Wednesday, 6th July 2016
| Walk: | St Ann's Well, North Hill, Table Hill, Sugarloaf Hill, Worcestershire Beacon, Summer Hill, Pereseverance Hill, Jubilee Hill, Pinnacle Hill, Black Hill, Herefordshire Beacon, British Camp, Milennium Hill, Three Choirs Way | ||
| Start Point: | Great Malvern Priory | Grid Reference: | SO 776 458 |
| Distance: | 9 miles | Ascent: | 2,330 feet |
| Time: | 5 hours | ||
| Weather: | Sunny with cloud developing in the afternoon | ||
| Comments: | Leaving the car at British Camp car park we walked to Little Malvern Priory to catch the bus into Great Malvern. After heading past St Ann's Well to North Hill we made our way along the range of ancient rocks. Eventually droppng down to the British Camp car park we climbed again to the Herefordshire Beacon aka British Camp, an Iron Age Hill Fort. which was later re-modelled by the Normans into a motte-and-bailey castle. The extensive earthworks remain clear today. | ||
Little Malvern Priory Church . . .
was founded as a Benedictine Monastery . . .
and restored in 1480 by John Alcock
The hatchments on the walls are the coats-of-arms . . .
of the different families at the Court
Another sits below the organ pipes . . .
above the entrance
Alcock's East Window is one of the finest examples of
late medieval English stained glass and contains one of
the few contemporary depictions of Edward V
By the end of the last war the church was in need of urgent repair.
The Society of Friends of the Priory was formed in 1954 and much work
has been carried out to repair and maintain the Priory
Malvern Priory Church dates back to the 11th century
Looking toward the impressive East window, the largest in any parish church in England
In the entrance to the Priory
The Enigma Fountain celebrates 3 themes: Sir Edward Elgar the world famous
composer, his music 'The Enigma Variations', and Malvern's pure spring water.
A local resident, Elgar was inspired by the Malvern Hills and
coutryside and loved walking beside nearby rivers and streams.
The Enigma Variatios were written here in 1898 when he was forty.
Belle Vue Terrace
Rose Bank Garden . . .
with its fairly recent addition . . .
has great views to the Priory and the countryside beyond
The gas lamp supposedly inspired CS Lewis to write 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'
During the early 20th century, the now-defunct Burrows company bottled and sold Malvern Water from this source under the
"St Ann's Well" brand.
Just testing!
North Hill looking towards the Worcestershire Beacon
Taking advantage of the shade
A busy spot . . .
but we manage a couple of shots . . .
to commemorate this summit . . .
and nearly get one on my own!
Perfect weather for paragliding
The Hills divide the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire with
the rolling hills and fields of Herefordshire to the west . . .
and the flatter plains of the Severn Valley to the east.
Climbing towards British Camp we soon have views . . .
back along the ridge . . .
with the Worcestershire Beacon being the second summit from the left
Tinker's Hill Reservoir with Little Malvern Priory in the trees