START:
From the car park (1) at St Peter's Church, walk up the churchyard, cross
the B4204 (2) and go up the signed track opposite. Once in the school
grounds, veer left into the avenue of damson trees and to the gap (3),
thus exiting into a field. The route bears some degrees left across the
field, watching out for the stile (4) in the far hedge, visible when the
crest of the hill is reached. Go straight ahead to the stile in the far
hedge (5), visible when the crest of the field is reached. Angle left
to the next stile in the roadside hedge (5). Turn right up the road B4197
to the timber yard and turn left up the lane by the sawmills (6). At the
junction turn left up this rather wet lane until a sign post appears in
the right hand hedge pointing up the bank (8). Climb this bank with care
to emerge on the lower slopes of the spectacular ridge of Rodge Hill,
now (2008) with many more trees, hence diminished views, than when this
pamphlet was written in the early 90's. As you climb, you can begin to
see the unfolding views across the Teme valley, the rolling contours of
the land, with the road to Clifton-on-Teme winding up past two picturesque
timbered houses, and Pitlands farm in its plum orchards. The view to the
right requires patience, somewhat obscured as it is by a gloomy thicket,
paradise for birds, but not to be traversed at a late hour unless one
has strong nerves (although in the late 1990's, many trees were harvested
and the view considerably opened up). Emerging into daylight, go through
the field gate and the grandeur of the Rodge Hill ridge is revealed. Keep
ahead along the summit, noting the gnarled old remnants of hawthorn on
your right, defying the winds that sweep against them straight from Wales.
Through the next gateway/ gap continue ahead to the bench (9) placed strategically
by the County Council (in recognition of the work that The Path-or-Nones
do to maintain Martley rights of way), at the best viewpoint from this
high ridge. Below, the River Teme flows between tree lined banks, and
a Norman motte rises out of a field near the Farm built on the remains
of Homme Castle. The nearby Ham Bridge over the Teme replaced, in the
nineteenth century, a ford hidden away downstream at Kingswood on the
Worcestershire Way. The immediate horizon is the Clifton Ridge, punctuated
by the spire of Clifton-on-Teme's church of St. Kenelm, one of only three
similar dedications in the land. Below to the right are Shelsley Beauchamp
and its church, and across the river is Shelsley Walsh, notable for its
tiny tufa church and its famous motor hill climb up the Clifton bank.
A light aircraft runway might also be seen. These views are bounded in
the north-west, by the distant bulk of the Clee Hills, Titterstone Clee
with its Iron Age Hill Fort and radar station, and to its right Brown
Clee, higher by twenty two feet and the highest point in Shropshire. To
the south, the Malverns, and beyond, the Forest of Dean and to the west,
maybe a glimpse of the Black Mountains at Hay Bluff.
Leaving the seat, continue to the junction of paths (10) and a large signpost. This is the start of a branch of the Worcestershire Way known as 'The Martley Loop'. Follow the track down hill, East, and pass Rodge Hill Farm on your left. A few hundred metres on, pass access to farm buildings, right, then veer right on the old driveway down to the B4197. At this point you are at the start of our Walk 2 that takes you back close to where you started this walk in the church car park.