AOG Events 2008


Sunday 3 August

Bewdley & the Severn. This walk starts from the picturesque Georgian town of Bewdley, birthplace of Stanley Baldwin. Our route will follow the course of the River Severn upstream with the Severn Valley Railway on the opposite bank. The lunch stop will be at Arley with plenty of time to explore the railway station and use the tearoom overlooking the river. The nearby Victoria Bridge featured in the 1978 film version of The Thirty-Nine Steps. On the route back we will be mainly walking through the Wyre Forest (one of England’s most important ancient woodlands) and along the picturesque Dowles Brook with possible sightings of dippers and kingfishers. Bewdley has plenty of tearooms at the finish for tea and cake addicts! 9 miles. Map.

Bredon Hill from Eckington Bridge. A walk through History, Culture and Nature. After a good climb up from the navigable River Avon to the renowned top of Bredon we should get splendid views of the Malverns to the west and, if it’s clear, the Lickey Hills to the north, on Birmingham’s southern outskirts. We’ll see the most dramatic aspect of Bredon Hill, whose northern slopes rise steeply from the flat Vale of Evesham. We will walk through two Nature Reserves, along a stretch of Shakespeare’s tranquil Avon, through an Iron Age Fort and over Roman earthworks. You will find out about the Hill Hill Hill and the River River (!). See why AE Housman wrote “In summertime on Bredon....” and AT Quiller-Couch wrote “Upon Eckington Bridge”. Map. 11.5 miles.

Broadway and Chipping Campden. From the chocolate-box village of Broadway we climb onto the Cotswold Edge, from where there are extensive views. The walk takes us via the tiny village of Saintbury to Dover's Hill, a natural amphitheatre and site of the famous 'Cotswold Olympics', at which totally mad English sports take the place of the usual boring Olympic events (shin kicking, anyone?). This will be our lunch spot. After lunch we drop down into the lovely Cotswold town of Chipping Campden, with its fine church and mysterious 'gateway to nowhere'. There will be half an hour or so to look round, or have a drink, before we start the easy walk back via Broadway Tower, a fine viewpoint where we will have a tea stop. From the tower it is downhill all the way back to Broadway. The walk is on good paths, with two short sections of road. There is 1000ft of ascent, including two steep climbs. 8.5 miles. Map.

Elgar Trail II. Great Malvern is a model of Victorian architectural styles, from the station with its cast-iron tracery and florid capitals to the Winter Palace that was once the venue for the first performances by George Bernard Shaw and J B Priestley. It was also home to the Malvern Festival, for which many works were written by the town’s most famous long-term inhabitant, Sir Edward Elgar. Starting in Great Malvern we will visit four of the homes that Elgar had there during the period when he was establishing himself as a composer. The walk will zig-zag back and forth between the foothills of the Malverns and the Common, taking in Elgar's grave and culminating in a short hike up to the Worcestershire Beacon. After savouring the magnificent views that so inspired the composer we will drop down past St Anne's Well back to the centre of this attractive town. 9.5 miles. Map.

Malvern Linear. In terms of distance and height gain, this is the weekend’s ‘flagship’ walk. We will tackle the whole range of these grand hills, making our way over twenty-one individual peaks from Chase End in the south to the northern tip. The pace will not be frantic and there will be plenty of opportunities to admire the almost endless views and take refreshments. Nevertheless a total distance of eleven miles, a total height gain of 3675ft (1120m) and several steep ascents and descents will require a good level of fitness. This is a most beautiful walk. A coach will take us from Great Malvern to the start, for which a small charge will be payable on the day. Parking in Great Malvern will be free. 11.5 miles, with 3675ft of ascent, including several steep climbs. For a map of the northern half of the walk, click here; for the southern half, here.

Orchards, Ridge and Ruin. This is a walk of contrasts. In the morning we will make our way along quiet lanes and across fields and apple orchards. Then the character of the walk changes, as we make the short ascent of Rodge Hill and suddenly have arresting views westwards. We’ll have lunch at this vantage point high above the Teme. Refreshed we’ll follow the wooded ridge of the Abberley Hills northwards, reaching another magnificent viewpoint, looking towards Shropshire’s Clee Hills, for our tea stop. This walk also features a surprise quarry and a spectacular ruin. If there’s time after the walk, you may also like to make a short detour to look at the rather amazing interior of Great Witley parish church. 11 miles. Map.

South Shropshire. Uniquely this weekend, this walk visits the South Shropshire Hills, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. From the small market town of Cleobury Mortimer we’ll pass the twelfth century church of St Mary’s with its twisted spire and make our way up the meandering Rea valley, past stone and timber built cottages and farms to the open viewpoint of Oreton Common where we’ll have lunch. In the second half of the walk we will eventually return to the Rea valley and Cleobury where refreshment will be available in the High Street pubs. 10 miles. Map.

Upton and the Hanleys. This is a level and easy walk mainly over farmland with glorious views of the Malvern Hills. We’ll pass through the ancient village of Hanley Castle (the castle surviving as an earthwork) and proceed to pretty Hanley Swan. With its picturesque duck pond, village green and half timbered cottages, this makes an idyllic lunch spot. Our walk concludes with a stroll along the banks of the Severn to the old river port of Upton-upon-Severn. The town once traded in timber and coal from the Forest of Dean and salt, cider, pottery and brick from the north of the county. Nowadays river cruises depart from the old quay and chandlers’ shops line the water’s edge. Before returning for the evening’s activities you may choose to watch the boats go by, visit the heritage centre at the historic ‘Pepper Pot‘, explore its planned streets of timber-framed and Georgian buildings or wander over the bridge that connects the town to its bustling marina. 9 miles. Map.