Situated to the east of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, this reserve, which is managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife trust consists of a series of dry and marshy fields with small alder and willow woods, reed beds and drainage ditches – all with different flora and fauna.

The marsh, fed with water from nearby springs, lies on alluvial soils over impervious clays. It provides wet grazing land and, when possible, cattle are put onto the land to keep down the coarser plants and limit invasive scrub. There are several black poplars and many of the old willows are pollarded on a cycle of about every 20 years.

Marshland is becoming increasingly scarce in Worcestershire and this reserve contains many plants now uncommon elsewhere including, marsh cinquefoil, marsh arrow-grass, marsh pennywort, lesser water parsnip and southern marsh orchid.

192 species of bird have been recorded on the reserve, with about 70 of these regularly breeding here. These include yellow wagtail (main picture) , redshank and nine species of warblers. Animals include otter. Worcestershire Wildlife Trust

Main picture:Yellow wagtail Derek Keats

We highly recommend the publications below to compliment your visit to this Region.

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