■Distance: 6¼ miles/10km ■Time: 3 hours ■Grade: Moderate
There are good views of the Teme valley and Worcestershire’s western hills, including the Malverns, from a slight ridge above the River Teme, reached just a few minutes after starting this walk. After that there are gentle pastoral landscapes to enjoy, with a generous scattering of veteran trees. You’ll also pass the delightful cottage where Edward Elgar was born in 1857. Called The Firs, it is now owned by the National Trust. A rather more unusual building is to be found at Cotheridge, where St Leonard’s is like no other church in the county. The exterior walls are painted white, while the upper stages of the tower are clad with unpainted weatherboarding. The lovely old wooden entrance door opens directly into the tower, revealing some truly massive structural timbers. Entering the main body of the church, do venture into the chancel in search of elephants. This may seem an unlikely idea in a rural, Medieval, English church, but there they are, clearly depicted on a couple of 15th-century floor tiles.
1 Start
If coming from lay-by, walk across Bransford Bridge on footway (L side only) to Fox Inn.
Cross road and turn R to re-cross bridge, on path behind crash barrier. Ignore path L (south of river) but take next path L (north side). Walk few paces towards green building (river level measurement station). With your back to river, go across field to waymarked gatepost then continue diagonally L to fingerpost visible on skyline at top of ridge. Take bridleway L and follow it to Lower Howsen. Take path R at pair of green gates then through another gate and along field edge. In next field go R to walk round two sides of it, then through gate and straight on to meet A44 next to garden centre.
PLAN YOUR WALK
Start/parking Bransford Bridge, on A4103 between Rushwick and Bransford; lay-by N of bridge, grid ref SO805532, WR6 5JL Is it for me?
Fields can flood; obstruction by crops between Cotheridge/ Bransford Bridge; wobbly padlocked gate; brambles Stiles 3, a padlocked gate
Nearest town Worcester Refreshments Fox Inn at Bransford; snack van in lay-by;
Laylocks Garden Centre;
NT tea room at The Firs; self-service drinks (donation) at St Leonard’s Public toilets St Leonard’s Church Public transport First 417/ LMS 423 buses cross Br
