JOHN MERRILL'S MALVERN HILLS CHALLENGE WALK - 20 MILES, 25 summits!
ABOUT THE WALK & MY STORY -
I first became aware of these magnificent hills when a friend of mine married the curator of Elgar's Birthplace at Broadheath. They were married in Malvern and I turned up with my rucksack and shorts, as I was en route for walking the S.W. Peninsula path. The following year I left Land’s End on a 2,000 mile walk linking together all the National Parks, long distant paths, and climbing all the mountains over 2,000 feet. Having walked up the Cotswold Way, I headed for the Malvern Hills and walked them end to end before heading on to the Black Mountains. The compelling views from the hills never left me and I longed to be back; I never realised how long it would be - 15 years!
My plan was simple to walk the hills from end to end, starting at the lowest. I devised a circular route so that I would walk underneath them to Chase End and after North Hill descend and return to my start. I chose Wyche beside Malvern Common, a there was parking, a Youth Hostel, and places to stay close by. I completed the walk in 8 hours comfortably - 20 miles and more than 3,300 feet of ascent. No rush I wanted to explore the area and soak in the views from the summits - 25 in all.
The walk is an ideal member of my challenge walk series - not as long as some - but equally fitting the criterion of being a good days walk and a challenge to complete in 12 hours. The first part is along paths and tracks to Little Malvern, followed by more tracks and lane walking to reach the southern end of the hills - Chase End. This is you warm up period! The next 9 miles are along paths mostly hugging the crest of the hills as you ascend and descend to British Camp, Herefordshire Beacon, Worcestershire Beacon and North Hill - the athletic section. Here you descend and weave your way back on paths and lanes to Malvern Common - your cool down period.
The walk along the hills is the finest ridge walk in England and given good weather the 360 degree view is unsurpassed - absorb it to the full. There is an inn - Malvern Hills Hotel - and a cafe after British Camp and if you start before 9.0a.m. you should make it for lunch! Have a good walk and let me know how you get on!
2019 Update - 28 years later! I was back in the Malvern's to rewalk the route. It has changed, with the Youth Hostel no longer there at Wyche. So I decided to start from Malvern Links Rail Station, which has car parks closeby and basically retrace my steps to Chase End. Whilst the southern half of the England was dull, rainy and cloudy, the Malvern's were in warm sun, blue sky and I got my legs tanned! The paths were wider than I remembered over the hills and there was the option of adding The Obelisk on a summit before Peacock Villa. Also little over halfway there is a campsite, B & B and Bunkhouse at Hollybush - Berrow House, which would enable you to do the walk over a weekend. Once again the views were extensive and impressive and I enjoyed walking the ridge again.
Enjoy your walk along this fine ridge of hills and get the new colourful “summiteer” badge!. Since 1991 several hundred people have followed in my footsteps
A5. Placed in a plastic wrap around xover and signed by John Merrill.
Succesful walkers can obtains a speical embroidered cloth badge and signed certificate.
All walkers added to Walkers Roll of Honour page.