SALTWELLS local nature reserve

The Worcestershire Way starts in Bewdley and meanders its way through farmland, copses, streams, woodland and orchards via the villages of Heightington, Abberley, Martley, Knightwick and Longley Green before finishing at the spa town of Malvern some 31 miles later.

 

I decided to do the walk over the 7th and 8th September 2014 and, although I’m not the fittest or unfittest of people, managed to do it without too many problems – or blisters!

 

The Way is best split over two days – unless you’re ultra-fit, slighty mad or a bit of both – and I opted to overnight at the highly recommended The Chandlery B&B in Martley, which is approximately the half-way point.

 

Day One – Bewdley to Kingswood Common – 16 miles

 

Not long into the walk, fond memories of a Corngreaves Primary School trip some 32 years earlier came flooding back as the Way passed close by the Frank Chapman Centre.  Happy days…

 

I then managed to make it as far as Little Lakes golf course before I went slightly astray, or got lost, for the first time.  Luckily a kindly female golfer pointed me in the right direction but probably thought to herself ‘He’s only got another 30 miles to go, no-one will ever see him again.’

 

It was then relatively plain sailing as far as Shavers End Quarry at which point I found myself literally trudging up the lung-popping, calf-burning, seemingly 1 in 3 path skirting the quarry as the Way briefly joined the Abberley Circular Walk.

 

Another trudge soon followed up Walsgrove Hill but I was rewarded with a rather splendid view of the Abberley clock tower for my troubles.  The rest of the walking wasn’t overly strenuous and I finished Day 1 some 5 hours and 45 minutes after setting off from Bewdley.

 

Bewdley to Heightington – 3.75m – 1hr 15mins

Heightington to Abberley – 5.75m – 2hrs 15 mins

Abberley to Woodbury Quarry – 3m – 1hr 05mins

Woodbury Quarry to Kingswood Common – 3.5m – 1hr 10mins

 

Day Two – Kingswood Common to Malvern – 15.75 miles

 

Not long after setting off from my B&B at Martley I got slightly lost again, only this time there was no kindly female golfer available to smack me around the back of the head with a No.3 wood and steer me in the right direction.  However, after a bit of doubling back, and a lot of huffing and puffing, I rejoined the Way and made a mental note to pay far more attention to the more than ample signage.

 

Day 2 didn’t seem quite such the hard slog as the previous day, or maybe Day 1 had merely served to blow away the cobwebs.  There were still the odd climbs here and there, notably at Nipple Coppice – which wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it to be, if I’m honest – but nothing too arduous before reaching the foot of the Malvern Hills at Cowleigh Park Farm (just before which there are orchards galore if you fancy chomping on the odd apple or pear!)

 

The pace then slowed again somewhat as I made the final ascent, before following Lady Howard De Walden Drive around North Hill and then descending past St Ann’s Well in to Malvern town centre, the end of the Worcestershire Way.

 

Kingswood Common to Knightwick – 4.5m – 1hr 25mins

Knightwick to Longley Green – 4m – 1hr 25mins

Longley Green to Cowleigh Park – 4m – 1hr 20mins

Cowleigh Park to Malvern – 3.5m – 1hr 10mins

 

n.b. I’ve added the ‘stage’ times as a rough guide only, you’ll either be quicker or slower depending on how desperate you are to get to the end. But, of course, you’re more than welcome to experience the Worcestershire Way at your very own pace.  Enjoy…