The Severn Plains stretch out as far as the eye can see. Mists hang suspended over a patchwork quilt of farmland; a vivid concoction of green, yellow and brown fields as the River Severn meanders back and forth. Away in the distance, the gentle lye of the land is disrupted by a violent moment in Earth’s ancient history, springing up a series of steep hills that keep watch over this beautiful rural landscape.
Here is your Malvern Hills travel guide; the jewel in Worcestershire’s crown.
Located just off the M5 motorway, the Victorian spa town of Malvern lies at the foot of these ancient hills, home to 12,000 residents with all the hustle and bustle of a thriving tourist attraction.
Rich in history, the town originally developed around an 11th-century priory before becoming known for Holy Well, a popular 18th-century hillspring that is now the site of what is believed to be the world’s oldest bottling plant. From Malvern Theatres and the Three Counties Showground to the Upton Blues Festival, there’s plenty of wonderful memories to be made for any traveller passing this way.
Home to Worcestershire’s highest point – the Worcestershire Beacon – at 425 metres high, the Malvern Hills offer superb views of both the county’s stunning farmland and Herefordshire’s rolling woods.
Far ahead in the distance, the Cotswolds shimmer gently under the September sun – amidst the dying embers of summer – while in the other direction, Welsh hills line the horizon, providing a longing for an adventure akin to the Lord of the Rings.
Malvern can be easily accessed by car, with it being located just off of the M5 motorway.
I recommend parking at Lower Beacon Road Car Park (Beacon Road, WR14 4EQ) or Plateau Car Park (Jubilee Drive, WR13 6PL) where parking is £4.60 for the day. All proceeds go towards caring for and maintaining this stunning Area of Natural Beauty, so it’s well worth the money.
Both offer a nice halfway point from where you can walk either way along the hills. All proceeds go towards caring for and maintaining this stunning Area of Natural Beauty, so it’s well worth the money.
Plus, both car parks are within walking distance of the Wyche Inn for a well-deserved rest (and some lovely local ales and ciders if that takes your fancy).
Malvern has two train stations, Malvern Link and Great Malvern. Of the two, it is Great Malvern Railway Station that is nearest to Upper Wyche, at just seven minutes away via taxi.
Alternatively, you can go to Colwall train station, where it is either four minutes via taxi or a 30 minute walk. Direct trains run to Malvern from Birmingham and London.
I’ve never taken the bus within Malvern, but having researched I’ve found that several bus services run across the hills, including connections to Malvern and Ledbury train stations respectively.
Hit the Search Bus Timetable button below for more information.
Ironic then, that the Malvern Hills has a distinct connection with legendary author J.R.R Tolkien. The writer, who often walked the hills with fellow literary legend C.S Lewis and George Sayer (Head of English at Malvern College), was said to have acknowledged that the White Mountains, the range that lined the border between the Kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor, were inspired by the Malvern Hills.
Lord of the Rings fans can enjoy a drink at The Unicorn, a local Malvern pub where Tolkien and company spent time.
Designated an Area of Natural Beauty in 1959 that covers 105 square kilometres, the hills stretch for 9.3 miles from end-to-end (which can be done via a fabulous walk here). They are a prominent feature of this ancient landscape, with evidence of human settlement stretching back to the Iron Age.
As well as stunning views of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Wales afar, walkers can discover two large hillforts that evoke imagination of a long-gone past – Midsummer Hill, an Iron Age hillfort owned by the National Trust – and British Camp, one of the best examples of a hillfort in the entire United Kingdom.
Thought to date back over 3,500 years before the arrival of the Romans, historians believe British Camp was occupied by a hill tribe of over 4,000 people. Imagine how hardy those people must have been, enduring what no doubt must have been challenging conditions on that hilltop. That said, I wouldn’t mind waking up to the views every morning, would you?
Do you want to walk the Malvern Hills but don’t fancy the idea of a 9.3 mile hike from end-to-end? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of places along the length of the hills where you can park and enjoy the views, without having to walk the entire range.
Having parked at Lower Beacon Road Car Park or Plateau Car Park in Upper Wyche, at the top of the hill where Wyche Road meets the West Malvern and Beacon Roads respectively, you’ll find a public toilet with a path to the left of it heading uphill. This short ascent leads you up onto Perseverance Hill (a name made to mock any breathless hiker if I ever heard one!), where you can continue to follow the well-worn footpaths over Jubilee Hill, Pinnacle Hill and Black Hill, eventually reaching the ancient iron-age British Camp Hill Fort.
Clocking in at a distance of 5.8 miles (there and back) it’s a fantastic walk that can be steadily enjoyed over the course of the day, with numerous stops to enjoy the stunning views and have a picnic. Of course, you can tailor the length of the walk according to your needs.
If you’ve still got a bit of energy in your legs by the time you’ve finished, why not check out Old Wyche Road, the second steepest residential road in the UK?
Whether you’re with your partner, taking the family or simply in need of some time alone, the Malvern Hills offer a fantastic escape from reality. Surveying the surrounding ancient lands, they offer a fantastic place to reflect, watching the world around go on as humans have from these heights for thousands of years.
The views might have changed since then, but the human connection to this area of natural beauty remains as strong as ever. Enjoy.
Read more… Autumnal Colour: The Four Falls Trail
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