It may still be cold at times but the signs of spring are everywhere.

One of the best places to appreciate all this burgeoning new life is the hilly western edge of the county, where the woods and hedgerows are full of pale-yellow primroses and the lime-green flowers of dog's mercury.

Long golden catkins dangle from the hazel trees and the leaves of bluebells and ransoms are springing up by the million, indicating a fine show of flowers yet to come.

There are plenty of man-made additions to the landscape to admire too, such as attractive timber-framed cottages and some well-preserved hop kilns.

Both Worcestershire and Herefordshire used to be famous for their hops but not many are grown in the two counties today.

However, Suckley remains a stronghold and you will see several hopyards on this walk.

In the other hop-growing counties of England, such as Kent, the crop is grown in hopfields, but here in the Midlands people have always spoken of hopyards for some reason.

Hops were not grown much in England until the 16th Century, except in Herefordshire, where some seem to have been grown as early as the 14th Century.

There are frequent references to hop poles and hop kilns in mediaeval documents relating to the county.

Hops produce long shoots which are trained on a framework of wire or twine supported by poles. After harvesting they were traditionally dried in kilns in oast-houses but most former oast-houses have now either been demolished or converted into dwellings.

Before mechanisation became widespread in the late 1940s hops were picked by hand and hordes of pickers would arrive from the Black Country and South Wales each season.

It was hard work but for people from urban slums it was also looked on as a kind of holiday.

DIRECTIONS

Walk up the lane which leaves the main road opposite Storridge Church. Turn first left on a 'no through road' which eventually becomes a bridleway.

Keep straight on at Batchcombe Fruit Farm, joining the Worcestershire Way.

Turn left when you reach a lane and keep straight on at a junction to walk through Longley Green, soon leaving the Worcestershire Way, which branches off the lane to head north.

Just before the Nelson Inn, cross a stile on the right and follow a well-trodden path to a pair of footbridges. Cross Leigh Brook and turn left on the other side.

Turn right up steps after a short distance, after which a succession of stiles guides you to a track.

Turn left and walk to a lane. Turn left for a few paces then join a footpath which runs beside a field edge for a little way until a stile allows you to cross a footbridge over a brook.

Turn right along the edge of a hopyard, with the brook on your right. After 300m the brook bends right, and the field boundary follows it.

The right of way goes straight on across the hopyard, directly towards a stile which is visible at the far side.

However, the path is obstructed by hop poles: no passageway has been provided and all the twine is in place for the hops. It is just possible to get through but most walkers follow the field edge to the right.

This brings you to a gate - you can join a lane here (turn left) but ideally you should keep on along the field edge until you come to the stile because it's overgrown and only regular use will keep it open.

Walk along a track opposite the stile, then turn right on another when you come to a junction. Ignore branching paths and walk to a lane.

Turn right, then first left on a field-edge path which leads to Suckley.

Turn right along a lane to the main road. Cross to a track almost opposite (a few paces to the right) which descends to Leigh Brook.

As you approach the brook you will see a bridge ahead: don't cross it. Instead, turn right to find another bridge.

Cross the brook here and follow a well-trodden path across two fields then up through the woodland which clothes the Suckley Hills.

Climb to the crest of the ridge then keep straight on to descend the other side. Leaving the trees behind, continue down through a field to meet a lane at Upper Tundridge.

Turn right, then right again at the road, and soon left on a track.

Follow the track to a lane and turn left. The lane climbs steadily for about half a mile.

When it levels out there's a bridleway on the left. If you object to muddy feet (and we're talking serious mud here) stay on the lane. If you don't mind mud, take the bridleway and follow it uphill.

Pass to the left of a house (The Beck) at the top and turn right, then shortly climb over a stile.

Cross two fields to a gate, just to the left of a copse. Bear right across the next field to return to the lane and turn left to walk down to Storridge Church.

FACTFILE

Start: Storridge Church, on A4103 west of Worcester; grid reference SO748486.

Length: 7 miles/11km.

Maps: OS Explorers 190 and 204, OS Landrangers 149 and 150.

Terrain: mixed farmland, with mostly good-quality paths, tracks and quiet lanes but there is one extremely muddy section, though it can be avoided; there are a few brief climbs but nothing too demanding.

Stiles: 14.

Parking: near Storridge Church.

Buses: Bromyard Omnibus Company 417 Worcester-Ledbury service, Monday to Saturday only; Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: shop and pub at Longley Green.

DISCLAIMER

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.