Stourport is famous as the only British town to have come into being solely as a result of the canal system.

What is not so well known is that the little town is surrounded by a cluster of small but important nature reserves which provide a glimpse of what this part of the county looked like before the days of industrialisation and intensive agriculture.

This walk visits two of these sites. The first is Hillditch Pool and Coppice Local Nature Reserve, a lovely woodland and wetland reserve on the edge of Hartlebury Common.

The pool was formed by the damming of Titton Brook to provide power for a mill.

Today, it is noted for flowering rush and a range of sedges. The adjacent woodland is rich in wild flowers.

The second site visited is Leapgate Country Park, which occupies the bed of a former railway.

It is part sandstone cutting, part embankment; and also includes a former quarry which has now been colonised by graceful silver birches.

Its name derives from the "leap gate" of a deer park which existed here centuries ago.

While it isn't an official nature reserve, the tangle of marsh and woodland by Lincomb Lock is also an important refuge for wildlife.

So are the adjacent cliffs, which are too steep for cultivation and therefore still covered by woodland, with a rich ground flora.

Many species of birds nest in this area, which is largely inaccessible on foot, but nonetheless easily viewed from the towpath.

The River Severn is itself attractive to wildlife and the combination of river and woods ensures a variety of species.

DIRECTIONS

The first stage of the walk is along the Severn Way. Normally, you could join it at the bridge, but that part of the path is currently closed for maintenance work. So join Engine Lane instead, next to Ye Olde Crown Inn. It leads directly to the canal basins and you can join the Severn Way a little further along.

Follow the path downstream towards Worcester, passing industrial premises, housing, a marina and grassland before arriving at Lincomb Lock. Beyond the lock the path climbs along the side of wooded cliffs which, all too soon, give way to the manicured lawns of a caravan park.

Once the caravans are left behind, fields take over and the path is fenced. Stay on it until you come to a stile giving access to the field on your left. Cross the stile and then head diagonally left towards a fence corner near a large oak tree - a waymarker on a fencepost provides guidance.

When you reach the waymarker, continue in the direction it indicates, to pass through a gate at the top of the field. Turn left along a track and keep straight on at a junction with another track.

After a further 400m, ignore a footpath branching right and follow the track round to the left, then keep straight on where a sign indicates a footpath (though it is used as a bridleway by Lincomb Equestrian).

Bear right at the next junction, on a field-edge path which leads to a lane. Turn left, and soon left again on Lincomb Lane (signed to Stourport). After 100m, take a path on the right, which begins as a green lane then continues as a field-edge path. Initially, it climbs uphill, passing a corrugated-iron shed then levelling out and swinging left at a hedge corner.

At the next corner, where the hedge turns right, keep straight on instead, to the far side of the field, then turn left to the bottom corner. Step through a hedge gap and follow a green lane down to Lincomb Lane.

Turn right, then first left on another lane by Berwick House. At the end of the lane, turn right on a footpath and follow it to Worcester Road. The final section is down steep, narrow steps, with the bottom ones concealed by fallen leaves: take extra care here.

Cross the road and turn right, then first left towards Pansington Farm. Follow diversion signs round the farm (which is currently a building site) then walk across a large field, heading initially towards the far right corner. As you get closer, look for a waymarker about 30m to the left of the corner.

Pass through a hedge gap into woodland and bear right to meet a lane. Turn left, then soon left again on Titton Lane, which leads to Hillditch Pool and Coppice. Turn right on a waymarked footpath which runs the entire length of the pool to a junction. Turn right, with a smaller pool on your left, and climb steps to meet a woodland path. Turn left to reach Hillditch Lane.

Turn left, then soon left again through Hartlebury (take great care on a blind bend) before turning right on to Charlton Lane. Leave the lane immediately, joining a footpath on the left. Follow it across fields to a bridge over the former railway at Leapgate. Descend to the railway path and follow it towards Stourport. When it comes to an end, descend to the canal towpath and turn left to return to the canal basins.

FACTFILE

Start: Stourport Bridge; grid ref SO807710.

Length: 8 miles/13km.

Maps: OS Explorers 204 and 219, OS Landranger 138.

Terrain: Woodland, pasture, arable, paddocks, green lanes, towpath, disused railway, some quiet lanes and one short stretch of busy road; a few slopes but no real hills.

Paths: A couple of cross-field paths have not been reinstated after ploughing.

Stiles: 2.

Parking: Car park near Stourport Bridge (alternatively, some roadside parking is available at Hillditch).

Buses: 293/294/300 daily; Traveline 0870 608 2608 or www.traveline.org.uk

Refreshments: Stourport, Hartlebury.