Clifton upon Teme is a bit of a misnomer for a village which actually perches 194m above the River Teme on top of Clifton Hill.

In fact, Clifton means settlement on the hill and the suffix was added at a later date, perhaps to distinguish it from other Cliftons (there's one by the Severn a few miles south of Worcester, for instance).

Clifton is a delightful village today but it might have grown into a town. In fact, it was officially a town back in 1270 after Henry III granted it borough status, with the right to hold a weekly market and an annual fair.

It never took off and there are only a couple of shops today, while the former market place is now the village green.

Lovely cottages cluster round the green and there is a handsome pub, the Lion Inn, which was originally a manor house, first built in the 13th Century but much rebuilt since.

St Kenelm's Church dates from c1200 and is one of only eight in England dedicated to Kenelm, a Saxon prince who became king of Mercia when he was just a small boy.

According to legend, he was murdered at the age of seven in 819 by his sister. He was killed at Romsley, near Clent, and buried at Winchcombe Abbey in Gloucestershire.

The story may have been invented by the Winchcombe monks to encourage pilgrims to visit Kenelm's shrine.

Pilgrimages were an important source of income to the medieval church, with pilgrims always eager to buy bits of their favourite saint. The church did a roaring trade in chunks of bone and phials of so-called blood. Winchcombe did very well out of Kenelm.

One of the highlights of the walk is Weyman's Wood, an example of the dingle woodlands which are a speciality of this part of the Teme Valley, where deep gorges known as dingles have been carved out by fast-flowing tributaries, rising high on the valley sides and plunging down to the river below.

Their steep, inaccessible slopes make the dingles difficult to cultivate so some ancient woodland survives. Weyman's Wood is a lush, damp jumble of many species, including some impressive large-leaved limes, a rather scarce tree.

Even in winter there is plenty of greenery in the dingle, which benefits from a mild, humid microclimate.

Tiny deer prints are everywhere - roe deer or muntjac, or possibly both, but the makers of the prints are harder to spot. They are more elusive than the bigger and bolder fallow deer of Wyre Forest.

Down in the valley, before you join the footpath which leads into Weyman's Wood, you may notice a substantial mound in the field on the other side of the road. This is all that remains of Ham Castle, a mediaeval fortification first recorded in 1207. The adjacent farm is known as Homme Castle Farm.

DIRECTIONS

Walk alongside the road towards Worcester, past the church. Just before a road junction by David Yarnold's, join a footpath on the left, walking straight across a field to join a bridleway at the far side. Turn right down Clifton Hill.

Ignore any branching footpaths and when a well-defined track swings right, don't follow it, but stay close to the fence on your left, passing through a few trees before emerging into the open again.

A little further on a bridle gate gives access to the wood on your left, Slashes Coppice. Follow the path through the coppice and into a field. Keep to its right-hand edge to reach a lane and turn left.

n As you pass Homme Castle Farm you will see two footpaths on the left - ignore these but join a third path a little further on, nearly opposite Ham Castle. An obvious track bears right and the signpost points this way. But the OS map indicates that the footpath goes straight ahead at first. However, you may find this path badly overgrown. If so, use the track - the overgrown path joins it anyway.

You soon fork right and should keep alert for a half-hidden waymarker on the left which directs you uphill into Weyman's Wood. The path is narrow but quite clear. As it levels out somewhat a waymarker directs you to the left into gloomy conifers but these are soon left behind as broad-leaved woodland takes over again.

Even though the trees impede the view you will soon realise that you are walking along a surprisingly narrow ridge. When you reach a fenced enclosure the path turns right and a gate soon gives access to a field. Walk up the middle of it towards a farmhouse then pass to the right of the house.

As you leave it behind you will see a hollow way in front marking the line of a hedge which has been grubbed out - walk to the left of this then continue up the field to go through a gate in the corner. Go forward along a tree-lined track to enter another field. Turn right, then left across the field on a clear path.

Go through a hedge gap at the far side and along the right-hand edge of the ensuing field then over a stile and straight on along the edge of another field. Step over a low fence and just keep straight on through paddocks into Clifton.

FACTFILE

Start: Clifton upon Teme; grid reference SO715616.

Length: 3.5 miles/5.6km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landrangers 149 and 150.

Terrain: quite hilly, pasture, woodland and arable, muddy and overgrown in places.

Stiles: 5.

Parking: in Clifton.

Buses: Bromyard Omnibus Co/Roger's Coaches/First 309/310/311/312 Monday to Saturday only; Traveline 0870 608 2608.

Refreshments; pub and shops in Clifton.

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.