Visit Shell Manor Farm (built c1450) a little way along Droitwich road and explore footpaths by Shell Brook.

Julie Royle visits Shell, a tiny hamlet consisting of a packhorse bridge, a ford, a former mill, a 15th-century cottage and farm and a 20th-century picnic place.

Factfile

Start: Inkberrow, grid ref SP014573.

Length: 10 miles/16.8km.

Maps: OS Explorers 204/205, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Mostly flat farmland.

Footpaths: Most are poor or barely adequate, some are good and some are atrocious. Waymarking varies from patchy to non-existent. Two paths are completely blocked but easy detours are available in both cases. Several cross-field paths have not been reinstated after ploughing and some field-edge paths are too narrow. Two stiles are on the point of collapse. Four stiles and gates are seriously impeded by brambles, blackthorn and hawthorn. I ended up with torn, blood-soaked clothes but you can avoid similar injury by taking secateurs with you. Or, you can avoid the two worst instances (at Earl's Common) by road-walking. If enough of you report faults to the county council we might get something done - contact countryside@ worcestershire.gov.uk or 01905 768214.

Stiles: 15.

St Peter's Church at Inkberrow

Parking: Inkberrow (or Shell Ford picnic place).

Buses: 350 Worcester to Redditch via Inkberrow, Mon-Sat only; www.worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or Traveline 0871 200 2233.

Refreshments: Inkberrow.

DIRECTIONS

1 Walk south along the main road towards Worcester, then take Stonepit Lane. Take the first footpath on the right and follow it to a junction. Turn left and walk to a lane. Cross to a path almost opposite, which leads roughly straight ahead towards Broadclose Farm. Don't be put off near the start where there appears to be no exit from a field - it's just well-hidden. However, as you approach the farm, you'll find the path blocked - so turn left and go through a gate to a bridleway. Turn right, passing the farm and continuing across a field full of traffic cones.

2 Go through a gate at the far side and walk to the far left corner of a cornfield. Continue across another field, then through the second gate on the left, an easily missed bridle gate just beyond a larger gate. Go diagonally across the next field to a wooden gate, cross another field, go through a gate and turn left along a field edge. Go through an overgrown gap in the corner and proceed to a lane at Dormston.

3 Turn right, then right again on a bridleway, passing St Nicholas's Church and several houses. Turn left soon after Orchard Cottage, ignore all turnings and proceed to a lane. Cross to a path opposite and go diagonally left across a field, passing through a gap to another. Go to the far left corner to find a junction. Turn right on a bridleway along the edge of a wood. Ignore a footpath branching right and keep straight on.

4 Cross a bridge and continue forward a few paces to a stile on your left, then turn right, joining the Wychavon Way. Go through a gap by the corner of the wood then diagonally right through a line of willow trees to the next corner. Walk to a lane and continue almost opposite, beside a ditch. Go straight on through two more fields, then into another. Look for a hedge gap after a few paces and enter the adjacent field. Go diagonally to the far right corner, then straight on through two more fields.

5 At the north-east corner of Hill Wood, at an unsigned junction, the Wychavon Way heads right to join the road. Go this way for the easiest route to Shell (see map). However, to avoid the road, here is a better option: follow a trodden path left past Hill Wood, to the north-west corner of the wood where the trodden path swings right to a lane - the actual right of way, however, is to the right of the trodden path, along the driveway of The Bungalow. Turn left along the lane then cross a badly overgrown stile after 250m. Walk straight ahead and cross another overgrown stile to a road. Turn left to Shell crossroads.

6 Turn right towards Bradley Green. Take the second path on the right, crossing a field to the left corner of a plantation. Cross a footbridge, turn left and walk to Lower Hollowfields Farm. Turn left at the farm, then soon right, between grain stores. A waymark then directs you straight on but a hedge blocks progress, so turn right. At the end of the hedge a concealed waymark directs you straight on, past the farmhouse and into a field. Go diagonally left to the far side, cross a dangerously unstable stile and turn left. Ignore a cross-path and keep straight on. Cross another wobbly stile and continue across two more fields. Pass through woodland, cross a footbridge and bear left through a paddock to a lane.

7 Turn right, and then go left at a T-junction. Turn right on a footpath after 500m. Walk towards a ruinous farmhouse, go through a gate on the right, turn left into a field and then through a gap by an oak tree. Turn right through an orchard, go through a badly overgrown gate into a field and straight across. Continue along the edge of Roundhill Wood to the top corner. Bear left, go through the left-hand gap ahead and left towards a farm. Ignore all turnings until you see a turquoise waymark arrow inscribed 'quiet lanes' Turn right and walk to a road.

8 Take a path opposite, across a field to a gap, then to the far right corner of the next field. Go through a gap, turn right and proceed to a stile. Don't cross it, but go diagonally right across fields to meet a track. Turn right and walk through a farmyard to a lane. Cross to a path opposite and follow it to the junction mentioned in point one. Turn left to Windmill Lane, turn right to meet Stonepit Lane and then left to Inkberrow centre.

10:04am Tuesday 11th September 2007

St Nicholas Church at Dormston.

Beautifully thatched Shell Cottage.

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