The Marlbank Inn at Welland - Walking on the Malvern Hills

Walking around Malvern

If you look across the road from the Marlbank Inn car park there is a finger post indicating a footpath heading south across the fields. This will lead - rather indirectly - to Castlemorton Common (the path can be followed using the OS Explorer 190 Malvern Hills and Bredon Hill map), from the common there are several points of access up on to the hills. Perhaps one of the best places to start is with the disused and flooded quarry at the Gullet 762380. Although it doesn't sound too prepossessing the old quarry is quite spectacular with a steep cliff face and its population of jackdaws. There is a noticeboard there giving information about the workings. Don't let the beauty lull you into forgetting that the deep water of the lake is spring-fed and very cold even in the warmest of summers, swimming is forbidden.

Walking on up to the left of the quarry you come to a crossing of paths. Left is to Midsummer Hill and Hollybush, straight on into the Eastnor Castle estate and the Obelisk, right is Hangman's Hill, Broad Down, the British Camp on the Herefordshire Beacon and on to the northern end of the hills. Walking steadily from the Marlbank Inn I reached the top of Midsummer Hill in around 90 minutes. There I watched ravens performing astonishing aerobatics in the breeze - I think the wind always blows on the top of the Malverns - and took in the breathtaking all-round views. All of the hills provide great views: west towards Wales, east over the Severn plain towards Bredon and south west to the Cotswold escarpment. They are well worth the walk.

In general the paths over the Malverns are well-trodden and well-maintained, but some of them are steep, and slippery if wet. There is negligible cover on the hill-tops and even on warm days they can be surprisingly cool in the seemingly perpetual breeze. Watching storms approach across the surrounding counties is exciting but when they catch you out they are not pleasant. The point I'm making is that although you may not be far from your car you should bear in mind the conditions before venturing up the hills and dress accordingly.