Walk 1 - Great Malvern - The Worcestershire Beacon

Map - O.S. Explorer 190 (Malvern Hills and Bredon Hill)

Suitable for - All ages/families

Duration - 2 hours (more if you like!)

Start - Wyche Cutting car parks, Grid ref. SO768437 (click here for start point map)

Refreshments - None on the Hills, but pub and cafe at Wyche cutting.

This walk is a great one for families or anyone in a state of fitness that enables you to climb a flight of stairs! It requires no map as the path is wide, obvious and solid underfoot, although the one mentioned above is useful if you wish to explore further. Pushchairs or wheelchairs are no problem. Start from the Wyche Cutting car parks, which can be found quite easily by following the road through Malvern.

If travelling from Worcester, simply keep to the main road through Great Malvern until signs for The Wyche and Colwall are seen, forking right off the road to ascend to Wyche Cutting. (Back to Walk 2) The cutting is at a height of 856 feet and is the site of one of the old passes over the hills on the route of an ancient saltway form the river Severn at The Rhydd into Herefordshire by way of  The Purlieu and is at grid reference 769437 for those with maps. The existing roadway cutting was made about 1840.

If driving from Worcester it will be noticed that as you pass through the cutting it is the boundary between Worcestershire and Herefordshire. As the road bends left after the cutting, turn sharp right and uphill to get to the car parks (small fee charged). If the upper car park is gained, the walk is started a good way up the hills, saving some puff! If coming from  the Ledbury side, take the turning signposted Colwall and after going through Colwall  village continue uphill until the cutting is reached. It's fairly obvious - if you start going downhill, you've gone too far!

(NB - since the 2007 summer floods the road through Colwall has been restricted due to a problem with a bridge - it may therefore be easier for now to follow the road to British Camp then turn left at that point and carry along the road until Wyche Cutting is reached.)

On leaving the car, simply head upwards following the obvious, broad metalled path as it climbs uphill towards your first milepost, which is a round stone marker giving directions to various parts of the Hills (Pic.1). Go straight past, continuing uphill and following the main path, which is unmistakable.

From here it is merely a case of heading upwards until you reach the top, which should take about twenty minutes to half an hour. Pause along the way to admire the view, which at all points is extensive and rewarding. There are plenty of handy benches to have a break if necessary!

Bear in mind when you see the paths shown in Pic . 2 that the right-hand path is best for push- or wheelchairs and comes within feet of the summit. The green path to the left - only just visible in the photo but very obvious when you're there - tends towards the Western side of the hills and the view is enthralling, England at its very best. I've always thought of this view as 'Rupert Country' - for those of you who remember the Daily Express bear and Nutwood! Just pause for a moment - this landscape has not changed in  many, many years. Church spires peep out of  belts of trees, the hills roll away into lush farmland, woodsmoke curls into the air  and the quiet is almost something you can touch. That alone is worth the walk! The views extend in the West towards the Welsh hills and North towards the Clee Hills and beyond, fifty miles or more on a clear Winter's day.

Pic. 1

Pic. 2

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Coming back down (Pic. 4) is always easier and you should look out for the Herefordshire Beacon, also known as British Camp, directly to your South. This is an Iron Age hill fort, well preserved and well worth visiting. For this walk, however, merely retrace your steps to return to Wyche Cutting, secure in the knowledge that you've visited the highest point in Hereford,  Worcester or the Malvern Hills at 1394 feet and seen one of the best views in all England. Make your way home safely - and come back soon - I've plenty more to share with you.

Walk 2.  Walk 3.  Walk 4.  Walk 5.  Walk 6.  Walk 7.  Walk 8.  Walk 9.  Walk 10. Walk 11. Walk 12 Walk 13 Walk 14 Walk 15

Have you reached the top yet? No? Well, when you do you will find the ubiquitous Ordnance Survey 'Trig' point, as well as a superb topograph pointing to places far and wide. Pic. 3 shows a view to the South from the summit. It is usually a breezy spot but step just a few feet down off the ridge and you will find that the wind drops away and if summer is reigning no better spot could be found for a picnic or just a doze on the grass.............

A Winter View!

Pic. 3

Pic. 4