Kidderminster to Debdale Lock: Wolverley canal towpath walk

A canal walk from Kidderminster to Debdale Lock near Cookley, returning along the same towpath. Start at the council pay-and-display St Mary's Church car park on Clensmore Street, DY10 2JN. Take the footpath north beside the church grounds, join the Clensmore Street pavement and continue to the small canal footbridge. Cross to the towpath and turn right, heading north.

Follow the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal past the town's northern edge and Springfield Park, with the River Stour nearby. Keep to the towpath as the canal curves through the valley to Wolverley Lock. The Lock Inn and village are useful refreshment options if open. Continue beside the canal through the quieter bends below Cookley to Debdale Lock and Bridge 22. Turn around at the lock and retrace the towpath and the original footbridge to the car park.

Allow about three hours for the 9.4 km return walk. The route is mostly level, with short slopes near bridges and locks. Towpath surfaces vary and rural sections can be muddy after rain; wear shoes with grip. There are unguarded water edges and shared sections used by cyclists. Keep children close and dogs under control, and use the pavement on the short Clensmore Street approach. This route finishes before Cookley Tunnel.

Parking is public long stay and charged. Check the machine for the current tariff and buy enough time for the return journey. Check Canal & River Trust towpath notices before setting out and follow any local closure signs. Route checked against Worcestershire County Council's Wyre Forest walking and cycling map and its Kidderminster-to-Cookley recommendation, with Canal & River Trust waterway information.