Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn

Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn, this is a super walk, your testing climb of a few of the Malvern Hills Peaks next to Black Hill is rewarded with fantastic views over several counties, not forgetting the lovely lunch to be had at the Chase Inn before returning along the contours rather than the peaks.

Start/finish: Car Park at British Camp

Directions: This is found on the A449 Ledbury to Malvern Road

Parking: There is a pay and display car park at British Camp costing £3 for all day at the time of writing this, alternatively if you turn off the A449 at British Camp on to the road that runs between the Refreshment Kiosk and the Malvern Hills Hotel. You will come to Black Hill Car Park on the right just around the corner

Nearest Public Conveniences: Public Conveniences in area of British Camp Car Park, they are almost behind the Refreshment Kiosk, and opposite the Malvern Hills Hotel

Approximate Total Mileage: 3.8 Miles if incorporating Chase Inn

Terrain: Some steep inclines, hard paths, gravel paths, grassy paths, earth paths, couple of steps.

Description of suitability of and ability: although the entire route may not be suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, there are some wider level paths also in the area for all to enjoy.

Please keep your dog under strict control as there is always livestock grazing on or in the area.

*Click on the images below to enlarge*And see further images of this route in Sarchies Gallery

Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn Route:

Standing in the British Camp Car Park facing the Malvern Hills Hotel, cross over the main road and proceed on to the road running to the left of the hotel, you will pass by the Public Conveniences down on the left, and follow the road around the sweeping right hand bend.

You will soon come to the Black Hill Car Park. Here you enter the car park and walk to the top left corner. You will pass by the information board at this point of the car park, and take the gravel path up the incline from this point.

After a short while you will pass through an area with a number of seats in it and pass a Marker Stone on your left stating ‘Malvern Hills Conservators No Horse Riding on this Path’, at this point you can cross on to the right stony path that takes you up over the peak, the lower path is the one you will return on later.

Following this path over the next couple of peaks, you can enjoy the stunning panoramic views, after practically passing over 4 peaks, you will drop down the path and walk immediately alongside a wood, the wood being immediately on you left as you walk along the path.

(You are now about to take the detour to The Chase Inn, and you will return to this point in order to continue on the route circuit. If you do not wish to continue to the Chase Inn, then as you are approaching the wood you will notice a path off behind you to your left, take this left turn and follow route from the asterisk marker(*) below).

Continue walking alongside the wood and after a few paces from the end of the wood just before the path starts to rise you will see a path down to the left, follow this slightly winding path down the edge of the hill. You will eventually come to a bench seat on your right hand side, at this point there are a merger of paths here. You need to take the left fork path that drops you immediately down to the road.

Cross over the road and through the gap in the railings on the opposite side, go down the few steps and follow the path off to the right running parallel to the road. Soon as you enter some trees you will see a path dropping off to your left, here you take the steep path down to your left. You make your way down through a wooded area, and soon emerge on the edge of a road. Here if you look ahead you will see the Chase Inn Pub at Upper Colwall, on the left side of the road, so why not have lunch here.

When you emerge from the pub, you need to return initially on the same route you came on. So leave the pub, walking off to your right, soon you will see on the left the entrance back into the trees next to a telegraph pole and gravel car park area, follow this steep earth path up through the trees, it will fork but no matter whether you take the right or left, they both join the same horizontal path at the top, here when you meet the horizontal path you turn right.

This path runs parallel to the road, so follow along until it meets the road, climb the few steps, and cross over the road slightly diagonally to the right, go up the path on the slope, pass by the bench seat on your left taking the left fork path, follow this back up the edge of the hill until you emerge back on to the hill top path.

Once you have emerged on to the hill top path, turn right and walk back along the gravel path passing next to the wood, now immediately on your right.

(*) Ahead you will see on the left the last peak you came down earlier, you are not returning via this route, but instead you are taking the path to the right along the contour of the hill. After a few steps the path will fork again, the right one drops down the hill and the left one continues around the hill ahead, you take the left one here, there is a marker stone here on your left stating Black Hill. You continue along this path for quite a while.

Eventually the track drops down a slope ahead, there are various tracks crossing here, just ignore these paths and continue ahead, and on down the slope, you will pass by a stone seat and marker on your right stating The Wyche and The Beacon.

A path will merge from the left but, you continue ahead and down the track, you will soon see behind you on your left the track you took earlier over the peaks, just continue ahead on the path. This will lead you down into the Black Hill Car Park.

When you enter the car park, again you retrace your steps from earlier, so exit the car park at the bottom left corner, and follow along the path on the edge of the road, past the Public Conveniences on the right and the Malvern Hills Hotel on your left, cross over the road and back to your car. Take care crossing this road as the cars can travel quite quick on this stretch, particularly emerging from the Ledbury direction.

Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn, Possible Places to Eat in the Area:

http://www.ukpubfinder.com/pub/5088 - The Chase Inn.

http://theolivetreeledbury.co.uk/ - The Olive Tree.

Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn, Possible Places to Eat in the Area these we have not tried but are fairly local:

http://www.malvernhillshotel.co.uk/

http://www.theswanhanleyswan.co.uk/

http://www.thekettlesings.co.uk/

http://www.worcestershiretouristguides.com/Malvern/Lady_Foleys_Tea_Room_1859.asp

Dog Walks: Malvern Hills Circuit, optional via Chase Inn, Other Attractions in the Area:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malvern_water

http://www.eastnorcastle.com/

http://www.malvern-hills.co.uk/museum/index.html