THIS varied, highly enjoyable walk includes a beautiful stretch of the River Lugg.

The river is bordered by floodplain meadows, previously managed as Lammas Meadows - you can discover what this means in Easters Wood, a lovely Woodland Trust nature reserve about two minutes walk from Leominster Station. Interpretation panels provide information about the Lammas Meadows and about the creation of Easters Wood itself, which was established in 1998 with a mixture of new planting and existing woodland.

Easters Wood links up with an attractive riverside park, which includes a millennium green and a picnic site established on the site of the mediaeval priory. One of the main purposes of the riverside park (apart from leisure use) is to enhance wildlife habitats. Interpretation panels provide information about what you might see, from water voles to kingfishers.

Brierley Wood, on the other hand, is not particularly important for wildlife because conifer plantations, patrolled by game keepers, have replaced most of the native trees.

However, it is the site of an important Iron Age monument, Ivington Camp. Though this has been damaged by ploughing and forestry, the massive ramparts are still impressive and there are gorgeous views on the descent towards Ivington.

DIRECTIONS

The walk is described from the railway station. If starting from the town centre, you should refer first to the final paragraph of this route description and begin the walk by following signs to Leominster Priory.

From the station, however, turn right, then right again before the White Lion. Cross a footbridge spanning the railway and go straight on to cross the River Lugg.

Turn right by the river, soon passing through Easters Wood. Follow the riverside footpath until a stile gives on to Worcester Road. Don't join the road here but turn left to another stile. Cross the road to a lane opposite.

Turn right towards 14th-century Eaton Hall, passing between the hall and a range of farm buildings before re-crossing the Lugg at a 17th-century bridge. Turn left beside the river.

Turn right on a track when you come to another bridge. Walk to the road (A49) and cross with care. Pass under the railway, trying not to bang your head on the low bridge. Walk across a field then turn right on a track.

A waymarker soon directs you to the left but there's no way through so stay on the track. Ignore another track branching right at a gate and walk to the B4361. Cross over and turn left.

The first footpath on the right is not worth attempting. The second one, at Arrow Fisheries, may appeal to particularly determined walkers immune to nettles and equipped with an OS map. Everybody else should follow the road a little further then turn right on a lane.

The lane bends sharply at Brierley. Take a bridleway on the left here, which rises gently up Brierley Hill before bearing right to enter Brierley Wood. If you have a dog, it must be on the lead.

Frequent signs indicate the bridleway route - do not stray from it (read the sinisterly worded red-and-white signs to understand why). After a mile there is a junction with a footpath. Stay on the bridleway, turning left across Ivington Fort. Ignore any misleading signage - the right of way uses the unmistakable main track, passing Camp Farm then descending through a gap in the ramparts.

Keep descending to join a sycamore avenue and pass to the left of Ivington Park. Keep straight on to a road junction, then turn left. Join a footpath on the right at the next junction and walk across fields to a lane.

Go along a driveway opposite until a stile on the right gives access to meadows. Turn left past Ivington Court and cross the River Arrow at a bridge. Go straight on across meadows until a waymarker points to the right. A succession of stiles shows the way across six fields to a road. Turn left and keep straight on at a junction.

Most of the footpaths off this road are blocked by nettles and crops. Eventually, after Dishley Court, there are two good paths on the left. Take the one which turns right across pasture, towards a square, red-brick house. A passageway to the left of the house leads back to the road. Turn left.

After 500m, turn left on Westfield Walk, follow it to Bargates, cross over, turn left and then right on Perseverance Road. Walk to a lane, turn left, then right on a footpath which leads to the Kenwater (a branch of the Lugg).

Turn right beside the river until eventually forced to leave it, going forward along a street to meet Broad Street.

Turn right, cross New Street and walk up Broad Street to Church Street. Turn left to the Priory then follow signs to Pinsley Mead Picnic Area. Turn right through the picnic area, then continue through Riverside Park and Millennium Green to the White Lion.

If you've just started the walk, this is where you cross the railway footbridge (see second paragraph). If ending the walk, proceed a few paces further to the station.

FACTFILE

Start: Leominster Station, grid reference SO502589.

Length: 101/4 miles/16.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 202, OS Landranger 149.

Terrain: Gentle, with a slight climb up Brierley Hill; nettles in places but seriously overgrown paths are avoided by a little road-walking, including half-a-mile by the B4361.

Stiles: 19, and some locked gates.

Parking: town centre car parks, eg Dishley Street.

Public transport: by train via Hereford, or by bus, changing at Bromyard (Saturdays only), Hereford or Kidderminster; National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950, Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: Caf at station, White Lion next to station, caf at Westeaton Nurseries, good choice in town centre.

PLEASE NOTE 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.