This attractive walk is a sort of figure-of-eight based on Inkberrow, so it's possible to do just half of it if you prefer to keep things short. But it's worth doing all of it if you can, perhaps taking a lunch break close to the halfway point at one of Inkberrow's two pubs.

It's also worth exploring Inkberrow's Millennium Green, which you'll find near the church, just a little further down the lane. The green has been developed on the site of a mediaeval farmstead which includes ridge-and-furrow pasture, a moat and fishponds. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is managed and farmed by traditional methods to enhance its wildlife value and to preserve the surviving historical features.

Between Inkberrow and Abbots Morton you'll pass Long Meadow Nature Reserve, a hay meadow by Piddle Brook. It's managed in the traditional way, with the hay cut in July, after which the meadow is grazed until the winter. The grazing keeps coarse grasses under control and allows flowers such as cowslip, green-winged orchid and great burnet to flourish.

Hay meadows like this used to be common in England but 99 per cent of those which still existed at the end of the Second World War have now been destroyed by a combination of modern farming methods and development. You need a permit from Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to explore this one, but there's not much to see at the moment anyway. It will be full of colour later in the year.

There are two settlements named Morton on this walk. One is Morton Underhill, a farming hamlet most notable for the far-reaching views from Morton Bank. The other is Abbots Morton, often said to be one of the prettiest villages in the county. It is stuffed with timber-framed houses dating from the 17th Century and earlier. Though all have been modernised and have lost some of their charm, the overall effect is attractive and even the village post box has its very own thatched roof.

The church at Abbots Morton is delightful, a simple rustic building with a square tower and lovely window tracery. To the north of the church is a group of earthworks, together with the remains of a moat and some fishponds. This is the site of a summer retreat used by the abbots of Evesham in the Middle Ages.

DIRECTIONS

Walk past The Old Bull and go into the churchyard. Turn right so that you walk past the church tower and leave the churchyard at a flight of steps which descends to a brook. Turn left, then first right, crossing the brook then continuing across grassland until steps give access to a lane.

Cross to Pepper Street opposite and follow it to another lane. Turn left to a bend in the lane then join a footpath on the right. The well-trodden path leads along the left-hand edges of two fields, turning right in the corner of the second.

The path is easily followed across further fields before it descends slightly through woodland then past Long Meadow to cross Piddle Brook at a footbridge. Follow the left-hand edge of the next field, ignore a stile in the corner and continue a little further to another one.

Follow the right-hand edge of the ensuing field, passing Gooms Hill Farm to a lane. Turn left, then soon left again on a footpath which passes through a farmyard. Cross a stile (mind the wobbly step) and follow the right-hand field edge to a gate in the corner.

Continue to Abbots Morton, guided by the church tower. Pass through the churchyard then turn left along the village street. Turn left again on a footpath opposite High House Cottage, passing a house called Wood Blewit to reach a waymarked gate.

Keep straight on, guided now by the tower of Inkberrow church and changing to the other side of the hedge at one point. When you reach Piddle Brook turn right to find a footbridge, cross the brook and follow the right-hand hedge up the next field.

Cross a stile in the corner then turn right along a farm drive to Appletree Lane. Cross to a path opposite and follow it to meet the lane again at Inkberrow. Turn right, then immediately right again on a bridleway.

Follow the bridleway to another lane, turn left and then soon right at a junction. When you come to a farm, join a footpath opposite which crosses fields to the A422.

The path then continues on the other side, crossing two further fields to a lane. Again, it continues opposite (as a bridleway now) and is easily followed through fields. After passing through a collection of scrap metal join a track which descends left, to the foot of Morton Bank.

The track leads to Morton Underhill, where it turns sharp left. Walk through the hamlet, staying on the track until you come to a pair of footpaths on the left. Take the second, going diagonally to the far corner of a field.

n Continue along the edge of the next field to a lane. The path continues opposite to meet another lane on the edge of Inkberrow. Turn right as far as Stonehouse Farm then left on a path to the village. Keep straight on until you come to a road then turn left to the centre.

FACTFILE

Start: Inkberrow, on A422 east of Worcester; grid reference SP014573.

Length: 7 miles/12km.

Maps: OS Explorer 205, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: level, mainly pasture with some arable; well-trodden paths.

Stiles: 22.

Parking: Inkberrow.

Buses: Harding's/Dudley's 350 Worcester to Redditch via Inkberrow, Monday to Saturday only; Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments: pubs and shops at Inkberrow.

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.