The Martley

(S/E) From St Peter’s Church car park Start/Finish point, walk to the far end of the car park and then straight ahead, through the churchyard. Cross the road with care and continue ahead, past cottages and along an avenue of Damson trees to a field.

(1) Turn right, cross the corner of the field and exit into the Chantry School grounds. Go straight ahead and then left through a gate. Cross the field to a gate leading onto a lane.

(2) Turn left and follow the lane, bearing right at a road junction and ahead before reaching Lingen Farm. Turn left along a track to Alden’s Farm and continue straight ahead through the farm buildings. At the first bend in the track after the farm, go over a stile on the right.

(3) Cross the field to a hedgerow and a waymark post then keep straight on with the hedge on your right. Go over another stile and cross the next field to a gate leading onto a lane.

(4) Turn left and follow the lane to a junction. Turn half right, cross the verge on the other side of the lane and go through a gate. Go through a second gate shortly after the first then keep to the field edge before going through a third gate in the corner of the field. Turn right and follow the hedgerow on your right before going through a gate in the filed corner. Turn left, cross the field and go through another pedestrian gate before crossing the field straight ahead to a signpost. Turn sharp right, almost back on yourself, and towards a field gate at the corner of the field. Follow the field boundary and through a bridle gate before crossing a stone causeway. After another bridle gate, continue straight ahead and through a third bridle gate. Continue ahead towards Prickley Green Farm.

(5) Turn left just before the farmyard and buildings. Follow the edge of the farmyard and continue 20m further on before turning half left and cross diagonally through the rows of apple trees. Go through another bridle gate and cross a small bridge over a stream. Go straight ahead, keeping to the left hand boundary, then go through a pedestrian gate on the left and another gate onto the roadside.

(6) At the road, turn right, cross with care and turn 1st left up a track. Follow this track ahead all the way to the top of Rodge Hill to join the Worcestershire Way.

(7) Turn left and follow the Worcestershire Way along the ridge of Rodge Hill. Eventually, go through a field gate and down some steps to a lane. Turn right and follow the lane briefly before turning left, where the lane bends right, and then immediately right over a stile. Go through a small woodland then over another stile into an open field. Head half right and go over another stile. Continue at the same angle down the hill and go over a further stile onto a road. Take extra care here, this road is fast and busy.

(8) Turn right and follow the road for about 30m then cross with care and go through a field gate. Go straight ahead, keeping to the right hand boundary, and go through another gate. Turn half left and cross the field, aiming for a waymark post on the side of the River Teme. Turn left and follow the river downstream.

(9) Go over a stile and continue along the riverside. As the river straightens and a woodland comes into view ahead begin to leave the riverside to cross a footbridge into the woodland of Kingswood Common about 50m away from the river. Follow the stone path ahead up through the woodland, turning left before the house, and then through a kissing gate onto a lane. Turn left, follow the lane to the top of a steep hill, then, just before the brow, turn right into a field. Turn immediately left and continue downhill with the hedgerow on your left.

(10) At the bottom of the hill, leave the Worcestershire Way by turning left to re-join the lane. Along the lane take the first path on the left and continue straight ahead across the field to a gap in the right hand corner. Skirt around an outbuilding and continue ahead into the next field, following the right hand hedgerow. Leave the field between the Martley Village garage and the Crown Pub. Turn right and follow the road for a short distance before crossing, with care, before the bend. Go through a gate on the left and then straight ahead, across the field, and through 2 more gates. Skirt the field edge and turn right to another gate and then straight ahead to a kissing gate leading onto a lane.

(11) Turn right and follow the lane for 50m before turning left onto the Start/Finish point car park.(S/E)

Parking: Limited parking is available at St. Peter’s Church.

Gates and stiles: 25 gates and 3 stiles.

Terrain: This is a challenging walk with a combination of level and sloping ground, including some steep sections.

Waymarking: Simply follow the Martley Circular Walk ‘Buzzard’ symbol and direction arrows and you won’t get lost.