[1] Walk down the minor road behind Guarlford Church towards Woodbridge Farm for a third of a mile and cross over second stile on right opposite footbridge on left.
The old military style barrack hut (A) to your left in this field was the WW2 wireless listening post that identified the rocket base at Peenemunde. The German rocket attacks on Britain were delayed by the work of a Malvern listening post in recognising that German radar had been diverted to the new rocket base at Peenemunde on the Baltic. This was then bombed by the RAF. http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/pdf/DoW.pdf
Cross field, over stile/footbridge and continue along hedge on right to the Guarlford road opposite Newhouse Farm (809453). Turn right and a little past Newhouse Farm go through gate on left. Proceed, keeping hedge on left to gate. Through gate and cross field diagonally to gate and stile in far left hand corner. Over stile and proceed with hedge and stream on left. Go over another stile and continue to gate onto drive to Grove House Farm. Turn left along drive to reach road, bear slightly right across road to wide hedged track. A little before track meets Hall Green road go over stile on left and then through kissing gate. Cross field to left corner of garden and follow hedge on right to kissing gate onto the Guarlford Road (801454).
[2] Cross road, Green Dragon pub on left, and bear right to gate and stile. Over stile proceed with hedge on right past small pond on your left to wide gap at old field boundary. Now follow path diagonally left across field to stile in far hedge. Continue forward, initially on wide green track, with hedge now on left to end of field. Cross footbridge over brook and follow path uphill. (Splendid views of The Malverns from here). At top go over stile onto broad grassy track, Wood Street (B).
Wood Street, part of an ancient drover’s track which ran from the river crossings at the Rhydd and Clevelode, across the Malvern Hills at the Wyche Cutting and down the Purlieu into Herefordshire, has definitely been in use from Anglo Saxon times and possibly dates from the prehistoric era. Today it is a green lane which starts in Guarlford and runs towards Great Malvern; at the end of Wood Street, a series of footpaths lead across fields to the town. http://www.malvernhills.org.uk/content/documents/green_spaces.pdf
[3] Bear left across Wood Street, go through metal kissing gate, cross horse gallop and through a second kissing gate. Bredon Hill in distance ahead. Walk downhill (Ox Hill) beside wire fence on left to wide track. Go over small brook and through field gate and then uphill with hedge on your left to Stable Farm. Go over stile by gate onto farm drive. Note the Stable Farmhouse down driveway to your left with steeple and ornamental one handed clock. Proceed along tarmac farm drive, bearing left at junction to go over bridge and past Home Farm. Continue along tarmac lane to emerge on the Hanley Swan to Rhydd Road (812429). Swan Pool is on the right and a pleasant place for a picnic. The Swan Inn on the Village Green and the village shop across the road from the pond are good places for refreshments.
[4] By the pond bear left past the pub on your left to the B4209 road to Upton. Continue along the B4209 and, just past a row of bungalows, take house access track on left (by signpost) which becomes a hedged track. Go over stile and into field. Continue with hedge and fence on left to end then bear slightly left over footbridge. Still with hedge on left continue towards white farmhouse (Tickeridge Farm). On reaching field boundary go over stile on left and turn right. Continue forward with hedge on your right to a footbridge then along narrow track to minor road (815438). Cross the road and climb stile opposite. Proceed with hedge on left, over stile and footbridge. Continue ahead across the field to emerge on the Hanley Swan to Rhydd road opposite Steyning House (815441).
[5] Turn left along road for approx 250 yards and, just before road bends left, turn right through farm gate. Proceed ahead with hedge (and caravan park) on your left to cross stile and continue forward across centre of field to another stile. Cross next field to go over footbridge in far hedge and follow hedge on your right to another footbridge and a minor road. Turn right down road to reach houses, Guarlford Church and your starting point.