ON A cold bright morning in hazy sunshine, seven walkers from Penarth and District journeyed up to Gloucestershire to join William for a 12-mile hike in the southernmost Malvern Hills beginning from Bromsberrow Village Hall where they were welcomed by Mrs Georgina Jones.

Heading along Allbright lane before turning up a tree-lined path leading to the delightful 13th century St Mary’s Church, a series of fields, a wood containing a rabbit warren and tracks where tall trees were festooned with mistletoe led up a rough farm track to the lovely old stone bridge over the ford near Pepper Mill, a small mill situated on the River Glynch that was used to grind pepper.

Passing ploughed fields and joining a fast road, permissive paths over stiles and through gates installed by Ramblers volunteers led to a field overlooking the distinctive red brick buildings at Dingwood Park Farm, with its oast house used for drying hops to flavour beer.

More woodland paths led into open fields and a stop for morning break on a sunny bank below an oak wood and with the sound of birdsong and calls from pheasants, a treat from William in the form of a poem from WH Davies.

In the next field a workman stopped the felling of trees for the group to pass through and tramping downhill through the immaculate Eastnor Estate farmyard, the lovely old stone 12th century Church dedicated to St John the Baptist takes pride of place in the centre of this Herefordshire village.

Passing the main entrance gates to Eastnor Castle and following Clencher’s Mill Lane past the thriving village school and entering the deer park, a public footpath wound its way through the well-manicured grounds of the 5,000-acre Eastnor Estate, with its huge lake in the valley below the impressive but mist shrouded Gothic style castle, built in the early 1800s for the 1st Earl Somers.

A long steady climb whilst surrounded by grazing sheep led to the Obelisk high above the landscaped parkland, built in 1813 by the 1st Earl Somers in memory of his son, who fell in action at Burgos in Spain in 1812. Finding shelter from the cold breeze for a swift lunch on the hillside below the obelisk the long distance views were covered in a hazy mist.

Three of the Malvern Hills lay ahead and climbing up to Midsummer Hill a huge ditch signifying this was an Iron Age hillfort led them to the Memorial shelter on the summit, built by the Rev HI Somers to the memory of his son, Cpt Reginald Somers Cocks MC who was killed during the Second World War and it was donated to the National Trust in 1923.

A steep descent led to the road at Hollybush where catkins adorned the trees before another steep ascent onto Ragged Stone Hill with its glorious views back to the Obelisk. A rough rock and earthen path through woodland led steeply downhill to the hamlet of Whiteleaved Oak complete with village stocks and the point where the counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire converge.

The last short but steep climb led up to the trig point on Chase End Hill, the very southernmost tip of the Malvern Hills and not hanging around for long in the chilly wind, a gradual descent led through the parkland of Bromsberrow Place originally designed by Capability Brown. Passing close to a huge white bull complete with large horns and surrounded by his harem and then frolicking young spring lambs, a small copse led them onto a lane running with water.

A neat vineyard encompassed one of the surrounding fields, then on past the lovely village War Memorial, the Old Rectory and trimmed flowering blackthorn hedges, before retracing their steps back through meadows to Bromsberrow village hall.

A short trip by car led them along Beach Road to the Bromsberrow Community shop which is run by a team of volunteers and contains local produce for sale, enormous eggs as well as nick-knacks including furniture, books, bird-baths and more importantly steaming cups of tea served in real cups and saucers to wash down various delicious types of cake before the homeward journey.

On Good Friday March 25, meet 9am at Cogan Leisure Centre for a nine-mile mod/hard walk at Trelewis; contact Rachel on 01446 410545.

Wear suitable clothing, preferably boots and carry waterproofs, food and drinks. Some degree of fitness is required and if you are in any doubt, then please contact the walk leader for advice.

To follow the group please log onto penarthramblers.wordpress.com or Facebook. Programmes and membership advice can be obtained from Pam on 029 2025 5102.