Arrow Valley Country Park and Redditch

Sean Meek

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Redditch is a new town with a lot of green space and a mix of historical sites within the town. The walk starts from Arrow Valley Country Park, which effectively cuts the town in half, as the Arrow Valley is opened up to green space where it cuts through the town. The lake at the centre of the park is encircled, which is popular with sailing, fishing and bird watching.

The walk then continues through the park, to Bordesley Abbey and the Forge Mill Needle Museum. The abbey was founded in 1140 by a group of Cistercian monks. The first buildings were wooden, but were replaced with stone within a few years. The abbey was destroyed in the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century. The ruins can be seen today and there is also a visitor centre. The Forge MillMmuseum is close by and illustrates the rich heritage of the needle and fishing tackle industry in Redditch, where 90% of the world's needles were once produced.

The walk then heads away from the town, exploring the countryside to the north of the town, passing through a golf course, and passing another lake. There is a short section along a fairly busy road with no pavement, due to a path being diverted as result of a damaged footbridge. There appears to be no plans to repair the footbridge, so the diverion looks like it will remain in place. The walk will eventually return back to Redditch, and the country park, although at no point in the walk is it obvious that you are in a town, as the walk navigates between the more built up areas through the green spaces within the town.

England - Central England - Worcestershire - Countryside