Clive G

Some good weather provided the opportunity for a decent round in the Black Mountains. This started at the Black Hill car park, at the foot of the Cat's Back ridge. I decided to get most of the leg work out of the way early and hence descended down from the car park and then up and over Black Mountain south top and into the Vale of Ewyas and then up onto the long ridge that runs south east from Rhos Dirion. Once on the ridge it is fairly level to begin with and then slowly climbs to the tops of Twyn Talycefn, and then to the high point of the day Rhos Dirion. The route then turns north east to walk along the edge of the escarpment down and then up to Twmpa (otherwise more colourfully known as Lord Hereford's Knob'!). From there a gradual descent to Gospel Pass, and up again along the edge a fair way to reach Hay Bluff. Turning South East it is more steady walking and then a sharp climb onto Twyn Llech, the top of which is unmarked even though it is Herefordshire's highest point. Cut across rough ground and undergrowth to pick up the path to Black Hill and then the highlight of this route, the ridge walk along the Cat's Back before the steep descent to the starting point. Photos to follow.

A circular walk that starts and finishes by the River Teme at Knightwick, follows the river before climbing up past Berrow Hill then joins the Worcestershire Way / Geopark Way up and over Ankerdine Hill before a steep descent back to the start.

By way of a change of scenery, this is a section of the North Worcestershire Path.. This part of the route picks up at Kinver Edge where I left off, and follows very good paths with sandy soil down to the River Stour and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, and then back up to Iverley.. Easy walking, with Kinver Edge being the obvious highlight.

I'm currently working on alternative routes to walking along the ridge-line of the Malvern Hills. In this walk the route is on the steep east side of the middle section of the hills, from Wyche Cutting to Wynds Point. There is a whole network of very good paths that can be strung together most dating back from Victorian times. This routes starts in the dead-end Eaton Road which soon becomes a good track that gently climbs to contour around the wooded slopes. The route takes you to Holy Well, one of the more famous springs on the hills, and then the path climbs straight upwards to the left of the well building into the woods again. Further on you reach the huge scar of Berrington's Quarry beneath Black Hill. It is more of a picnic location these days, with high cliffs rising above almost to the summit of Black Hill. The route climbs up to the right to join the ridge line at Wynds Point, and follows the top of the ridge over Black Hill before dropping down to a contouring path. This path is open at times and wooded at others. On reaching Wyche Cutting, the route then descends steeply on the Pixie Path, a long stone staircase that leads down to Eaton Road.

A round of the hills around Alfrick, and for the most part the walk is through woodland. The route starts by the Knapp and Papermill nature reserve, and climbs up to the village of Alfrick by the old sunken lane. Through the village and past the church it is on to a short section of fields before passing the lake and heading up onto the hills near Ravenshill Nature reserve. At the top of the slope the route joins the Worcestershire Way along the crest of the ridge. The route passes through the Crews Hill and Blackhouse wood nature reserves before cutting down to the col and up into the woods of Hallhouse Coppice where the Bluebells are starting to come out. The way then drops down to Tundridge past the picturesque farm and mill before crossing the Leigh Brook and heading uphill again to Birchwood. From there it is back into the woods of Coneygore before dropping down again to meet the Leigh Brook in the Knapp and Papermill reserve, following the brook to the old tumble-down bridge before climbing trhe slight rise to Millham Farm and descending back to the start point.