CELEBRATE the arrival of spring with a lovely walk by Shrawley Brook, which is one of the most attractive of the River Severn's tributaries.

Its sheltered, secluded valley remains green throughout the winter, with a profusion of hart's tongue fern and woodrush.

The first flowers are always in bloom by January, and by late February there are many more to enjoy.

Snowdrops are still in flower but have now been joined by dog's mercury, violets, primroses, wild daffodils and opposite-leaved golden saxifrage, which has small, greenish-yellow flowers and grows only in the dampest parts of the valley.

The leaves of bluebells and ramsons are already well above ground, promising a glorious display of flowers in about a month's time.

On slightly higher ground, above the valley, the beautiful white blossom of cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) brightens the hedgerows in places.

Normally the first prunus species to flower, cherry plum is native to Eastern Europe and Central Asia but has escaped from gardens and become naturalised in the southern half of England.

Directions

Cross the A443 and cut through Woodbury Park to the A4133. Cross to Cherry Orchard, walk to the end of the street, turn left on Severn Heights then join a footpath running past Holt Millennium Green.

Continue past a line of cliff-top beech trees, then descend through a wooded garden to join a driveway. Leave the driveway by a bird table, taking an unsigned path leading through trees to the B4196.

Turn right for 120m then cross to a footpath at the beginning of a driveway. The path runs through meadows beside Shrawley Brook, then along a woodland edge before bearing left to enter another wood at an unnecessarily high stile with a wobbly step.

Continue beside the brook, ignoring another path which branches left. The path soon climbs to a junction, where you turn left to Holt Mill. Keep straight on past the mill, walking through more woodland.

The path soon emerges from the wood to run along a field edge, with a poplar plantation on the left. When you reach a group of silver birches at the bottom of a slope, take an unsigned path leading into woodland. A few paces further on, a waymark by a large oak tree offers reassurance that you're on the right path.

Continue through plantation and woodland to arrive at an unsigned junction. Turn left and cross Shrawley Brook at a substantial new footbridge. Turn right to continue in the same direction as before, now walking through meadows on the other side of the brook.

When you come to an open gateway, fork right to stay close to the brook. You'll soon reach another junction where a waymark seems to indicate another right fork. In fact, you continue straight on, climbing uphill.

At the top of the slope, proceed along a field edge until you come to a stile. Cross this to join a narrow, eroded path running along a wooded slope above the brook. Ignore a gate on the left when the path meets a track and keep straight on, to the right of the fence. The narrow path soon joins a wider one, which continues through the wood.

Cross Shrawley Brook when you come to a footbridge and proceed a few more metres to an unmarked junction. Look for an open gate, almost lost in vegetation. Walk past the gate into a field and go up the left-hand edge to a waymarked post at a fence corner.

Turn right and walk across the field to a hedge corner. Turn left beside the hedge to a pool then turn right into another field. Keep straight on for 50m to the crest of a rise then go diagonally left to the far corner, near Hazelhurst Farm.

Briefly join a track then go into a field and head for the far corner, as indicated by a waymark. Turn right along a lane to St Mary's Church at Shrawley.

A little way beyond the church, just before the lane bends left, you'll find two paths indicated on the right. Take the first one, walking along the left-hand edge of a field then diagonally right down the next field to a small metal gate near a tall oak tree.

Descend through woodland, then go up to a junction in a field and continue in much the same direction. The waymarking implies that you keep to the right of a hedge, but the OS map shows the path to the left of it at first, crossing to the right at a gap further along. In practical terms, there is a path on the left of the hedge, but not on the right.

Soon after passing a pylon, you'll reach another gap where you must cross to the left side of the hedge if you're not there already. The right of way now cuts across a field corner but it is invariably ploughed up, so most walkers continue beside the hedge, turning left in the corner.

Cross the next stile and go diagonally left across sheep pasture to the B4196. Turn right beside the road to return to the path which you used earlier. Retrace your steps through the garden, along the cliff-top and past the Millennium Green to Holt Heath.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.