15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills
Discover the very best of the Malvern Hills through 15 short walks designed for a mix of ages and abilities. Whether you’re planning a family outing, a gentle half‑day adventure, or a scenic break in one of England’s most iconic landscapes, this guidebook gives you everything you need to explore with confidence.
The Malvern Hills are famous for their ancient forts, historic wells, wildflower meadows, apple orchards and sweeping views across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and beyond. This curated collection of routes between 2.5 and 7.5km (1.5-5miles) long showcases the best of the area — including Worcestershire Beacon, Great Malvern Priory, British Camp (Herefordshire Beacon), Black Hill, Eastnor Obelisk, St Wulstan’s Nature Reserve, Holy Well and more.
Designed for new walkers, casual strollers, families, and anyone who wants to enjoy the Malvern Hills without tackling long walks, this guidebook offers short routes with straightforward navigation, all of which take under three hours. It’s part of Cicerone’s trusted Short Walks series — practical, reliable, and ideal for discovering the best of the British countryside at your own pace.
The book includes routes starting from Great Malvern, West Malvern, Colwall and other welcoming towns and villages as well as Malvern Hills Trust car parks, with suggestions for cafés, pubs, and local highlights along the way. GPX files are also available from Cicerone’s website for digital navigation.
Each walk includes:
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Clear Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping with routes highlighted
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Step‑by‑step directions tied to numbered map points
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Parking, facilities, terrain notes, and public transport options
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Full‑colour photographs capturing the character of each walk
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Time, distance, ascent, and start‑point postcodes for easy planning.
Inside you'll find:
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15 walks up to 3 hours long, spread across the Malvern Hills area.
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Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping, with a link to detailed GPX files that can be used on your phone.
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A route summary table and map to help with planning.
This book is perfect for:
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Visitors planning a Malvern Hills holiday with some walking
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Locals looking for new routes
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Families seeking short, rewarding outdoor adventures
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Anyone looking for short, scenic walks with big views
Author
Julia's love of walking is one of the reasons that she chose Malvern as her home. During the coronavirus lockdowns of 2020 she walked over 1000km, mainly from her front door, and came to know the hills and surrounding area intimately. In her books, Julia aims to share her love of walking and help others explore with confidence and enjoy for themselves some of the best routes, landscapes and views.
Specifications
Paperback | 86 pages | 77 colour photos | ISBN: 9781786311399 | Published by Cicerone Press | 2023
Look inside
FAQ
Q: Who is 15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills for?
A: This book is for anyone who fancies going on a short walk in the Malvern Hills area, whether they prefer walking on the flat or up the hills. The length of each route is stated, along with the amount of ascent and who long we expect it to take you to walk it at a leisurely pace. This will help you choose a walk that is right for you.
Q: How long are the walks in this guidebook?
A: The routes in 15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills are between 2.5 and 7.5km (1.5-5 miles) long and expected to take no more than 3 hours to walk.
Q: Are the routes suitable for beginners, families or older walkers?
A: Yes! All the routes were designed with beginners, families or older walkers in mind.
Q: Does the book include Ordnance Survey maps and clear directions?
Yes! Each walk has a 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey map snippet showing the route. There is also a link to Cicerone's website where the GPX files can be downloaded for use on your phone.
Q: Is this book useful for visitors who are new to the Malvern Hills?
A: Yes! This book is ideal for visitors who do not know the hills well. It will also be useful for those familiar with the area, as it includes some less well-known routes.
Q: What are the most popular short walks on the Malvern Hills?
A: Many visitors park in the British Camp car park and head straight up to the summit from there. Similarly, many park at the Beacon Road car park and head up Worcestershire Beacon. Both are short walks with amazing views, but there is so much more to see on the Malvern Hills. 15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills will help you to find some alternatives, including some that almost totally flat!
Q: Which Malvern Hills walk has the best views?
A: Because the Malvern Hills run in an almost straight line, all of the peaks have wonderful views. However, if you don't fancy a walk on the hills themselves, there are others that provide excellent views of the hills.
Q: Are the routes dog-friendly?
A: Most walks are accessible for people with dogs, as the hills do not have any stiles on them. Please keep your dog on a short lead during bird nesting season on the meadows and when there are cattle or sheep grazing on the hills.
Q: What is the terrain like on the Malvern Hills?
A: The Malvern Hills are an excellent place to walk when the weather has been really wet and footpaths elsewhere are muddy. The paths on the hills are generally well-maintained and easy to follow. Any walks with steep sections are clearly described, and three are almost flat!
Q: Where can I park on the Malvern Hills?
A: Each walk gives the postcode and What3Words location of parking.
Q: Are there toilets, facilities or cafes on the walks?
A: Most of the walks have pubs or cafes on the route or nearby, and there are several public toilets on the Malvern Hills. The route description gives details about what facilities you can find on each walk.
Q: Is public transport available on the Malvern Hills?
A: Several walks start at or near public transport links, and details of any public transport nearby is included in the walk description. Malvern and Colwall both have train stations.
Q: Where can I buy the book?
A: You can buy 15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills anywhere books are sold, or you could ask to borrow it from your local library. I have included links here for different online shops. There is always a good stock of the books at Malvern's Tourist Information office or at Rossiter Books, both on Church Street.