Littleton-upon-Severn is a small hamlet in South Gloucestershire three miles south of the market town of Thornbury. The village was laid out by King John in the 12th century for hunting wild boar and deer at a time when the Severn Vale would have been covered with forest. Today there are 60 houses and 150 residents.

The village has a church, a village hall and a popular 17th century family-run pub called The White Hart. Originally a farmhouse it still retains many original historic features.

The village lies close to the picturesque Severn Way, a 210-mile path that follows the river from it source at Plynlimon in the mountains of Wales to its mouth in the Severn Estuary.

Littleton is home to the Brick Pits, an artificial lagoon that was once the site of clay extraction for brick making. The Avon Wildlife Trust has reintroduced reed beds at the site and the reserve is now an important spot for migrating birds to feed and rest. It provides a breeding ground for reed and sedge warblers and reed buntings. In early autumn a variety of other migrant birds such as blackcaps, chiffchaffs, willow warblers and whitethroats visit the reserve.

Don’t miss

• The best time to see migrating birds at the Brick Pits is when they arrive in the spring, and when they leave towards the end of the summer
• The long and short AFL walking routes, with a stop at The White Hart for refreshments