Welcome to MalvernTrail

A chance to enjoy the natural and cultural delights of the countryside and towns on and around the Malvern Hills, easily accessible in the Heart of England (and also in reach of Welsh border country).

What's New

Our biased view of interesting developments in and around Malvern.

• Well done to Mike Austin and Mel Platt for winning the first 'Blooming Hills' floral window display event in Great Malvern run alongside the Spring Gardening Show (held at Three Counties Showground). Their display featured a flowery gent on bicycle - see CycleMalvern blog for more, and a photo. Or see our Flickr photo set of the various floral displays - some shots are pretty crap, especially due to window reflections.

• A bit outside MalvernTrail's territory, but it might encourage more people to cycle into Herefordshire. A new lightweight bridge across the River Wye at Tintern for walkers and cyclists, part of the Sustrans Connect2 project, is making steady progress, with plans being submitted for planning permission. News item on Bike Radar, or read much more on the Wye Valley Communities for Safe Cycling site.

• Great to discover that Google has added a 'terrain' feature to its mapping. Definitely a bonus for walkers and cyclists - here's a link to check out Malvern's bumps. Also, Microsoft's Virtual Earth is to include walking directions for North America and European Union users in its next release, due 10th April. Unfortunately their 3D geology map is US only, but hey that would just be spoiling us. (From Mapperz, the mapping news blog)

• MalvernTrail has tidied and upgraded its web design resources and we would be pleased to help create, develop or rescue a website for you. Clean and simple designs are what we go for, with maximum accessibility and search friendly - a basic page from £25. We can also help with content, writing and editing for relevance and readability, and advise on using online collaboration services such as Google Sites or Huddle (starter versions are free). To get in touch, see the About page.

• There's now a dedicated web site on the problems with the railway bridge in Colwall, complete with blog (powered by WordPress, like a number of sites I run). It's still likely to be tricky for cyclists to negotiate this - maybe best walking over, and heavy vehicles still have to use the narrow (and otherwise quiet) country lanes instead. closed for some months over safety concerns, is open for "light vehicles".

• Updated insights into Herefordshire Beacon have been published by historian Paul Remfry, the author of various publications on castles in the Welsh Marches. See Gazette news item, or go direct to Paul's website.

• The Hills Hopper bus service is back in operation for Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays, from Easter to 28th September 2008. They've managed to add in some extra short connections for West Malvern but otherwise similar to last year. See our Getting to Malvern page for latest info.

• Following the success of the Cycle Malvern website using WordPress, I've brought together environmental material from MalvernTrail and MEGA pages to create Malvern Green. Visitors and comments welcome. The current feature page is on campaigns around banning the use of plastic bags.

• An electronic petition to the Prime Minister to reinstate double track on the Cotswold railway line (Oxford to Worcester) has been set up. The current single track arrangement is a major reason for delays and bottlenecks in travelling from Malvern to London. Please sign!

• Great Malvern is working towards 'Walkers are Welcome' status.

• A bid for £19.3 million to provide a new community hospital facility in Malvern has been approved by the Department of Health as part of a 'New wave of community hospitals and services'. News item on BBC.

• We've added GPX electronic records (GPS Exchange) of three of the local geology trails - 2 walking and one cycling - based on the Trail Guides produced by Earth Heritage Trust. See Malvern Hills page (there's also a GPX of facilities on the Malvern Hills) or read more about GPS data on the Outdoor Links page. Do let us know if there is anything else you would like to see added..

• MalvernTrail put together a bike ride complete with recommended lunch pub and cycle hire for a bakers-dozen sized family group, celebrating an 80th birthday. An enjoyable event by all accounts, despite a strong wind, and the route is captured on GPS. We're looking to develop more possibilities, so if you want to have a good time on a bike in the Malvern area, do get in touch! (Info on About us page)

Your comments

We'd be happy to have comments and suggestions on places to visit, good cycle or walking routes in the area, etc. See About Us for contact details.

Disclaimer: All content is provided in good faith and is usually checked for accuracy at time of production. However, things change and we can give no warranties. Words, images, web design for whole site © J. Howes 2001-2008 unless stated otherwise. Page last updated 11-5-08.