From Pershore, Millenium Way

Start: We begin our walk from the ancient bridge in Pershore (there are some interesting information boards in the car park about the history of the bridge) : Pershore Bridge on B4084. Grid Ref: SO952 450

(S/E) From the car park nearby Pershore Bridge, cross the river on the old bridge used by Cromwell. Then cross the B4084 and go left to find a kissing gate in the railings just before the new bridge. Take steps down to go with River Avon on your left.

Follow the bank of the Avon for around 1/2 mile to find a footbridge. Take the footbridge to go ahead to cross the second footbridge then ahead for a further 1/2 mile to find third footbridge.

(1) Take a double-gated footbridge and continue ahead to take a further double-gated footbridge then go right with hedge right to take two metal gates to reach the main A4104. Turn right on the road and after a little way cross to the other side of the road and go left up the slope by a house called "The Farthings" marked as a bridle path.

(2) At the top of the lane go through the gate at the right of Woodmans Cottage and then ahead between fencing ( ignoring the first footpath right ) to reach the cinder path. Go left on the cinder path and keep ahead with the ditch left to arrive at the wood.

(3) Enter the ancient Tyddesley Wood through the stile/gate and go ahead down the bridle path through the wood. Cross logging road and continue through wood ignoring side paths to maintain line down to take the bridge over Bow Brook.

(4) Go through the gate and continue up the field with a deep ditch right, passing under power lines, to take the gate at the top corner of the field to Salters Lane. Go left for 50 paces then take the gap right and go ahead across the field to the right-hand field edge. (If footpath has not been re-instated after ploughing go right to walk perimeter of field to reach same spot).

(5) Continue with hedge right and 50 yards before field corner take stream bridge right. After 50 paces turn left through the gap into the field. Go diagonally 1/2 right across the field centre (or round field edge if heavily planted) to find a waymarked footbridge between two oak trees close together, the right one is ivy covered.

Cross the footbridge then ahead over the next field to find the footbridge to the left of an oak tree in the top right field corner. Cross the footbridge, go diagonally 1/2 left to find the field corner gap to the road. You are now at Crab Common T-junction. Turn left and follow the road in the direction of Croome / Kempsey for 600 yards.

(6) Here you will leave The Millennium Way (which turns right) and instead take the footpath left through the wide gap into the field. (Ignore the metal fingerpost and follow the yellow plastic Worcestershire County Council waymarkers on the posts as directed)

Continue directly ahead across the field keeping near to the hedge right over three fields, to take the footbridge over the ditch. Continue diagonally 1/4 left directly across the field towards barns in the far distance, then take the kissing gate to the road by houses.

(7) Go left on road passing Lower Drive Estate, then just past the entrance to Besford Court private estate take stile left into playing field. (There are benches here with a view of Bredon which makes a good halfway stopping point.)

(8) Stay ahead in the playing field keeping hedge left and passing white house left to take metal kissing gate to field. Turn left and continue with hedge left bending round to meet farm track by the side of wooded area. Turn right on farm track keeping wood left to exit by field gap. Turn 1/4 right to cross field to take gated footbridge.

(5) Take the first footpath/bridge right. Go directly across the centre of the next field. On reaching the hedge, cross a small plank bridge ( located at the end of a line of trees ) and go right to walk with the hedge right & ditch left, to reach a lane. Cross the lane to take the metal gate to next field then go diagonally 1/2 left to take mid fence gate and go diagonally 1/2 right across next field to cross a stile to the road.

(9) Turn right on the road and after crossing the bridge over Bow Brook take the footpath right over stile and continue along with the brook on right and fruit orchard on left. After nearly 200 yards you will reach a waypost by a two-pole electricity supply.

(10) Turn left here up the path and take stile at the top then the gate immediately left to walk gently uphill with a wire fence and wood on right. The track rises gently to exit via a metal gate. Cross the track and take another gate continuing directly ahead gently uphill keeping the wood right. Continue along the edge of the field with the wood right. On your left you will soon have a fine view of Pershore Abbey in the distance, which you can visit near the end of the walk.

(11) At the T-junction of paths follow the waymarker left past a small copse and go ahead towards grey barn and houses ahead. Go past the grey barn to reach the road then turn right. Continue a gradual descent down the road to T-junction then cross directly over to take New Road in the direction of the abbey ahead.

Follow the road around to the crossroads and turn right, to pass The Talbot pub on left. At the small roundabout ahead, go left and enter Abbey grounds through the metal gate right. (Here you might like to visit Pershore Abbey).

(12) Go past the front entrance of the abbey and exit the grounds by the far left corner gate to the road. Cross over the road to enter the town and go ahead to the main B4084 turning right in the direction of Evesham. Head out of town to eventually turn left over the old bridge to return to your starting point at the car park nearby Pershore Bridge. (S/E)

''* Alternative route back to Pershore Bridge avoiding the high street - with your back to the abbey door, go forward down the drive to pass through the metal gates, then turn left along the path veering slightly right down the avenue of mature oak trees.

Exit by the brick wall to your left and cross the road to take the public footpath left. Go along a narrow track passing the sports club, turning right at the end of the track to walk with the wall left and hedge right. Go past a length of the curvy wall then straight on following the public footpath sign to walk between the fence and wall.

Stay forward gently downhill then over step stile to emerge into the field. Turn left to exit to the road via a small step stile, then go right to cross the old bridge and back to the car park.''

Start: Pershore Bridge on B4084. Grid Ref: SO952 450
Parking: Pershore Bridge
Maps: OS Explorer 190 or OS Landranger 150
Stiles: 9 not all dog friendly
Refreshments: Angel Inn Hotel in Pershore High Street

Notes :

• For the first half of the walk you will be guided by our distinctive green and white waymarkers.
• After heavy rain, the start of the route, which follows the river for half a mile or so, is sometimes closed due to flooding. If so, an alternative route is to pass the first kissing gate in the railings and continue up Bridge Street towards the town, to reach the Toll House on the left. Take the cut through by the side of the Toll House to arrive in Nogains. Continue along to reach Defford Road ( B4536 ) and turn left. Continue along the B4536 for just over half a mile to reach the main A4104. Turn left here for 200yds then take the public bridleway on right, by a house called The Farthings and follow the instructions from Para B.

More information at Millenium Way website here.

Points of Interest - What to know and what to see.... by John Rae

Both The Talbot, which we pass shortly before the end of the walk and The Angel in the high street are suitable for refreshments.

Our walk starts at Pershore Bridge over the River Avon to the south of the town. In 1290 Sir Nicholas de Mitton left 12d(5p) for the repair of this bridge. By 1322 it was again falling down and stayed like that until 1346. No agreement could be reached on who was to pay for repairs- the people of Pershore or the Abbot of Westminster who owned the adjacent land , but after five years of legal wrangling it was decided in 1351 that the repairs to the bridge should be shared between the abbot and the town. In 1388 it was again in ruins and when Pershore Abbey was destroyed some of the materials were used for repairing it. By 1607 it was again in need of repairs but on 5 June 1644 Pershore Bridge was destroyed by King Charles I army on the way to Worcester, to delay the Roundheads from following. Forty men were drowned owing to the haste with which the destruction was completed. The present bridge is a structure of various dates due to its many collapses and rebuilds. The fourth arch is wider than the rest and is the one broken down by Charles I. It was repaired in stone, locally said to have been taken from the ruins of Elmley Castle. The Dean and Chapter of Westminster now repair Pershore Bridge, paying the county council for doing the work.

he River Avon is navigable from just above Stratford upon Avon down to Tewkesbury on the River Severn. The locks and weirs on route restrict the boats to 72 feet long, 13 feet 6 inches wide 10 feet high with a draught of 4 feet. The navigation works were first authorized by Order in Council of Charles I in 1635. In 1717 the River Authority was divided into Upper and Lower Avon Navigation, but by 1874 the upper reaches were in disrepair. The lower section was still in use in the Second World War with a regular barge plying between Tewkesbury and Pershore.

Tiddesley Wood is part of an ancient woodland and enclosed deer park once owned by the Abbot of Pershore Abbey but now managed as a nature reserve. In spring there are areas carpeted with bluebells, wood anemones, violets and cowslips.

Besford (Bettesforda X Cent.) was granted a charter by King Edgar in 972. The church dedicated to St Peter has one of the few wooden naves in the country. Besford Court was rebuilt in 1912 but retains 16th Century features and its fishponds. A former owner, Lord Beauchamp, removed much fine oak paneling and had it installed in Madresfield Court.

A monastery was founded in Pershore in 689 by King Oswald. A later charter was granted by King Edgar in 972. All that remains of the 11th Century Abbey of Pershore is the transept and chancel. It is now utilized as the parish church and is dedicated as The Holy Cross. At the dissolution the nave was demolished and later the north transept collapsed.

Pershore market-place is planted with trees and the main streets have a number of Georgian houses. The buildings on the east side of the main street back on to the River Avon and have gardens running down to the bank. The two churches of Holy Cross and St. Andrew are both in the west of the town, the churchyards being separated only by the roadway.

The Plum Festival is celebrated in August each year.