Monarch's Way: Chaddesley to Hagley 2 - and a cautionary tale about keys

From the ruined mill in the previous post, straight up the side of the (very steep) Barnett Hill

Luckily, there were rewarding views at the top - the Abberley Hills on the left of this picture

And over towards Shropshire on this one

 Malverns in the distance

As soon as the Way climbs to the top of the hill, it goes straight back down. (You could take a short cut, but you'd miss the breath-taking views). You end up in another lovely glade

Horse fields near Blakedown

A pond by Broome Mill

Looking up towards Harborough Woods

More ponds at Stakenbridge

Brakemill Plantation ahead

Part of the settlement at Brake Mill

The fields have been well limed as we approach Hagley

As the path turned towrds Hagley, there were good views over to the Wychbury Obelisk (the next stage of the walk)

For the final section, the path takes the same route as the North Worcestershire Path. Here, its pine cone logo is a little faded!

And we finished where we left the car. Sadly, we didn't have the car keys. They were in the other car, which we had left in Chaddesley Corbett...

Still, we got to have a drink in the Lyttelton Arms while we waited for a taxi back to the start!
Today's route: starting at Chaddesley Corbett, we followed the Monarch's Way, to Harvington (slight detour to see the hall), then on to Barnett Hill and the edge of Blakedown. Next comes Stakenbridge, and finally the Monarch's Way joins forces with the North Worcestershire Path into Hagley. This is 8 miles of delightful, well-signposted walking. We left a car at each end but it can be done by bus.
You can buy copies of the Monarch's Way guidebooks here - and it is marked on the Ordnance Survey maps, and is well waymarked, so it really is a good route to try.