An extended breakfast and gradual awakening was enjoyed, before we eventually emerged at the car park to Croft Castle.
The aim was to walk a couple of the marked parkland walks before a late lunch - these would be part of the Red (Pokehouse wood walk) - omitting the drop down to the river, and the Blue (Croft Ambrey walk).
A little vehicle manipulation aroudn the yard allowed us to extract two cars that reduced our need to take any of the vans, before setting off.
We parked in the main car park and went across to the entrance shed to register our cards (or pay) then across to the facilities before starting.
The alternative would have been to park in Yarpole and walk over, but we took the easier option.
Setting off across the meadows behind the buildings on the blue/ purple/brown routes.
We continued on the blue where the others separated to go down the dingle, and along the edge of the woods up to the top of the meadows overlooking the castle grounds and over to the Malvern hills.
Leaving the blue route and following the red as it continued through the plantation/ woods to Scholl woods. Here we diverted from the routes to cut over to the Mortimer trail.
This forestry track through the plantation climbed up gradually into Ladyacre plantation re-joining the red route.
We stayed on the red route as it climbed and separated from the Mortimer trail.
This arrived at a junction of paths where we re-joined the blue route and turned to head towards the Croft Ambrey hill fort.
Out of the plantation and through some bracken enclosed paths that snaked around the end of the fort before crossing the flatter top portion.
On the high point there were 360 deg. views as well as being able to clearly identify the ramparts around the hilltop.
Around the ramparts to return to the path back to the castle, passing some really ancient oaks spread out in leisure.
Back down to the meeting of paths, and down the combined route (blue and red) back to the top of the meadows above the castle.
Down through the meadows and back to the buildings
Just shy of 8km, we included a sightseeing diversion to the front of the castle which added an extra third of a km, then back to the vehicles for the short ride to lunch.
Statistics| Distance | Elapsed | Height |
|---|
| 8.3km | 2h 39m | 217m |
