Worcestershire

and into adjacent counties!

Malvern
The stretch of Malvern Hills between North Hill and the Herefordshire Beacon (British Camp), taking in the Worcestershire Beacon (425m) and several lesser heights is excellent walking country. Paths are clear and rarely muddy, and provide extensive views east over the South Midlands and west towards Wales depending on which side of the spine you are at any given point. Ascents are steep enough in places to remind one of the need for exercise, but not so severe as to be alarming. Descents soon return one to the vicinity of a pub and other advantages of civilisation. Indeed several years after my first visit I still tramp familiar and less-familiar paths over and around them as many months as I don't; the Worcestershire Beacon is likely to remain my most frequently climbed hill for many years to come even if I were to halt visits now.

I report here on just one of my Malvern Hill walks here, and a contrasting one in the Severn plain, which being little above sea-level means that the Beacon stands out more clearly from the plain than higher points do in generally higher country such as the Roaches (505m) in its area near Leek.


Sat 4th Jul 2009: Great Malvern - Ledbury via the Beacons and Eastnor
Distance: 11m, Climb: 2020 ft
The initial part of this walk is very familiar to me - climbing from Great Malvern station through the town up happy Valley and thence to the Worcestershire Beacon, down to Upper Wyche, then up and over Perseverence, Jubilee and Pinnacle Hills, and onwards to the fort on Herefordshire Beacon. Descending south-west from this Beacon took me into woodland - I was seeking a narrow corridor of trees leading off towards Eastnor. Once in the woods I discovered a mismatch between paths on the ground and those on my map, which coupled with winding nature made it easy to lose my way. Except I had my trusty compass and so easily reached a major meeting of paths that I could identify on the map. It was relatively easy to avoid the really muddy bits (July remember), and the path through the corridor of trees was a delight to follow, being wide yet still sheltering me from the full effects of the sun. Emerging from the trees it was a short gentle descent to Eastnor.
After a bite to eat on a seat in the school playground I followed a lane past the church, turned left and started climbing across fields. Again the map helped as it would be easy to miss the path as it left the corner of one field to pass into the next and instead turn the corner with another path. Descending through more woodland led directly to Ledbury with time for a pint before catching the train back.


Thu 10th Sep 2009: Great Malvern - Upton-on-Severn - Tewkesbury - Ashchurch
Distance: 15m, a couple of small bumps
My map of Malvern shows plenty of footpaths between the hills and the Severn, so I decided it was time to see whether some of these were as good on the ground as the map suggests. My planned walk had three parts: Malvern to Upton on a mixture of north-south paths and east-west roads, Upton to Tewkesbury on the river bank, and then on to Ashchurch by town roads, Ashchurch providing the rail station for Tewkesbury.
The first section was pleasant, the paths being clear and the roads being minor with scant traffic. As a way of visiting Upton it can be commended.
The second section was a disappintment. I decided to meet the river south of Upton by going past Buryend Farm. This proved to be somewhat confusing as there are some caravans there with a high wooden fence apparently barring the way. Closer inspection however revealed an unlabelled door in the fence through which the right of way passes. On reaching the river it soon became apparent that this was no ordinary riverside walk for the banks are not only high - not a bad idea given the river's propensity to flood the plain - but also clothed in sufficient trees and other vegetation that for large sections the river is totally hidden from view. So rather than the river dominating the walk one seems to be trudging along a succession of field edges. You will gather that this is one walk that is not on my repeat list.