About the reserve

A nature trail leads visitors through the woodland and the variety of grassland and scrub habitats that make up this nature reserve.  Part of this follows the canal, with common reeds and other water plants along the margins.  The slow moving water creates pond-like conditions and freshwater invertebrates such as dragonfly nymphs and water scorpions can be found.

The reserve has a more unusual habitat: saltmarsh.  The area overlies salt-bearing rock strata that were laid down over 200  million years ago.  The strata were close enough to the surface for saline springs to occur and salt extraction to take place from the Roman period onwards. Inland saltmarshes are rare and they’ve developed here as a result of saline water in the River Salwarpe, the Droitwich Canal and the local springs, streams and ditches.  The most striking of the, normally seaside, plants that occur here is dittander.  This grows in tall, luxuriant beds by the Salwarpe and is at its best in summer.

The woodland is managed in partnership with Wychavon District Council and a trail guide is available from the Trust’s office.