{"id":21901,"date":"2022-12-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=21901"},"modified":"2022-12-15T09:55:47","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T08:55:47","slug":"black-country-magic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/12\/14\/black-country-magic\/","title":{"rendered":"Black country magic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
WALK: <\/strong>Clent Hills, Worcestershire <\/h5>\n\n

Black country magic<\/h2>\n\n

Enjoy an undulating hill walk through woods, grassland and country lanes, where ever-changing views roll out across the Mendips, Black Mountains and the Cotswolds, says Christopher <\/strong>Ridout <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Just 10 miles from Birmingham city centre, the Clent Hills welcome around one million visitors every year <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Smoke-filled skies. Soot-saturated streams. Sporadic birdsong. The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century spelled squalor for those in its heartlands. As a philanthropic response, the National Trust was born in London. In a colloquial response, the area to the north-west of Birmingham took the name Black Country. For some, temporary relief was found in the green lungs of the Clent Hills. <\/p>\n\n

Still used as an escape from urbanisation, partially wooded Clent Hill and Walton Hill have been owned by the National Trust since 1959. Rising either side of St Kenelm\u2019s Pass, they offer fantastic bucolic views. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

THE ROUTE<\/h4>\n\n

3.8 miles\/6.1km | 2.5 hours | MODERATE<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
1. UNDER THE ARCH <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Take the main path south-west from Nimmings Wood car park and pass through the wooden \u2018Clent Hills\u2019 archway. Shortly before emerging from the woods, look for a majestic beech on the left. This is the area\u2019s oldest tree, at around 250 years old. <\/p>\n\n

2. FOUR STONES <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Climb to a viewpoint where you can gaze beyond the Mendips to the Black Mountains and over the Black Country to the Wrekin. Follow the path to the Four Stones. Look for the mid-18th-century Hagley Park castle and Wychbury Hill obelisk. The Four Stones are thought to have been erected at the same time. <\/p>\n\n

3. TO THE DARK POOL <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Follow the tree line to the right and continue straight along the descending ridge to reach a T-junction. Turn right into the shelter of a valley then, 150m on, take a left and descend to Dark Pool. Turn right, hugging the fence. Turn left, following paths into the village. <\/p>\n\n

4. PUB TO CHURCH <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Pass the Vine Inn, once a watermill, and walk on to a church. Look for St Leonard\u2019s green stained-glass window, which depicts a grape harvest. <\/p>\n\n

Take the path that runs behind the graveyard. Holly and oak flank the track, and between them there are fine views towards the Cotswolds and Warwickshire. <\/p>\n\n

5. HIGH POINT <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

The top of Walton Hill is the highest point in the Clent Hills. Drop from here to the Walton Hill car park and follow lanes back to Nimmings Wood car park. <\/p>\n\n

SITE DETAILS <\/strong>
NT car park (\u00a34 or free for NT members), toilets, play area, picnic site and caf\u00e9 (not NT). nationaltrust.org.uk\/clent-hills<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Christopher Ridout is a writer with a keen interest in walking, history and mythology. <\/p>\n\n

Photo: Alamy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Enjoy an undulating hill walk through woods, grassland and country lanes, where ever-changing views roll out across the Mendips, Black Mountains and the Cotswolds, says Christopher Ridout <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":21898,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"83","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"83","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_83-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_83-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"January-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"January-2023","purple_external_id":"January-2023-83-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"January-2023-83-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084064||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084064||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.198","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.198","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.198","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.198","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-12-14T13:35:18Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"b67d8bc0-4773-4299-b9c2-5b269d0184e0","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-12-15T08:55:53Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Atn2LwEdzQpm5wlsmnQGE4A","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[30],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e.jpg",1563,792,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e-300x152.jpg",300,152,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e-768x389.jpg",768,389,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e-1024x519.jpg",800,405,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e-1536x778.jpg",1536,778,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/12\/10a6dd37-95a7-42c8-8070-fce4b8caec3e.jpg",1563,792,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Enjoy an undulating hill walk through woods, grassland and country lanes, where ever-changing views roll out across the Mendips, Black Mountains and the Cotswolds, says Christopher Ridout","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21901"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21901"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22363,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21901\/revisions\/22363"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}