upper Astley Wood. Turn right along the woodland edge to find a path which descends quite steeply through the wood to meet a bridleway.

7 Turn left until you can cross Dick Brook at the footbridge which you used earlier in the day, and then turn right by the brook. The path eventually moves away from the brook, a little way beyond the stepping stones, climbing slightly to a junction. Turn right, soon passing pollarded limes and a birchwood before continuing through conifers. Keep straight on at a junction to reach the exit from Shrawley Wood. Turn right to the New Inn.