ONE thousand years ago, Wyre Forest covered a huge area of Worcestershire and Shropshire. It was a royal forest then, meaning that the hunting rights were claimed by the Crown.

But 'forest' didn't mean there was nothing but trees. Like all royal forests, Wyre contained a mixture of woodland and open country.

In the 1640s, Charles I relinquished his hunting rights and woodland clearance speeded up dramatically. Most of what survives today lies north of the A456, a substantial block of contiguous woods and plantations, with a sprinkling of clearings.

To the south of the A456, the landscape is very different. It is still a mixture of woodland and open country, but the proportions have been reversed since mediaeval times, with the remaining woods small and scattered.

It's still beautiful, however, and makes a great destination for an autumn walk. There are some delightful woods and copses to explore, along with a steep-sided valley carved out by Dick Brook. The brook is close to its source here, and runs narrow and shallow, but its banks are well-wooded and full of wildlife.

DIRECTIONS

1If you arrive by car, take a path along the woodland edge, close to the road, towards Bewdley. Join the road when the path turns left, and cross to a lane almost opposite. If you arrive by bus, you'll get off at the lane. Walk along it for 250m then take a path on the left. Pass a few houses then turn right, and soon left, entering a field. Follow the left-hand hedge up a slope, cross a stile and turn right downhill, then keep straight on into a wood. Follow a well-trodden path through the trees to a junction and turn right, leaving the wood. Walk back to the lane.

2Cross to a bridleway opposite. This is an ancient green lane, lined by holly trees, and you should stay on it at all junctions. Soon after passing Shades Farm, the green lane comes to an end and you will find yourself walking across a field. Proceed through a gate to another field, cross to a large oak tree opposite and turn left by the hedge. Go through a gate in the next corner and continue by the right-hand hedge in the ensuing field, eventually passing farm buildings to meet Heightington Road. Turn left and join a path after 100m. Walk along the edge of a wood and into a field. Turn right, keeping to the right of a group of trees, to find a gate to a lane.

3 Take a path opposite, going past a bungalow, over a stile and along the edge of a garden to a junction. Turn right, and descend to a T-junction in a wood. Turn left, ford Dick Brook and enter a field. Turn right, and keep right at a junction marked by a yellow arrow. Walk past a plantation of young spruce to a large, ploughed, sloping field. Your next objective is the hedge corner at the top of the slope, to the right. The field margin has been left unploughed and some walkers use this route. However, the right of way runs diagonally up the slope, reaching the top about 100m left of the corner. Turn right to the corner and then follow the hedge to another corner. Continue straight on to meet a road by Upper House Farm. Turn left.

4 Take a footpath on the right after Bullockhurst Farm. Cross a field to a stile at the far side and carry straight on by the left-hand hedge, descending to Dick Brook. Turn right and follow the brook to a lane. Turn left, crossing the brook and passing Boraston House. Climb a steep flight of steps into the garden and then head for a stile at the top right corner of a field. Go straight on along the edge of the next field, then turn left at a junction by Old Bliss Farm. Go through the left-hand gate as you approach Bransley Farm, then go through the next gate to join a track, turning left and looking for yellow arrows to guide you past the farm and into another field. Follow the left-hand hedge to the next corner and turn right. Cross a stile in another corner, go to a lane and turn left.

5 Walk along a driveway towards Pool Cottage. Pass the cottage and turn right along a field edge then continue along the edge of Woodward's Coppice. Keep straight on in the top corner, squeezing past a stile and joining a track which leads to the A456. Turn right, then cross to a bridleway after about 120m. Pass a Wesleyan chapel and continue along the bridleway, ignoring branching footpaths and forking right at Oxbine.

6 Enter Wyre Forest and turn left at a bridleway junction. Turn right at the next junction and walk to a forest road. Turn right and keep straight on at the next junction, then go left at a large signpost. Follow the Forestry Commission's posts to the visitor centre.

FACTFILE

Start: Wyre Forest Visitor Centre at Callow Hill, near Bewdley, grid ref SO750740.

Length: 7 miles/11km.

Maps: OS Explorer 218, OS Landranger 138.

Terrain: Undulating pasture, arable and woodland.

Footpaths: Mostly good to excellent, but waymarking is very poor in places, and one path is obstructed by two locked gates.

Stiles: 21, and two gates.

Parking: Wyre Forest Visitor Centre.

Public transport: Bus (First 300/303) or train to Kidderminster, then bus 292 (First on weekdays, Whittle on Sundays) to Callow Hill; Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: Caf/shop at visitor centre, or the Royal Forester nearby.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.