Walton Hill
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| Walton Hill | |
|---|---|
 The path along the summit ridge of Walton Hill |
|
| Elevation | 316 m (1037 ft) |
| Location | Worcestershire, England |
| Prominence | 207 m |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 139 |
| OS grid reference | SO942797 |
| Listing | Marilyn |
At 316 metres, Walton Hill is the highest point in the range of hills in Worcestershire known as the Clent Hills. It is the highest point for 21 miles in all directions, and as such commands an excellent panorama. Its neighbours include Clent Hill, Wychbury Hill (which is hidden from view by Clent Hill), Calcot Hill, and Romsley Hill.
[edit] Scenic beauty
From the summit looking south west down the main spine of the hill the closer peaks of the Clee Hills, The Wrekin, Malvern and Abberly hills are usually visible. On a clear day one can see 30 miles south to the Cotswolds, 25 miles south west to the Malvern Hills, 35 miles north east to Charnwood Forest, 40 miles north to the Peak District, 20 miles west to the Shropshire Hills, the Bromyard Downs in Herefordshire, and 55 miles south west to the Black Mountains. This comes from its situation in the middle of England, distant from all other hills but not too distant.
[edit] Ascents
The hill can be climbed from most directions. The most common is from a car park north east of the summit. The car park can be accessed from a lane which starts at a tee-junction at the top of St. Kenelm's Pass next to Walton Hill Farm and skirts Walton Hill finishing at another tee-junction with the A491 at the Hollybush (public house)[1]. Further along the lane the hill can be accessed on foot via the long bricked paved driveway to High Harcourt Farm. From the same lane, about half way to the Hollybush, is the entrance to Calcot Hill Farm on Calcot Hill, which gives access to the summit of Walton Hill along a footpath which follows a ridge through private farm land and woods, to the National Trust land surrounding summit of Walton Hill. There is a bridle path from Calcot Hill, along the southern face of the Walton Hill, to the hamlet of Walton Pool, it bisects a footpath which crosses farmland on its way towards the summit from the A491, (which follows the lower contours of the base of the hill). In Walton Pool, a hamlet in the parish of Clent, there are two bridle paths which follow the lines of two ridges, which meet to form the main south western spine of Walton hill. To the north west of Walton Pool there is a footpath which starts at St. Leonards, the Parish Church in Clent and joins one of the two bridle paths emanating out of Walton Pool. Another bridle path starts in the hamlet of Clatterbach, near the Vine Inn in Clent and this allows direct access to the north western flank of Walton Hill.
The northern car park is at 260 m above sea level, the other access points onto the hill start from slightly lower down the slope at 250 m. The access from the northern car park has the steepest and shortest route to the summit. The High Harcourt Farm drive way and the footpath to the summit is about half a kilometre (¼ mile) long. The Calcot Hill route is about two kilometre (just over a mile) long. The other routes are all about a kilometre and a half (about a mile) to the summit. [2]
