The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 10 miles (16.1 km)
Time to walk: There’s no time limit on this one & you’ll see why. This is just a walk that could take you all day. It’s not to be rushed…take a packed lunch & chill
Difficulty: Be in no doubt..this is a hilly walk with many ascents & descents that get steeper along the walk
Dog Friendly?: Lots of off lead opportunities
Parking: This is a linear walk so you need to arrange transport back. There is a small ‘drop-off’ space at the start at Chase End Hill
Public toilets: None
Map of the route:
…split into sections…
What a Walk!!
This would go straight into the Top 10 Walks I’ve ever done in the UK.
But you must do it on a clear day because it’s all about the views. And the other thing you need to remember is it’s a linear walk so you’re going to need a lift back!
The Malvern Hills spread themselves across Worcestershire, Herefordshire & a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside & the towns & villages of the district of Malvern
The highest summit, which we’ll visit, is known as the Worcestershire Beacon & we’ll see a panorama of the Severn Valley, the hills of Herefordshire & the Welsh mountains, parts of thirteen counties, the Bristol Channel, & the cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester & Hereford
They are known for their spring water, initially from holy wells, & later the spa town of Great Malvern, which led to the production of the modern bottled drinking water
And as you can see the Malverns from our own Honey Hill near Cold Ashby…you must be able to see Honey Hill from the Malverns! It’s less than a 2 hour drive from Northampton
I could tell you so much more, but this is all about the walk so…
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts at the southern end of the Malvern Hills at Chase End which is a kind starter. Walk up through the trees & emerge onto your first climb…
It’s not too long until you’ll reach the summit but, already, the views will give you an indication of what’s to come…
2. You can already see the next challenge which is ‘Ragged Stone Hill’…
To come off Chase End walk down the steep path on the left…
3. The path is really steep, but eventually you’ll arrive a gate to pass through…
The path eventually reaches a road. Carefully turn right & then left up beside the cottages
4. Pass through the small gap on the right…
…& then through the gate
5. It’s time now to climb ‘Ragged Stone Hill’ (833 ft)
‘The Shadow of the Ragged Stone Hill’ is a 19th-century novel by Charles F. Grindrod concerning a monk of Little Malvern Priory. He has been made a monk against his will, & his main object in life is to avenge his father’s murder of his mother, a deed incited by false accusations made against his mother by a “wicked knight”
The monk disguises himself in borrowed armour, attends a tournament & there kills the knight. Later, he breaks his vow of chastity by marrying a woman who he has rescued from the advances of a “lascivious knight”, & is then falsely accused of killing her father in a duel
He is condemned to crawl to the summit of Ragged Stone Hill once a day as punishment. When the monk can no longer bear the punishment he curses the hill & anyone on whom the shadow of the hill should fall
The path really skirts to the left of the summit & eventually comes to another gate…
Go through this & then, as the track descends, take the left fork down to the road
6. At the road turn right & then cross over & pass through the gate to start the steep climb up Midsummer Hill…
This is the steepest climb so far, so take your time but. when you get to the top, the views are incredible…
Midsummer Hill is home to one of the most complex & unique Iron Age hill forts in Herefordshire, in that it spans over two hilltops; Midsummer Hill & Hollybush Hill
Exact dates for the earliest occupation of the hill fort are uncertain, however artefacts revealed during the various excavations of the site suggest that the main fort occupation likely took place around 500 BC, with occupation lasting for about 500 years
Within the hill fort, numerous structures have been identified in addition to the banks, terraces, & ditches. Throughout the site, over 400 hut platforms have been identified & excavation of one of these stone hut circles revealed stone flooring, storage pits & evidence of metal working, suggesting they were likely to have been places of residence. Four-post structures have also been identified & are thought to be the remains of storerooms and granaries
Excavations have also revealed a variety of tools & ornaments such as loom-weights, spindle-whorls, whetstones, pottery, & salt-containers making it clear that this was indeed a settlement site & a well-defended one throughout the Iron Age
Hill fort occupation aside, there’s evidence that Midsummer Hill has been through multiple phases of activity, from potentially neolithic to post-medieval times. Traces of early Bronze Age activity such as worked flints, fragments of polished stone axes, & ‘beaker’ pottery have been found throughout the site, the latter dating to the period 2100 to 1800 BC
7. Time to move on & descend towards our next hill…Hangman’s Hill
Bear right at the hard surface
8. Continue along the road to the junction & turn right…
Carry on through the woods until you reach a cattle grid. Immediately after crossing it turn right up the path
9. Walk up the steep hill past a marker…
This is Hangman’s Hill which stands at 906 feet above sea level. The ancient earthwork boundary known as the Shire Ditch crosses the top of the hill. Despite its name, historical evidence does not indicate that gallows or gibbets were ever placed here
The views, of course, are amazing…
10. Continue straight ahead off the hill…
The next hill ahead is Millennium Hill (1073 ft) & the climbs are now starting to get steeper
11. After passing this hill it’s now straight ahead to one of this walk’s most famous hills…British Camp, where there’s a steep climb to the summit
British Camp is an Iron Age hill fort. The fort is thought to have been first constructed in the 2nd century BC. A Norman castle was built on the site
The extensive earthworks remain clearly visible today & determine the shape of the hill which sits at 1109 feet above sea level. British Camp is composed of extensive earthworks that have been compared to a giant wedding cake
There are a number of generally round, hut platforms on British Camp, which may well suggest a permanent occupation. However it is unusual to have two major hill forts within such a short distance. There’s no evidence about whether the coming of the Romans ended the prehistoric use of British Camp, but folklore states that the ancient British chieftain Caratacus made his last stand here. This is unlikely, according to the description of the Roman historian Tacitus who implies a site closer to the river Severn
12. Continue off the hill along the well-marked track…& then, as the path becomes steps, walk down & exit through the gate onto the road…
This is a great place to stop for lunch & there’s a cafe & hotel over the road. To continue the walk keep ahead over the crossroads & take the track going upwards on the right
Follow the track around the back of the house & ahead’s the next steeper challenge…Black Hill
13. Black Hill is in the middle of the range & has twin summits. The north top reaches 1010 feet above sea level, while the south top is at 840 feet
15. Ahead now you’ll see your final destination & it’s a big climb…Worcestershire Beacon standing at 1394 feet, the highest point in Worcestershire
The name Beacon comes from the use of the hill as a signalling beacon. Lord Macaulay included the Beacon in his poem’Armada’, which describes the chain of warning fires which were lit when the Spanish Armada attempted to invade England in 1588
“And on, and on, without a pause, untired they bounded still
All night from tower to tower they sprang; they sprang from hill to hill
Till the proud Peak unfurled the flag o’er Darwin’s rocky dales
Till like volcanoes flared to heaven the stormy hills of Wales,
Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Malvern’s lonely height,Till streamed in crimson on the wind the Wrekin’s crest of light.”
Walk down the hill & emerge onto the road, where there’s usually an ice-cream van. Bear diagonally right up the hill & start to climb
16. You’ll reach a point where the path splits in two. The left one is slightly steeper, but they both reach the summit…
And suddenly…there you are at the Trig Point which marks the end of this wonderful walk
17. The Beacon affords an extensive panoramic view that includes the Lickey Hills near Redditch, the Wrekin & past Birmingham to Cannock Chase, as well as much of Herefordshire & Gloucestershire, the Welsh border mountains, the Shropshire Hills & across the valleys of the Severn & Avon to the Cotswold Hills
Parts of thirteen counties, the Bristol Channel, & the cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester & Hereford can be seen, including our own Northamptonshire Honey Hill at Cold Ashby some 59 miles away as the crow flies
18. There are several paths that will take you off the summit down into beautiful Great Malvern. I decided to keep on the ridge to North Hill, the last in the chain…
This is a lovely path that descends &, upon reaching North Hill just choose one of the many paths leading down into the town
Well…what a walk &, if you think the Malverns ‘end to end’ is a ridge walk then think again! If you want a hilly walk then you’ll get one
The best piece of advice I can give you is do it last minute when the weather forecast says it’s going to be a clear, sunny day
Like I said…this is one of the best walks in England I’ve done so…
Go Walk!!