THIS walk is deep in the countryside and apart from the first road, is among quiet lanes and fields.

The journey:

FROM the car, walk westwards (towards Norton-in-Hales) along the road which can be busy. Soon the road bears right, then left again. After a dip, look for a farm lane on the right, a little before the farm ahead on the road. Turn right along the farm lane (Grove Farm). After nearly half a mile you pass a farm on the left. The lane then bends sharply right. At this point, turn left along the track between a hedge and a fence. At the end of the hedge on the right, level with the end of the farm, look for a stile with a plank bridge. Go over this and bear half right across the field, aiming slightly left of the two dead trees and over the brow of the hill. Continue in the same direction, passing a farm nearby on the right. Look for a gate ahead leading into a field. Go through the gate and keep to the left edge of the field. At the end of this field go under the wire on the left to locate a stile on the other side of the hedge (the map shows the path you have taken to be on the right side of the field, though the stile suggests it is on the other side). Once over this stile, you enter a large field. Go forward about 50 yards and look for a stile with a waymark on your left (to shorten the walk by a mile, turn right instead to reach a gate at the end of a track between fields). Follow this track for nearly a mile to reach the roads and parking). Go over this and follow round the right side of the field to reach another stile into the next field.

Go over this stile and keep to the right side of the field to reach a footbridge on the right, about two thirds of the way along. Go over this and through the gate and half left across the path across the field to reach a stile in the hedge opposite. Continue over this and cross the field, aiming to the left of the farm ahead (the map shows the path as going past the left side of the buildings but this is barred by gates). At the bottom of the field, look for a stile in the bottom corner. Go over this then bear right towards the buildings, aiming for a gate to the right of the house. Enter the farmyard and at the end, turn left, to join the farm drive, then right. Follow the farm drive over a small rise then look for a kissing gate and footpath on the right. Go through the gate and across the field aiming for the mast ahead (if you go too far left you will reach a pair of stiles) to reach a stile. Go over this and across the next field aiming for another stile, slightly right of the mast ahead. Continue over fields (aiming to the right of the mast) to reach a field with the mast in the corner. Cross the middle of the field, passing a small dip on the left, then another on the right. Continue and just before the next dip, turn left to reach a gate at the end of a wide track between fields. Follow this track for nearly a mile to reach the roads and parking.

By Peter Matthews of the Staffordshire Area Ramblers' Association.