Clent Hills Riding Trail (8km) Print

Waypoint 1
Clent Hills Waymarker 1
The Clent Hills Riding Trail is an 8km (5 mile) ride with treks through woodland tracks and wide open spaces and staggering views over Birmingham and the Black country to the north and east, Kidderminster and Worcestershire to the west. A fit horse is needed. Route described Anti-clockwise from Walton Car Park. Turn left onto the road and continue to the T-junction, then turn left into St Kenelm s Pass. After only 20 yards, fork right across a small car park and go through a gap next to a gate (bridlesign and N Worcs Path sign). At the end of the hard track, keep going half left uphill, don t turn left through gate. Continue over the crest (red NT walk arrows) and on to the track T- junction, then turn left, following the track along the top of ridge to the viewing benches by the Four Stones. Continue past Four Stones, keeping them to your left.


Waypoint 2
Clent Hills Waymarker 2
After only another 20 yards, at the track fork by a fenced enclosure, fork right keeping the enclosure fence to your left. Continue for 50 yeards then, just after you pass a concreate viewing enclosure, turn sharp right, round the edge of the enclosure, and follow a sandy track downhill. At a T-junction with a track coming up from the left, turn sharp left. (If you want to visit Nimmings Visitor Centre, where there is a cafe and a WC turn right here).


Waypoint 3
Clent Hills Waymarker 3
Continue for about 200 yards until the track forks, then fork right. Follow the track through the trees then alongside a field to your right. Keep going downhill to the track junction at the bottom (red arrow on post), then continue ahead passing a house and a gate into the castellated tower on your right. Follow the stony track downhill, with deer fencing to your right for about 150 yards, then fork left onto a much smaller path (ignoring the red arrow) and follow it uphill through the wood. This turn isn t obvious, so keep your eyes peeled! At the T-junction with a bigger track, turn right. Shortly, when the track divides round a clump of beech trees, bear left and continue round a tight left-hand bend. The track wiggles round the head of a valley, where you cross a tiny stream. Keep going until it emerges into the open, then bear right past a clump of pine trees to join an obvious sandy track. Follow this track downhill to the next unmarked crossways, then turn sharp left. Continue straight ahead at the next junction with a track coming in from the right and pass a disused toilet block. At the end, bear right around the end wall of the Hill Tavern.


Waypoint 4
Clent Hills Waymarker 4
Continue on track, keeping a large metal drainage grille to your left and passing the end of the dead-end road that comes up through Clent villiage on the right. Follow the track along the back of some houses with a wooden boarded fence to your right at first. Pass a prominent brick house on the right and continue to the next track junction just before a cream house, then turn sharp left uphill. The path is narrow but becomes wider as you climb. Just after you pass a clump of pine trees on the right, fork right at the next track junction (red arrow on post). Follow the track for 150 yards to a T-junction, then turn right. At the next fork, keep left and continue downhill alongside trees and valley bottom to your left. Eventually you will reach a junction in front of a bridlegate and fence. Don t go through the gate, turn left in front of it and follow a sunken track along the inside edge of the wood. At the top, continue over the crest (bridlesigns on post to right of track) and follow the narrow path downhill until you join a bigger one coming in from the right by the fence at the bottom. Continue ahead, collowing the track along the back of the Vine Inn. When you reach the road at the end (bridlesign pointing backwards) go straight over a staggered junction into Clatterbatch Lane. Visibility to the right is extreamely restricted as you emerge, so listen out for approaching traffic and take great care. To visit the pub, turn right and then right again into the car park.


Waypoint 5
Clent Hills Waymarker 5
When you reach a cluster of houses, fork right onto a concreate driveway (black National Trust sign) and follow it uphill. Just before the house Clee View turn right onto a gravel track and follow it steeply up through the wood. At the T-junction at the top, turn left onto a much bigger track. Follow it uphill, along the inside edge of the wood, until you emerge into the open by a small picnic area. After another 200 yeards, fork right onto a minor grassy path. The path you are now following is almost parallel with the track you just left, but the surface is nicer and follows the correct legal route of the bridleway! Follow this grassy track gently uphill to the top of the crest, then keep going until you reach the track junction at the top, where you join another track coming up from the right. Continue ahead (bridlesign on post) then cross a small ditch and carry on past the trig point. Continue along a wide gravel path for about another 100 yards, then fork left onto a minor earthy path. This turn can be difficult to find, there are North Worcs. Path and footpath signs on a waymarker post shortly after you pass it - so if you reach them, turn round and go back for only 10 yards or so. At the next track junction (blue NT arrows on post) turn right, following the track downhill. At the bottom, bear right (green NT horseshoe sign) and follow the track out into Walton car park, reaching the end of the trail.