Feckenham (From Worcester News)

Feckenham

10:16am Monday 14th March 2011 in Walks By Julie Royle

THE lovely countryside around Feckenham benefits from a dense network of watercourses, including Swans Brook, Bow Brook and Brandon Brook, along with their tributaries, such as Wixon Brook and Thickwithey Brook.

Not surprisingly, there used to be extensive marshes, particularly in the valley of Brandon Brook, south of Feckenham. The marshes were drained for agriculture in about 1850 but the drainage system later became blocked and some of the land reverted to marsh.

Known as Feckenham Wylde Moor it was bought by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust in 1981 and its mix of reed beds, wet meadows, pools, trees and hedgerows makes it one of the county’s finest nature reserves.

Birds such as snipe, reed bunting, little grebe and grey heron occupy the wetland areas, while the hedges and trees support many other species. Dragonflies and damselflies are common in summer. Spring flowers include ragged robin, common spotted orchid, lady’s smock, primrose and cowslip.

A nature reserve functions best when it exists not in isolation but as just one link in a chain of wildlife-rich habitats, so it’s good to see that an extensive new wood has been planted between Bow Brook and the north-west corner of the reserve. It comprises a variety of native species, including some beautiful silver birches, and provides a valuable resource for birds and small mammals. The fields to the west of the reserve, by Brandon Brook, are useful too, being damp and rushy. Small flocks of lapwing may be seen here, with a bit of luck. Roe deer are also present, especially near Brandon Brook and south towards Morton Underhill and Inkberrow.

There are more damp meadows to the north, beside Swans Brook, which this walk follows from Feckenham to Old Yarr. For birdwatchers, a short diversion from the route at Old Yarr is worthwhile, giving views of both a pool and a reedbed by Wixon Brook – follow a diverted, waymarked footpath across a bridge, past the pool to Blaze Lane and then left a little way to find the reedbed.

Return the same way to rejoin the main route.

FACT FILE

Start: Feckenham, a village on the B4090 Droitwich-Alcester road, grid ref SP009615.

Length: 5¾ miles/9.2km.

Maps: OS Explorer 220, OS Landranger 150.

Terrain: Mostly pasture, with some arable, woodland and wetland; no hills.

Footpaths: Excellent, apart from one tricky 200m-section of bridleway, which is easily avoided.

Stiles: 16.

Parking: Car park in Feckenham, off High Street.

Buses: Only three buses serve Feckenham – 152 at 0930 from Pershore on Mondays, 158 at 0924 from Droitwich on Wednesdays and 151 at 0939 from Droitwich on Fridays; return journeys are welltimed for this walk and connections to/from Worcester are good (144 for Droitwich, 382/550/551 for Pershore); worcestershire.gov.uk /bustimetables or 01905 765765.

Refreshments: An award-winning, community-run village shop/coffee shop is in Droitwich Road; the Lygon Arms is at the junction of Droitwich Road, Alcester Road and High Street; the Rose and Crown is in High Street.

DIRECTIONS

1 Head north up High Street.

When it becomes Astwood Lane go into a field, take the left-hand path and follow it to a junction.

Take the right-hand path, which is well-trodden and easily followed through sheep pasture. After crossing an access track, keep straight on beside Swans Brook, through willow coppice and fields to Clayfields Lane. Continue opposite, still by the brook. Keep straight on at two junctions then follow the path round to the left at Old Yarr and cross a stile into pasture. Walk to the left of a hedge then go straight on at a junction, across another pasture to a gate.

Go through it and turn left to Clayfields Lane.

2 Turn right then take the first path on the left. Follow the lefthand hedge through pasture until you come to a broken fingerpost.

Turn right to the bottom corner of the field then turn left along a track. Cross the next stile and turn right. Go straight on at a junction in the next corner then cross the next stile on the right. Walk up a field until a waymark directs you left to meet a bridleway, Burial Lane. Turn left.

3 Cross Droitwich Road to a bridleway opposite then take another bridleway on the left after 150m, crossing Bow Brook at a bridge. The bridleway goes diagonally right across paddocks but electric fencing has been lavishly deployed at several points, with strands even stretched across the tops of high gates at around neck or head level. In addition, the behaviour of one of the horses may make some walkers nervous.

However, there is a safe, alternative track around the paddocks, and it is intended as a permissive route, despite the lack of signage. If you use it you’ll rejoin the bridleway near a poultry enclosure. Turn right on the bridleway, which is now easily followed through sheep pastures and then through a young wood.

Keep straight on at three junctions, leaving the bridleway for a footpath at the second junction.

4 With Feckenham Wylde Moor now visible through the trees on your left, cross a stile to a field and keep straight on along the edge. Cross two easily missed stiles on the left after 200m and then cross a footbridge. Another stile on the left gives access to a nature trail through the reserve but you’ll see more if you stay on the public footpath for now, then explore the nature trail later. Follow the path along the edge of the reserve then turn left at Mouch Farm and proceed to Moors Lane where you will find the main entrance to the nature reserve. After exploring the reserve return to Moors Lane and follow it to Feckenham.

Worcester News recommends the use of OS Explorer Maps, your ideal passport to navigating the countryside. This walk is based on OS Explorer 204.