Looking for an easy walk that shows off the best of Wombourne? This two-mile loop takes in the old railway line, the Wom Brook, the village green and St Benedict Biscop church, and brings you back where you started in about an hour.
At a glance
- Distance: about 2 miles (3 km)
- Time: around an hour at a gentle pace
- Start and finish: the old Wombourne Station car park on Bratch Lane, by the South Staffordshire Railway Walk
- Terrain: mostly flat – the Railway Walk, village pavements and quiet lanes, plus a grassy path beside the brook
- Good to know: the brookside section crosses grass and has a stile, so it can be muddy after rain and isn’t ideal for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Everything else is easy going.
The route
- From the station car park, join the Railway Walk and head left. Follow the old line for about three-quarters of a mile.
- Go under the fourth bridge (number 30). About 150 yards further on, take the path on the left across a grassy area, down to a footbridge over the Wom Brook.
- Cross the footbridge, turn left and follow the brook for around a quarter of a mile until you come out on the road at the bottom of Gravel Hill.
- Turn left, cross the bridge over the brook, then after about 20 yards cross the road and go through the stile.
- Keep to the left-hand side of the brook and cross Mill Lane. A hundred yards further on you can see the sluice and weir of the old Blade Mill.
- Head back to Mill Lane and walk up between the Scout and Guide huts to High Street. Turn left, then after about 150 yards turn right into Maypole Street.
- Follow the village green round to the right into Church Road. After about 150 yards, cross over by the Wombourne Institute, next to the church of St Benedict Biscop.
- Turn left back along Church Road, then after about 50 yards turn right up Love Lane into School Road.
- Cross School Road, turn left and walk to the traffic lights, then turn right into Station Road.
- Follow Station Road over Bull Meadow Lane and down to Bratch Lane, then cross over to the car park where you started.
Along the way
- The Railway Cafe at the old station – a handy stop for a drink and a bite before or after your walk.
- St Benedict Biscop church, the village’s historic parish church, beside the green.
- The Vine on High Street, an inn since 1851 – see how it looked around 1910 on our old photos of Wombourne page.
- The weir of the old Blade Mill on the Wom Brook, one of the village’s quieter corners.
Make it longer
If you’re enjoying the Railway Walk, keep going past the footbridge in step 2. The old line carries on for miles in both directions. And the Bratch Locks on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal are just a short stroll along Bratch Lane from the car park – well worth a detour at the start or end.
The route follows public paths and pavements. Paths and access can change over time, so please take care, follow any signs, and keep dogs on leads near roads and livestock. Spotted a change to the route? Let us know.
