Anyone for The Malverns?

Flying this initial post as a kite to gauge interest.

Would any OM-ers within easy reach of the West Midlands fancy joining me and a couple of my walking buddies for an amble along the spine of the Malvern Hills one weekend (either a Saturday or Sunday) in either September or October?

If you are interested, plerase put your name down below (use the 'quote' function as in other meet threads) and state your preferred weekend. We can then decide the date on the weekend that suits the most people.

OK, Paddy, watch this space.

You're right, the ridge is a fine walk of roughly eight miles with a surprising amount of cumulative ascent. When the air is clear the views are very wide and attractive - east over the Severn valley and Worcestershire to the Cotswolds; west right over Herefordshire into mid-Wales.

Skip,

On my doorstep so could well be up for it again -just to have your company that is

the full circular walk is about 18 miles I think

That bastard Skip wrote (see)

Flying this initial post as a kite to gauge interest.

Would any OM-ers within easy reach of the West Midlands fancy joining me and a couple of my walking buddies for an amble along the spine of the Malvern Hills one weekend (either a Saturday or Sunday) in either September or October?

If you are interested, plerase put your name down below (use the 'quote' function as in other meet threads) and state your preferred weekend. We can then decide the date on the weekend that suits the most people.

Hi Skip,

The Malverns aren't too far from me, down here in Wiltshire, and it would be nice to meet up with some of you guys. Being a sad ol' git, my diary is empty for September and October, so any weekend could be fine for me.

I've walked those hills a few times as I used to live near Gloucester / Cheltenham and currently have a brother who lives in Malvern.

All local knowledge gratefully received

What I had in mind was starting at the northern end of the ridge because it's easiest to get to. There's a car park at North Quarry and by public transport the nearest railway station is Malvern Links (near Great Malvern town centre) with trains from Hereford and from Brum.

From the Quarry car park, it's a few minutes uphill to North Hill then on south to Worcester Beacon and the rest of the ridge. It's well under 10 miles to Chase End (the southernmost hill) plus the same back of course. But the walk can easily be shortened, either by turning back before the end and retracing one's steps or by dropping off the hills and catching the bus or train (there's a station at Colwell) back to Great Malvern town centre.

Any suggestions for dates, anyone?

Logistically north-south is easier, but it means you are confronted with Raggedstone Hill right at the end of the walk. It's hardly Tryfan, but is a total pig! South to north you get the horrible hill over with first, and also end up at Malvern, which has caffs and the like

If you're doing it both ways, this is, of course, all academic! BUT bear in mind this is 20 miles and 6000 feet of ascent.

There's a way off the hills to Colwall, which would make a walk of about 8 miles, Colwall is the next station on from Malvern in the direction of Hereford. There's also the possibility of circular walks back to Malvern, taking in St Anne's Well, which has a caff.

 If anyone wanted to overnight, there's camping close to Chase End at the southern end of the hills and, although strictly a bit naughty, opportunities to wild camp in the woods around there too.

I did this a couple of years ago, by camping at Berrow House, Hollybush near the south end of the Hills (also a bunkhouse available). You can then do Chase End and Ragged Stone Hills in the evening, knocking 3 or 4 miles off the round trip.

If planning a linear walk, be aware that the Malvern Hopper bus which enabled you to return (at least on Sundays) has been dropped. Also that there may be parking problems at  the start of the path up Chase End Hill and you may be better using the car parks in Hollybush.

While its an excellent walk, no way is it 3000ft of ascent one way.  My GPS track shows (bottom of Chase Hill to North Malvern CP) shows 560m of ascent (S to N) and and around 400m (N to S). Also you dont have to return along the same route, we chose a route back to the  E of ridge, while there's the old Worcestershire Way route to the W of the ridge. (The W Way used to start in Hollybush, but has now been truncated because  the S end ran through Herefordshire!).

If I were you I'd get your Garmin checked! I've just checked the route on Google Earth and it comes out at 863m (2828 feet) of ascent from N-S. This is a route going up all of the summits, but the most direct route, one which I did last year.

I'll keep an eye on this, travel up from S Wales for this one.  Been on the Malverns before and had a great time.

Just have to wait for a date as I've got a couple of mountain marathon walks on in September and October.

OK, no-one has come up with date suggestions so I will - Sunday 9 September 2012

If you are interested, please sign up in the new Malvern walk thread