Autumn colours at severn valley

Severn Valley reminds me so much of my childhood – I spent many sunny days here with my grandparents, walking along the river with a picnic in tow. No doubt that’s where my love of nature began!

One of the most popular walks in the area is the Highley trail. It’s a lovely route in the summer, but particularly beautiful in Autumn. The colours make for some gorgeous photos.

Starting from the Severn Valley car park, the route takes you towards the river and over the bridge, before following the riverside path towards the Ship Inn. This stretch can get very muddy, so be careful after heavy rainfall! I’ve even had to turn back on one occasion because the path was flooded.

Once you reach the Ship Inn, turn right and head up towards Highley Station. This is one of my favourite parts of the walk! If you’re lucky you may catch sight of a steam train. Unfortunately Frank isn’t a fan of walking over the crossing, so I usually end up carrying him…

Beyond the station, the trail winds through woodland before reaching a small churchyard on the outskirts of Highley. The church looks so atmospheric this time of year, surrounded by a blanket of golden leaves.

I’ve been revisiting audiobooks on my walks lately. My most recent listen is Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. I finished it in 3 days… I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts in a future post; it was a wild ride!

Once you’ve passed through Highley, the route continues through woodland and back along the river. There’s a bit of an steep incline on the way back to the car park, but there’s a lovely cafe at the top, serving coffee, cakes and light lunches. If you fancy a pub instead, The Three Horseshoes in Alveley is friendly and cosy, and does great food!

This is one of those walks I never tire of, especially this time of year. I’ll always have a soft spot for Severn Valley!

THE ROUTE