[1] From church car park, with your back to the road, and take the farm track going due south through the double gates. After 90m turn left over a fence stile, on the right hand side of a farm gate, into a copse. Go forward to exit copse over stile and in field, ignoring stile in fence to your left, bear diagonally right across centre of field to stile in far fence. Continue on same line slightly downhill over two more stiles to reach third stile into corner of wood. Follow path on inside edge of wood as it bears downhill to left to reach footbridge over Cradley Brook. Cross and bear diagonally left across field to stile in far hedge and then follow hedge on your left as it eventually turns sharply left downhill to stile and minor road. Turn left along narrow winding road for 120m and turn right over two stiles into field. Follow right hand hedge (and stream) through two/three fields to eventually reach farm gate and stile onto a track by a white cottage. Turn right along track to reach minor road and turn right along road until you reach a T junction. Turn left at T junction (sign posted Colwall 2) and in 60m turn left through pedestrian gate into cricket field. Cross cricket field to go through gap to left of pavilion and then veer right to gate into wood. Follow track through wood and eventually more open area to reach road with Moat Farm on your right. Turn right along road and take left fork to South Hyde. Continue forward along this metalled lane for about a kilometre to reach farms on either side of lane.
[2] Opposite the large white (rundown?) house on your right (Shipping House), turn left off lane through the farm gate on your left (by finger post) and in field bear diagonally right to gate in centre of fence, and onto stile in next fence to reach footbridge in trees in far corner. Now go over stile, cross track and through pedestrian gate into next field. Follow hedge on your right through three fields to reach minor road. Cross and go through farm gate to your front and continue with hedge on your left to reach stile/plank bridge in far hedge about 40m from field corner. In next field continue forward with hedge on your left, eventually going uphill to trees and stile in corner and minor road. Turn left uphill along road and, around bend opposite road junction on your left, turn right up cottage track to stile in hedge by farm gate at top. Follow right hand hedge/fence downhill to stile and across centre of next field to farm gate/gap in far hedge and minor road. Turn left along road and in 50m and, where road bends to the right, take left hand fork along road towards Coddington Vineyard and Woofields.
(A) Coddington Vineyard. Before they retired as doctors Denis and Ann Savage bought a pretty house with land near Ledbury in Herefordshire, and promised themselves that they would one day run their own vineyard. They bought in the mid-Eighties, prepared two acres of south-facing hillside, and planted three varieties of grape (bacchus, ortega and pinot gris). They took early retirement in the mid-Nineties, built a winery and have produced between 3,000 and 4,000 bottles of wine every year since.
“In the winter we cut back the old growth. In the summer we cut back the new growth. In October, all our friends and family come round to pick,” says Ann. “Each week we have to taste, analyse, think about the degree of sweetness, the general flavour, whether there are off-flavours.” However, in 2012, they decided to retire for a second time.
[3] Pass Coddington Vineyard on your right and continue for 200m to where road bends left into Woofields farm and an unusual metal stile in railings on your right. Cross stile and follow hedge on your right for 600m through various bends until the hedge turns sharply right.At this right handed corner cross double stile in hedge on your right to enter orchard and turn right to follow hedge on your right to another double stile in corner of orchard. In next field bear left to cut corner to footbridge. Over footbridge, follow hedge on your right, slightly uphill in this orchard, to track which you follow with hedge on your left to minor road. Turn right along minor road for 350m ignoring first road off to your left until, just before you reach Slatch Farm and the road bends to the right, turn left down farm driveway. Almost immediately turn left again uphill through a farm gate and follow hedge/fence on your right to top of field and stile. Continue forward bearing slightly right across the next field to go over the brow towards some tall trees on the opposite side and follow fence on your left to stile. Over stile aim for right hand corner of farm buildings to your front, going through a couple of horse paddocks created using electric fences and a couple of gates to reach minor road. Turn left along the road for 500 m, ignoring the farm road on your right, until you reach a road junction to your left on a sharp bend where the main road goes right. Turn right over the stile in the hedge/fence on this bend and cross field to footbridge by right hand corner of wood in valley. Continue forward with wood on your left to cross another footbridge and bear right across centre of field past a couple of large trees to stile in corner of field. Continue forward with hedge/wood on your right to stile and gate onto farm track which soon leads to minor road.
[4] In 500m, just past ‘The Old Country’ house, turn right over stile next to a farm gate and follow hedge on your right, eventually around right hand corner, to a double stile. In field turn left to follow hedge on your left for 200m, ignoring farm gate and farmers stile on your left, to stile in corner of field. Over stile cross centre of field to plank bridge and stile in far hedge. In next field bear slightly left to cross centre to pedestrian gate on right hand side at far end of copse. Continue forward across centre of field to farm gateway, often waterlogged, and then follow hedge on your left to stile in left hand hedge just before end of field. Cross stile and turn right to cut corner of field and reach an old iron pedestrian gate and plank bridge. Continue forward with hedge on your right to gateway into old orchard at end of field and stile in hedge on your right. Do NOT enter orchard but go over stile, turn left and follow hedge on your left to minor road. Cross road and go down farm lane slightly to your right.
(B) Down this country lane and surrounded by orchards, ancient woodland and wildlife sites you pass on your left two delightful chalets that support the tourist industry by offering accommodation. The Lighthouse is a new 'Green-oak' house, built in 2006-7, to a design commissioned from architect Wilf Burton, the frame being designed, engineered and constructed by Rupert Newman and his West-country firm 'Westwinds Oak'. The result is a wonderful, light-filled space. Nearby is the eco-friendly, wooden studio in a wonderfully peaceful spot.
[5] In 150m, with house on your right, continue forward to reach hidden stile and in next field follow left hand hedge to board walk and footbridge. Cross and continue forward down green track to enter wood. Follow path as it winds it way through the woodland, eventually bearing right and up two sets of ladder steps onto bank. Now follow path along bank to stile at end of wood and exit into field. Continue forward with stream on your right through two fields and over two footbridges. In third field continue forward with wood on your right to end of field and turn left, ignoring stile going to your right, and follow hedge on your right uphill until hedge ends. Continue forward across middle of field to stile in far fence and then across next field to footbridge. Over footbridge bear slightly right and uphill to stile in far hedge and, over stile turn right along hedge on your right to end of field. Go through gate (or over stile) to continue forward down an enclosed green track that eventually widens into a farm track and in 400m reach the church car park and your cars.
(C) St John the Baptist Church – Mathon. The rubble masonry built church of St John the Baptist in Mathon dates back to the 12th Century. The tower was added in the 15th Century, with the porch being added a short time later. The church was partially restored between 1849 and 1868 and again in 1897. All of the church windows are modern day, many of which replicate the windows which were in place in the 14th Century. There is a ring of six bells cast by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester in 1760 and also a sanctus bell by John Martin dated 1675.