The Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve

The Knapp and Papermill by Paul Lane

The Knapp and Papermill by Paul Lane

There is very limited parking - please do not block the road. 

Please keep dogs on leads at all times. Please take dog mess and litter home with you. Thank you.

38ha
Dog on a lead
Volunteer Group
Beautiful reserve consisting of old valley meadows, woodland & orchard.

Location

Bridges Stone
Nr Alfrick
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR6 5HR
A static map of The Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
34 hectares
P

Parking information

There is very limited parking. Please respect our neighbours & please return at a less busy time if parking is difficult.

Grazing animals

Cattle and sheep

Walking trails

There is a circular trail around the reserve (download our leaflet below) or you can download our 8m circular Woods & Wildlife Walk. The Geopark Way runs through the reserve.

Access

Paths uneven and steep; paths and steps can be muddy and slippery when wet. Basic stoned (but steep) pathway up and downhill to reach orchard, wheelchair access with care. Apart from main entrance, most access points have kissing gates or stiles.

Dogs

On a lead

Please keep dogs (& yourselves) out of the Leigh Brook and take dog mess away with you

i

Facilities

Toilets
Picnic area

When to visit

Opening times

The reserve is open 9am-6pm, the gate will be locked outside of these times. Security patrols will be taking place.

Best time to visit

All year round

About the reserve

The trail around the Knapp and Papermill starts in an apple orchard with old lichen-encrusted trees that attract nuthatches and green woodpeckers.  In autumn and early winter visitors should keep an eye out for butterflies such as red admiral and peacock or birds like fieldfare and redwing feasting on the fallen fruit. 

The Leigh Brook has cut a winding valley with steep woodlands and rich meadows.  Look for grey wagtails and dippers on the brook and, during the winter months, listen for flocks of long-tailed tits and siskins in the brook-side alders.  Dragonflies and damselflies thrive on the brook during spring and summer but only the luckiest of visitors may catch sight of an otter. The trail takes visitors along the brook, around meadows and through woodland. 

Big Meadow is a hay meadow with flowers such as knapweed, ox-eye daisy and yellow rattle together with a scattering of green-winged and common spotted orchids.  Papermill Meadow is an old pasture on slightly more acid soil.  This meadow is a favourite hunting ground for buzzards that breed in the valley. The much smaller Tor Meadow has orchids and cowslips.  Butterflies frequent all three meadows and more than 30 species have been recorded here including common and holly blue, brimstone, purple hairstreak and white admiral. Each meadow is maintained by hay cutting and/or grazing.

Woodland occupies about half the reserve and some areas are managed by coppicing.  This traditional method of cutting down young stems to near ground level on a rotation ensures that trees never die and there is always a range of habitats for wildlife at different stages of re-growth.  Coppicing helps to encourage the marvellous carpet of bluebells and other wildflowers (yellow archangel, stitchwort and wild garlic) that can be seen each spring. Wild service trees grow in profusion here along with both small and large-leaved lime as well as oaks and hazels.  Dormice are encouraged through the provision of nest boxes, as are many species of birds and bats.  The reserve is important for bats and 11 of the UK’s 17  regular breeding species are found here.

A trail leaflet and family guide are available from the small information centre near the entrance or to download below. You're more than welcome to bring a picnic but please eat it in our designated picnic area between the entrance and information centre; you won't need to carry your food so far and will help protect delicate flowers and wildlife from being trampled and sat on.  Thank you.    

Bigger, better and more joined up

We believe that a landscape-scale approach to wildlife conservation is essential. Wildlife needs space to adapt and move to cope with the consequences of climate change. Practically, this means that we need our countryside to be bigger, better and more joined up to provide a coherent network of large areas linked by corridors that can provide benefits for people as well as for biodiversity.

On this site we are developing the educational use without adversely affecting the wildlife habitats or impacting on the quiet enjoyment by other visitors. A visitor and volunteers building has been built using sustainable principles and including excellent provision for bats.  The nature reserve lies within the Teme Valley priority Living Landscapes area and the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

Contact us

Dominique Cragg
Contact number: 01905 754919

Environmental designation

Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB)
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Location map

Dormouse by Bev Lewis

Dormouse by Bev Lewis

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