Walk 14 - A Walk in Three Parishes - a moderate walk with one steep section into Cleobury.
Length: 3 miles (short route, 2 parishes) 4.5 miles (Long route, 3 parishes)
If starting at Broome Park this is number 7 on the map below. As you leave Broome Park Farm turn left, heading towards Cleobury, when the road splits take the left fork along Green Lane. After 200m, as the road levels out turn right at Mount Pleasant down a farm track. The house here was rebuilt in the early 2000s and named Mount Pleasant, as a child we called it the Ghost House due to it's derilect nature but it was actually the site of Cleobury Poorhouse. Go over the stile, heading downhill to a kissing gate befor the footbridge and steeply up the path to join the road, you are now in Cleobury Mortimer Parish. Turn left into the Glen Caravan Park. This is the site of the Cleobury Workhouse, built in 1740 and demolished in the 1940s.
Take the righthand road and then turn right where signposted to follow the footpath between a wall and hedge. Cross the park road and through a kissing gate into an open field. The path continues uphill towards a large tree then curves to the right, bertween 2 hedges. The cultivated area at the top of the bank, to the right is Cleobury's new Community Garden with raised beds, wildflower area and orchard. Exit the field via the kissing gate.
Keeping the Primary School on your right walk to the crossroads and turn right. At the bend cross carefully into the car park and carry straight on in front of the Sports and Social Club then along the edge of the field to the gate in the corner. Follow the path through the gate and to the right, alongside the school sports courts and rugby pitch, after about 100m fork left and down the hill. This is the Queen Elizabeth Garden with skate park, outdoor gym equipment and dog training pen.
As you come through the gate at the bottom of the hill the footpath continues through the field to the right. Go over the stile then diagonally up the field to a gate in the top righthand corner. Cross the road to carry on the footpath through the field opposite, taking care on the bend. There should be a well worn path through whatever crop is growing in the field. At the top of the field go through the opening in the next field, keeping the barn conversion on your right. Follow the hedge and then go through the waymarked gap to the right, around the garden of the house. After 50m go through the kissing gate on your right into the orchard. Keep the hedge on your left and go through 2 gates to join a stone track, continuing straight to join Common Lane.
For the Short walk - turn right along the lane and continue for half a mile, passing Picklebatch Farm on your left. Shortly after the dip there is a stile high up on the right which cuts the corner, walking through a grass field which may contain sheep or cattle. I suggest you stay on the lane until the crossroads where you will turn right towards Cleobury and Broome Park is on the left just after the bend.
For the Long walk - Go through the gate almost opposite and across the field, aiming for the row of poplar trees. Go through woodland and over a stile on right inot field. Turn left along field edge to corner, then sharp right down towards hedge. Keep forward with hedge on left and over bridge. You are now in Hopton Wafers Parish.
Veer left along middle of field and through gate/stile in hedgerow ahead then uphill across field to gate to right of house ahead. After gate turn rifht towards hedgerow and over stile. Continue in same direction and over next stile back into Neen Savage Parish. Veer slightly right across field to tree line.
Go right over small stream into next field and continue with stream on your left. At end of field go left across stream via footbridge and continue in same direction to gate at top[ corner of field back onto Common Lane. Turn left along lane then right at the crossroads back towards Cleobury, Broome Park is on the left just after the bend.
For a copy of the Walk leaflet go to CMFA website.
