THIS is a longish walk but it crosses numerous bus routes so you don't need to complete it all if you don't want to.

There are also plenty of obvious short cuts, for those who know the area well, or who have an OS map with them. But even the full walk isn't very demanding, as there are no real hills and no difficulties, other than a few of those wilfully neglected footpaths with which we are all too familiar in Worcestershire.

This area has seen many changes recently. For instance, it's only a few years since a delightful wood still flourished in a shallow valley between Broadheath and Oldbury.

It was a good place to see bluebells in spring, or a variety of birds at any time of year. The wood has gone now, replaced by a string of fishing pools.

On the other hand, former riverside fields near Hallow have been transformed into extensive woodlands, composed mainly of native species.

Such new woods obviously lack the rich flora and fauna of long-established woods, but their value to wildlife will steadily increase over the years. Several of the footpaths have changed too.

Some have been officially diverted; elsewhere, changes have come about as a result of local usage, as people have sought to avoid obstructions.

So don't worry if you find that the route described differs slightly in places from your OS map.

DIRECTIONS

n Walk upstream from Worcester Bridge, using either bank of the Severn to begin with, but the west bank only from Sabrina Bridge onwards.

The path enters woodland near Hallow and after a further 300m it crosses a footbridge. An unsigned path branches left a few paces further on. Follow it to a junction and turn left through an open gateway.

The path soon swings right and ascends a slope. Turn left at the top, skirting Hallow Old Churchyard to reach a street.

Proceed for 100m then take a footpath on the left. As you approach the new churchyard look for a path branching left. It skirts the churchyard to meet Hallow Road.

Turn left then cross to a bridleway next to Park Lane. Follow it to a sewage works then under an overhanging willow tree to cross Laughern Brook. Walk up a slope to Lovington Farm.

Turn right, then first left on a footpath. Follow this shamefully neglected, nettle-infested path down to a brook, beyond which a good path continues to Eastbury Manor. Turn right on a bridleway and keep straight on at all junctions to meet Martley Road.

Cross to a footpath opposite. You'll soon come to a blocked stile - don't attempt to get across. Instead, pass left of a gate and turn left by a field edge.

Cross a footbridge in the field corner and turn right by another field edge. Keep going in the same direction until you meet Bell Lane. Turn left, and soon left again on Sling Lane. Fork left on a rough track when you come to a cross-paths marked by a misaligned signpost.

Continue along a field edge, skirt a pumping works and cross a stile. Turn right past a fishing pool, cross a footbridge and turn left. After a few metres, climb a stile on the right and cross a field to meet a bridleway at Oldbury.

Turn left for 100m, then right at a T-junction. At the next junction take a footpath on the right into woodland. The right of way is impassable, but you can get through on an alternative route. The first bit is overgrown but it improves as it passes through a young wood. Watch out for uneven ground underfoot then push through more overgrowth to meet a track.

Turn right for 80m. On the right, two waymarked posts (one erect, one fallen) indicate where you would have joined the track had the path been usable. Turn left here, through more overgrowth, into woodland.

Follow the path through the wood, over a stile at the far side and straight on along a field edge. When the path forks keep to the left, through a strip of woodland which borders the field.

Continue past houses to meet Crown East Lane and cross to a gate opposite. A short track leads into a meadow where you turn left. Go through a gap into another meadow and at the next corner you'll see a curious cage-like structure seemingly blocking the footpath. In fact, you can get round it on the right.

Keep to the left through fields and orchards to the A44. Cross to a bridleway which soon enters a field on the right. Head towards the Malvern Hills, going down a slope to pass to the right of a pool. Ignore a misleading waymarker and keep roughly straight on to find a gate.

Struggle through more nettles then aim for a wooden pylon to the left of a twin-stemmed oak tree. Turn left to meet the A4103 and then join a road leading to Rushwick.

Turn right on Grange Lane and soon left on a footpath. When you reach a junction, the path continues almost opposite, but a little to the left. Go left at the next junction to meet a road. Turn right, then right again on Upper Wick Lane.

Turn left at Tan House Lane and just keep going in the same direction. A footbridge takes you over the bypass, then it's straight on across Broughton Park (golf course) and finally through St John's to Worcester Bridge.

factfile

Start: Worcester Bridge.

Length: 10 miles/16.8km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Farmland, woodland, riverbank, suburban streets; nettles and brambles in places.

Stiles: Six.

Refreshments: St John's, and the Dew Drop on Bell Lane.

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.