HEREFORDSHIRE/WORCS the MALVERN HILLS
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HEREFORDSHIRE/WORCS SHROpSHIRE 09 tHE MALVERN HILLS 10 tHE StIpERStoNES MIDLANDS uDistance: 10 miles/16.2km (+ ½ mile for option 2) W N A MIDLANDS uTime: 5½ hours uGrade: Challenging S E B uDistance: 7 miles/11.5km uTime: 5 hours uGrade: Moderate heading north from Pal N your walk t he Devil’s Chair, with Pal N your walk Worcestershire beacon. Corndon hill in the distance. Photo: Photo: rogerbutler tom bailey tom route route Start/parking Option 1: Start/parking Car park park at Tank Quarry car near The Bog Visitor park, grid ref SO768470 Centre, SY5 0NG, & take taxi or second car grid ref SO357978 to Bromesberrow Estate Is it for me? Well- Chosen by... ¾ mile/1.2km parking area, grid ref Chosen by… to Purple’, heather has now established moorland Nick Hallissey 2Turn R and follow road R. SO756349 Option 2: Stay roger butler replaced dark forestry – come paths (some quite rocky); Fancy going end-to- Turn L onto branching track at Cowleigh park Farm There’s something in late summer and you will plus field and forest paths end along the iconic after 80m. As track bends sharp (www.cowleighparkfarm. special about the appreciate the rich colours. Stiles 3 co.uk, grid ref SO766476) Malvern ridge? This is an epic, L, locate path L which ascends Stiperstones. This rocky The western slopes of the which means no retracing PlaNNiNg challenging crossing of all the through woods to Ragged skyline to the west of the Long Stiperstones are home to steps. You still need to get Nearest town Shrewsbury main hills of the range from Stone Hill summit. On far side, to Bromesberrow parking Mynd is quite different from some fascinating industrial Refreshments The Bog south to north. The geography continue N. Where paths split, area to start – farm owners the rest of Shropshire’s ‘blue archaeology. The old lead Visitor Centre (Apr-Oct); makes logistics a pain (see take R fork and continue down may help with transport remembered hills’ and, from miners dug deep tunnels to pub in Stiperstones village right) but it’s surely one of through woods to reach track Is it for me? A lot of ups & a distance, the outcrops along reach the ore and their public toilets At start downs, exposed summits. the greatest full-day walks Turn R and through kissing-gate the crest of the ridge resemble smallholdings on the hills public transport Nearest Few options for shortening. stations Shrewsbury and onto road. Turn R and continue in England, with spectacular Navigation skills required the tors you might expect to are now marked by some of Church Stretton. Bus views from start to finish. to brow of hill. Cross road and Stiles None see in the West Country. But, oldest holly trees in Europe. operates on summer turn L, through parking area. up close, these are formed The views stretch in every weekends. www. Start Through gate and climb bank. PlaNNiNg from rough jagged quartzite direction, but keep an eye shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk 1Exit layby to NE, on footpath Continue uphill to summit Nearest town Great Malvern which offers short entertaining for the ghost of a Saxon earl, Maps OS Explorer 217; signed Chase End Hill. Where Midsummer Hill. Refreshments Wynds scrambles. This walk explores Wild Edric, who rides here Landranger 137 point & Wyche Cutting. path splits, keep R. Path veers public toilets As above some of the best features and whenever England is L and climbs to trig on Chase 2 miles/3.3km public transport None to includes a visit to the rock threatened with invasion. (permissive path) at first bend. End Hill. Take L-hand path from 3Descend on far side, start; taxi/cars required known as the Devil’s Chair, Walk up field edge to next summit down through woods to ignoring paths and veering Maps OS Explorer 190, as well as newly-restored Start gate, go straight over to farm track. Follow track down past L to reach farm track. Turn R.At Landranger 150 moorland to the south. Here, 1Turn R on lane from car park gate and join bridleway with cottage to Whiteleaved Oak. junction before Peacock Villa, ➥ through a project called ‘Back and go through small gate on L grassy path between fences. ➥ GRADIENT PROFILE GRADIENT PROFILE 600 600 400 400 200 200 metres metres 0 0 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 ✁ MIDLANDS MIDLANDS SHROpSHIRE february 2019 HEREFORDSHIRE/WORCS february 2019 10 tHE StIpERStoNES 09 tHE MALVERN HILLS uOS Explorer map 217 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map 190 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop Continue to 6-bar gate by turn R on lane. Pass quarry and fINISH 2 boundary of National Nature after 300m turn sharp L on track. 3 Reserve and walk ahead on Follow for 160m then branch L fINISH 1 path through heather to next on path climbing to ridgeline. 7 gate. Follow grass track ahead 2 Turn R and cross summit of e Survey. Media 001/19 e Survey. e Survey. Media 001/19 e Survey. C to another gate and continue C Swinyard Hill. Descend far side 4 as track bends L. Cross track to junction of paths. Continue 6 rdnan ahead, signed Giant’s Cave & rdnan below small buried reservoir o o and after 200m take gate on L. 19 British Camp. At fork, continue 19 Veer R and cross field to stile in ahead. Pass Giant’s Cave and Date Date Date yright 20 gorse bushes. Go L, with copse yright 20 reach ridgeline. Turn L, go P P o o C on L, and walk downhill on through gate and continue over C path. Go through wood and W Millennium Hill, before climbing W alke continue steeply down to stile. alke to Herefordshire Beacon summit. ©Crown ©Crown ©Crown 1½ miles/2.5km StARt 1 D 4⅔ miles/7.3km D 3 2Don’t go over but turn R 4Descend on far side and 5 along fence – path through 4 follow path. At bottom, go trees becomes distinct and through gate and cross road at swings down to farm buildings. Wynds Point. Take road L off time t Cross stile and walk up to next time t main road (N), passing hotel R. track. Turn R for 350m to gate Two paths branch R after pub; leading to Open Access land. take R-hand high path, skirting 2 Continue uphill and bend L at aken R of parkland to ridgeline. Turn aken trees next to ruined building. L and follow path over Black 5 At top of hill, with a drop into Hill, Pinnacle Hill, Jubilee Hill & 1 StARt Mytton Dingle, turn L to walk Perseverance Hill. Down steps out along crest of Green Hill. 5 miles/8km field, to L of cottage, and keep to reach road at Wyche Cutting. 4Go across, through gate, ahead to gate in plantation. 9⅓ miles/15km Farm): Descend far side of 2¾ miles/4.25km and walk up field along line of Walk through trees and then 7¼ miles/11.5km 6Descend far side. Where End Hill to track. Turn R down 3Retrace steps and take hedge to stile on L of forestry. keep ahead on stony track, 5Cross road and continue path splits, take L fork and to road. Cross, turn L for 20m, track rising ahead and continue Go through trees to gate and through conifers, for 900m. ahead, branching R up Beacon descend to track. Turn L, then before turning R down steps your rating your your rating your to T-junction. Turn R on track cross track; go through another Meet paths around Road. Through parking area take 2nd footpath R, down to to road. Turn R, follow for 45m, and keep ahead for 750m, gate, with path ahead across old mining reservoir and and continue on higher track, head of mini-valley. Ascend far then take footpath L on steps crossing a couple of tracks, open moorland with Nipstone cross lane to car park. (R) Upper Beacon Road. Pass side, veering R to ridgeline. to road. Cross and continue to join rocky path along main Rock on R. Go through gate at car park R and continue on Reaching main path, turn R up access track to farm. Stiperstones ridge. Pass fence and continue downhill, path up to Worcestershire to reach summit of End Hill. outcrop known as Devil’s Chair towards lane. Leave path and Beacon summit. Descend on © Country © Country V iew tHe walk oN © Country V iew tHe walk oN and continue to the high point climb boulders to enjoy the OS MaPs oNliNe: far side, keeping to higher of 9¾ miles/15.6km OS MaPs oNliNe: at Manstone Rock, with trig view from the top of outcrop. lfto.com/cwroutes paths. Descend to crossroads 7Option 1 (to Tank Quarry lfto.com/cwroutes w w point accessible by climbing to alking F of paths and continue ahead to car park): Retrace steps to alking F top. Walk ahead for 370m and 6 miles/9.75km I N ASSOCIATION WITH climb Sugar Loaf Hill, then on head of mini-valley. At I N ASSOCIATION WITH ebruary 2019 fork R at cairn on path through 5Return to path, cross lane ebruary 2019 ridgeline to Table Hill summit. crossroads of paths, turn L and heather, past Cranberry Rock. via two gates and go R over Branch sharp R to continue follow valley down to car park.