Though it covers a relatively small area, the common land at Old Hills provides the opportunity for some enjoyable walks through a mixture of grassland, scrub and woodland.

There is plenty of colour here even in January, thanks to the silvery stems of silver birches and the yellow flowers of gorse, a plant that blooms in every month of the year.

The common provides fine views from its highest points and also has plenty of footpaths linking it to the surrounding countryside.

The Madresfield estate is crossed on this walk offering glimpses of Lodge Cottage, one of the gatehouses to Madresfield Court, which was the inspiration for Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

It is surrounded by parkland, farmland and orchards, and while the large arable fields on the estate can seem almost devoid of life, it is worth watching for brown hares, which do still occur here.

Near the start of the walk, a short detour will take you to a riverside picnic site at Pixham, where a ferry used to cross the Severn.

Mute swans frequent the river here and they also congregate, often in large numbers, in the riverside meadows, visible in places from the path between Pixham and Clevelode.

DIRECTIONS1 Walk along Pixham Lane, or use the land to the right of the lane, which is part of the common (for the first 300m only, after which you will have to join the lane). Turn right at the junction with Lower Ferry Lane, following a private drive (also a public bridleway, despite the lack of signage) towards Pixham Farm. Leave the driveway when you come to a junction, keeping straight on by the left-hand field edge. Continue along the edge of a second field but move away from the edge in the next field, heading towards a pylon at the far side.

2 Walk past the pylon and through a gap to another field. Go forward a few paces then turn right to cross a flood bank. Go through a gate to a slope and fork left, climbing slightly and walking along a field-edge track, with trees on your left. The track forks after 200m and there is a discrepancy here: Ordnance Survey shows the right of way keeping left, by the trees, until it has passed a pond (largely concealed by vegetation) and then going diagonally right across the field. It's obvious, however, from the footprints and hoofprints, that almost everybody forks right, passing to the right of the pond. Whichever you choose, you will arrive at the far right corner of the field. Keep straight on past Clevelode Farm.

3 Turn right on a lane and walk to a crossroad. Keep straight on, along a lane opposite, signed to Guarlford, then cross a stile on the right after 250m. Follow a trodden path across a field, to the far right corner, taking care not to trip on the steps, partially hidden by vegetation, which descend to the corner. Walk along the edge of the next field to a hedge corner then go diagonally across the field to the road. Turn left, then immediately left again. Take a footpath just to the right of the entrance to Whiteacres Farm. Follow the path alongside a ditch then bear left to a redundant stile. Turn right to rejoin the ditch then turn left to a hedge corner.

4 Turn right. Again, there is a discrepancy: Ordnance Survey shows the right of way following the hedge for 100m then going diagonally across the field. However, the waymarking directs you to the far end of the hedge before going diagonally across the field. No path has been made across this arable field so whichever route you choose it is initially unclear. However, Madresfield Court very soon comes into view and if you head towards it you will quickly come to a gate in a hedge corner. Join a bridleway here, and continue towards the court. Turn left at the far hedge and join a well-defined track. Head towards Home Farm now, not Madresfield Court. Keep straight on through the farm to meet a road.

5 Turn right though Madresfield then right again after 700m, at a bend in the road, on a path which is also a driveway. Keep straight on at a junction by a grassy triangle. Go through a gate into a field when the driveway turns right. There are two paths: take the right-hand one, which goes straight on across fields. Turn left when you come to a waymarked gate, walk along the right-hand edge of a field to the top corner. Cross a stile on the right and then turn left after a few paces. Walk through a wood (New Coppice), then go straight across a field. Climb two dodgy stiles to another field and turn right to Old Hills. Choose any route you like, but if you keep roughly straight on you'll come to a trig pillar.

Continue in the same direction to return to your starting point. However, for the finest views, you may also wish to go to the top of the hill on your left.

FACT FILEStart: Old Hills (off B4424, south of Callow End), grid ref SO829487.

Length: 6 miles/10.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 190, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Farmland and commons; mostly flat with just two slight slopes.

Footpaths: Some are in need of attention, mainly with regard to missing signage, poor waymarking and rotting stiles, but there are no real problems.

Stiles: Five.

Parking: Old Hills.

Buses: Astons 363, Monday-Saturday only, Worcester to Great Malvern, stopping at Pixham Lane; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/ bustimetables or Worcestershire Hub 01905 765765.

Refreshments: Nearby Callow End has a pub and shop.

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.