River Arrow

The River Arrow winds through the English Midlands as a tributary of the River Avon. It begins on Beacon Hill in the Lickey Hills Country Park in northern Worcestershire and flows southeastwards through villages and countryside. The river passes Cofton Hackett and feeds Lower Bittell Reservoir before reaching Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch. It continues through Studley and Spernall, skirts past Coughton Court, a National Trust property, and crosses a minor road at Coughton Fields Lane. The Arrow is worth the journey for its varied landscapes and historical touches. In 1998 and again in July 2007 it flooded parts of Alcester, damaging homes and roads. The river’s largest tributary, the River Alne, joins it near Alcester. Near Arrow village the river still turns the waterwheel at the converted Arrow Mill. The waterway finally meets the River Avon at Marriage Hill, close to the boundary between Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Visitors find gentle countryside paths and riverside meadows along the Arrow. At Arrow Mill the old wheel still turns, showing how water once powered industry. The river meadows at Studley offer open views and quiet walks. Coughton Court stands nearby with its historic house and grounds. The Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch provides a green space for picnics and short strolls.