The slow and clear running water of the River Salwarpe winds its way past cottages in Vines Park, Droitwich.

It's obvious from the well-worn footpaths that Piper's Hill and Hanbury Park are immensely popular with walkers. Sadly, the parked cars which increasingly blight the hill also testify to that.

There's really no need to inflict cars in such numbers on so lovely a place. Piper's Hill is easily reached on foot from Wychbold or Droitwich, using paths which might otherwise remain largely untrodden, such as those in the first part of this walk, through a pleasant pastoral landscape between the River Salwarpe and Salty Brook, with attractive views of distinctively shaped Crutch Hill.

East of Wychbold, the unspoilt countryside around Astwood leads to Piper's Hill, with its beautiful beech wood. The route described here only skirts the edge of it but you can explore Piper's Hill as you please, using any of the paths within the wood, because it's access land, freely open to all.

The path linking Piper's Hill with St Mary's Church is one of the most frequently walked in Worcestershire, and it's easy to see why. The church itself is charming but for most visitors its location is the main attraction. It perches on top of a knoll with far-reaching views to the south.

On sunny days the churchyard benches seem always to be occupied by walkers taking a break to admire the scene.

The final part of the walk is alongside Droitwich Junction Canal, which was disused and derelict for many years but has now been restored near Hanbury Wharf.

FACTFILE

Start: Droitwich, grid ref SO899633.

Canal boats at Hanbury Wharf

Length: 9 miles/14.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 204, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Mostly pasture, with some arable and woodland. One small slope, but no hills.

Footpaths: Most are fine, several are first-class, but some are rather poor, with abundant nettles and brambles and a few dodgy stiles. A couple of paths have not been reinstated after ploughing and waymarking is poor in places. You may have to wade through slurry at one point.

Stiles: 25.

Parking Droitwich.

Public transport: Very frequent buses (First 144/Astons 22) and trains link Worcester with Droitwich; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or Traveline 0870 608 2608 Refreshments: Droitwich, Wychbold and Hanbury Wharf.

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.

Directions

1 Leave Droitwich through Vines Park, which is accessed by several bridges over the canal on the north side of Saltway - there is one opposite Waitrose. Turn right through the park to Bromsgrove Road. Turn left, then second left in Crutch Lane, opposite the Freemasons Arms. Turn left at a T-junction.

2 Leave Crutch Lane at a junction with Ford Lane, joining a footpath. Walk diagonally across a field, heading towards a phone mast. Climb over a stile and continue along a field edge. Trample through nettles and cross Salty Brook at a footbridge. Pass to the left of the phone mast and continue in the same direction, following tyre tracks to a fence corner. Keep the fence on your left, ignoring a bridleway branching left. Pass to the left of a farm, ignoring branching footpaths, and proceed along Brine Pits Lane.

3 Cross to a footpath when the lane ends at a T-junction. A fingerpost indicates a route to the right of a hedge, but Ordnance Survey marks the path to the left of the hedge, and indeed you'll find a stile (albeit unwaymarked) just to the left. Tread down the brambles and cross the stile into a paddock. Follow the hedge, crossing two more stiles, but ignoring the next on the right. Proceed to another in a corner and along the edge of the next field to meet a track. Turn right and keep straight on at a junction, then left at a T-junction to Wychbold.

4 Cross the A38 and walk along Chequers Lane to Stoke Lane. Turn right then cross to a footpath. After crossing the railway and the ensuing field, go diagonally left to meet a lane (beware rotten stile) near Astwood Manor Farm. Turn right. Cross the canal then join the towpath on the left. Walk past a lock-keeper's cottage and stay on the towpath for about 100m until a stile gives access to a field. Follow a well-trodden path to a lane.

5 Turn right then cross to another path. Follow the left-hand field edge, and keep straight on at two junctions. Look for the point at which the path turns left into trees. Cross a footbridge then continue in the same direction as before to Piper's Hill. Go straight on for a few paces then turn right. Leaving the wood at the far side, turn right and climb to St Mary's Church.

6 Descend from the churchyard to Hanbury Park. Go straight on along a well-trodden path to reach two avenues of oak trees. Take the one on the right. The trees soon come to an end but the path remains unmistakable. Keep straight on at all junctions, eventually leaving the park at a stile by a small pond. Go straight on, soon with Summerhill Wood on your left.

7 Pass to the left of Summerhill Farm to a T-junction and go through an unsigned gate ahead. Keep left through a field then through a gate. Turn right, crossing the railway and canal. Go diagonally across a field towards the left-hand one of two ash trees, then proceed to a stile in the hedge ahead, near a corner. Cross another field then paddle through slurry to a track. Turn left at a T-junction and walk to Hanbury Road (B4090) at Hanbury Wharf. Turn right on the towpath of the Droitwich Canal and follow it until forced to join the road. Proceed into Droitwich.

11:10am Monday 4th December 2006

A sweet chestnut in Hanbury Woods

The Raven Hotel

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