Chaddesley Wood National Nature Reserve is worth a visit at any time of year, but it's particularly lovely in autumn. This walk uses many of the paths within the wood, as well as equally attractive paths through neighbouring woods and farmland.

A network of specially waymarked walks has been created in this area, using existing rights of way and starting at Sanders Park in Bromsgrove.

These are the Chartists', Hedgelayers' and Foresters' Walks, known collectively as Royal Hunters' Walks, because this area was once part of a royal hunting forest.

Sections of these routes are included in this walk, as well as a small part of the Monarch's Way. You'll also pass Randan Wood, where an information board declares Welcome to Randan Wood Nature Reserve, though the small print reveals that the welcome is reserved for permit holders (details available on 01905 754919 or by logging onto the website www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk).

Randan Wood was Worcestershire Wildlife Trust's first nature reserve.

It has a typical woodland flora, while resident birds include song thrush, mistle thrush, wren, chaffinch, blackcap and Greater Spotted woodpecker.

DIRECTIONS

1Walk along Monsieurs Hall Lane for 250m then take a footpath on the right. Walk along a field edge to a white gate. Go through here and turn right on a track. Leave the track when it enters a field, and go diagonally across a slope to a trig pillar. Continue in the same direction downhill, to the field corner. Climb over a fence and walk along the edge of the next field. As you approach the corner, look for an easily missed stile and cross into another field. Aiming to the right of some farm silos, cross the field to a hedge gap.

2 Turn right on Bungay Lake Lane then join a path on the left. Cross a ploughed field, not in the direction indicated by the fingerpost, but diagonally right, to a bend in the far hedge. Cross an easily missed stile and walk across a pasture, then turn right across another. When the hedge turns a corner, a gate comes into view. Don't go to the gate, but to a footbridge hidden in the hedge to the left of it, below a willow tree. Cross another pasture to meet a green lane and turn right to follow a bridleway to Kidderminster Road. Turn right again.

3 Take a footpath on the left after 200m. Walk along the right-hand edge of a small field (don't be put off by the 'private property' sign) and then along a fenced path that leads to another field. Walk uphill a few paces to a fence corner then turn left towards High Wood. Once in the wood, follow a good path to a waymarked junction and turn left. Turn right at the next junction (no waymark) a few metres further on. Walk to the far side of the wood and ignore a waymark directing you right. Proceed to Highwood Cottage and turn left on a bridleway. Follow it to a lane and turn right.

4 Join a footpath on the left just before a road junction. Cross a field to a gate at the far side and continue across a plantation to a path junction. Turn right, go into a field and walk up to the top left corner. Follow the left edge of the next field, and then cross a final field to Chaddesley Wood.

5 Walk uphill to a waymarked junction and turn left. Proceed to a junction with a track and turn left again. Turn right at the next junction, by an information board, and then descend quite steeply for a while before forking left at a 'nature trail' waymark. Just follow the nature trail now, taking care not to miss an overgrown waymark on the left soon after you pass a wooden barrier. Eventually, you'll come to a pair of information boards at the edge of the wood. The nature trail goes left here, but walk straight ahead, along the outer edge of the wood.

6 Cross a lane and continue opposite, past Santery Hill Wood, to another lane. Turn left, then first right on a bridleway. Return to Highwood Cottage, go through the gate into High Wood and turn left. Turn left again at a T-junction, then shortly leave the wood and walk up a sloping field. Keep straight on along a lane which becomes a footpath.

7 Cross Priory Road to a bridleway and shortly fork right on a footpath. At the next junction turn right to cross a brook. Climb steeply uphill to enter a field. Go diagonally left to a stile but don't cross it. Turn right by the hedge and walk to the next corner, then go diagonally across another field to Fockbury Road. Cross to a path opposite, which is easily followed across fields and paddocks to Park Gate Inn

FACTFILE

Start: Park Gate Inn, on A448 Kidderminster Road, west of Bromsgrove; grid ref SO936716.

Length: 7 miles/12km.

Maps: OS Explorer 219, OS Landranger 139.

Terrain: Undulating, mainly woodland and pasture.

Footpaths: Mostly excellent to the north of the A448, but not so good to the south of it, where there is some neglect and over-cropping, along with poor waymarking.

Stiles: 20 and one wooden fence.

Parking: There is a large layby 300m east of Park Gate Inn, or you might want to ask if you can use the inn car park.

Public transport: Bus X33 Kidderminster-Bromsgrove-Redditch stops at Park Gate Inn daily; connections from Worcester include 300/303 to Kidderminster (daily), 144 to Bromsgrove (daily), 350 to Redditch (Mon-Sat), Central Trains to Kidderminster or Bromsgrove (daily); Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: Park Gate Inn.

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.