Storridge & Cradley, NW of the Malverns. A walk. "Keep Fit for a Fiver" (BOOKING ESSENTIAL).

A WALK DESCRIPTION: About 12 miles, 1800 ft total ascent. Leader: Peter Searle. The walk explores the attractive countryside immediately to the northwest of the Malvern Hills. The hills here are smaller than the main ridge of the Malverns, but still offer much scenic interest with far fewer visitors. A generous covering of woodland alternates with orchards, pasture and arable land. The walk begins at a layby between Leigh Sinton and Storridge on the A4103, taking a lane almost opposite past the Holywell Cottages to join the Worcestershire Way. We continue northwards along a bridleway through Long Coppice, Birchenhall Farm and Millham Farm, then cross the Leigh Brook, to enter the Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve. We follow the brook through meadows and woodland, to cross a footbridge at Papermill Coppice, then climb gently though Old Storridge Common and Coneygore Coppice, before descending to Longley Green. Turning south, we follow beside the Cradley Brook, continuing past Bearswood Common eventually to cross the A4103 by Brookhouse Farm. We follow a bridlepath through Whitman Hill Coppice, then turn left to ascend to a ridgetop, which we follow south through woodland to the edge of West Malvern. A westward path then leads us to the attractive village of Cradley, where (time permitting) we will visit the Red Lion pub at Stifford’s Bridge, before a short loop back through Cradley takes us to the waiting coach by the A4103. Coach fare £5.00.