The Malvern Hills

The Malvern Hills rise like a dragon’s back from the flat Severn plain — a nine-mile ridge of some of the most ancient rock in Britain, around 700 million years old, straddling the Worcestershire–Herefordshire border. Walkable end to end in a day, blessed with pure spring water and 60-mile views, they inspired Elgar’s greatest music and remain one of England’s most rewarding — and easiest — hill-walking destinations. Best of all, the hills are free to roam.

Beacons and British Camp

The two great summits bookend the range. Worcestershire Beacon (425m), above Great Malvern, is the highest point, with a 360-degree panorama taking in the Cotswolds, the Severn Valley and, on clear days, the Welsh mountains. To the south, the Herefordshire Beacon is crowned by British Camp, a spectacular Iron Age hill fort whose 2,000-year-old ramparts still ripple down the hillside — one of the finest earthworks in Britain, and an easy climb from the car park on the A449.

Water, Wells and Walks

Victorian Malvern boomed as a spa town on the purity of its famous water — Charles Darwin and Florence Nightingale came to take the cure — and you can still drink free from springs like St Ann’s Well, where a lovely café sits on the hillside path above Great Malvern. Paths criss-cross the whole range, from gentle contouring strolls to the full nine-mile ridge walk, with welcoming cafés and pubs dotted along the western flanks. Dogs are welcome (on leads near the grazing livestock), and every route ends with a view.

Visiting the Malvern Hills

Great Malvern, with its grand priory and railway station, is the natural base — the hills start right behind the town — while pay-and-display car parks at British Camp, the Wyche Cutting and North Quarry open up the ridge (fees help maintain the hills). Sturdy shoes and a windproof layer are wise whatever the forecast. On the Herefordshire side, Eastnor Castle sits prettily beneath the southern hills, and back in town car fans can tour the Morgan car factory, where sports cars are still built by hand under the hills.

Where to stay:   Holiday Cottages  •  Hotels