Descent from the southern side of Worcestershire Beacon with view to Herefordshire Beacon (British Camp)
Significance: Highest peak in Worcestershire (Historic County Top), Malvern Hills National Landscape
Member of: Marilyn, Hardy
Parent Peak: Hergest Ridge
Nearest higher Neighbour: Titterstone Clee Hill
Elevation: 425m
Date climbed: 19th April 2014 and 9th August 2025
Coordinates: 52°06′17″N 2°20′25″W
Route Start: Malvern Clock Tower, North Malvern Road, Malvern, WR14 4ND
Route Finish: British Camp Car Park, A449, Great Malvern, Malvern, WR13 6DW
Route Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +346m /- 249m. Net 97m
Subsidiary tops on route: End Hill (328m), North Hill (398m), Table Hill (375m), Sugarloaf Hill (369m), Summer Hill (383m), Perseverance Hill (324m), Jubilee hill (328m), Pinnacle Hill (358m), Black Hill (317m)
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Geopark Way, Three Choirs Way, Worcestershire Way
Other routes touched (cycle): none
OS Trig Pillar: TP0724 - Malvern
Cafe / pubs on route: Cafe H20 or The Wyche Inn (just off route at 4.93km in), The Malvern Hills Hotel & Restaurant or Sally's Place at the end
Map: OS Explorer Map (190) Malvern Hills & Bredon Hill
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Worcestershire), Wikipedia (Worcestershire Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Worcestershire Beacon was an early bag for us in our UK County Tops mission. We were in Malvern to visit some friends and did the short 2.5 km out-and-back from the Beacon Road Car Park at Upper Wyche. It was a nice walk on a windy April day but it was always at the back of my mind to return one day to do the Malvern Ridge Properly. So, 11 years later, we returned for a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary and walk the northern half of the Ridge.
We were staying at the Malvern Hills Hotel at the end of the walk. It’s conveniently positioned at the base of Black Hill, the final summit of the northern half of the ridge. We were pleasantly surprised to that there was a good Uber service in town and we only had to wait 10 minutes to get picked up for the 15 minute drive to the Clock Tower.
From the Clock Tower walk up North Malvern Road in a north-westerly direction until you pass the town sign for West Malvern. Just before the road bends cross over to the left hand side to take the track up into the ridge. Soon the tree line will clear and you’ll already have spectacular views. Continue south to ascend to the first summit of End Hill. Table Hill is the next obvious summit heading south, but this route takes a left shortly after end Hill to scale North Hill before a sharp westerly turn to take in Table Hill. Continue heading south to summit Sugarloaf Hill then continue to the summit of Worcestershire Beacon.
Worcestershire Beacon is the highest point in the Historic County of Worcestershire. I also heard that there’s nothing higher to the east until the Ural Mountains in Russia. I’m not completely convinced of that so post a comment below if you know of a reliable source. The "Beacon" in it’s name points to its long-standing use as a crucial signaling point. The hill was part of a chain of warning fires lit to alert the country of the approaching Spanish Armada in 1588. This tradition continued for centuries, with fires being lit for national celebrations like Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and the Millennium.
The section south of the Beacon to Upper Wyche is the busiest part of the walk with many doing the short out-and-back from the car park as we did 11 years before. If you’re bagging all of the summits remember to take in Summer Hill rather than following the main path around it.
Wyche Road at Upper Wyche is the only road crossing on the route at a little over half way. We were very happy to meet an ice cream van on the very hot day that we were there. There’s also a pub and cafe near the crossing and public toilets near the start of the ascent to Perseverance Hill.
This second half of the route has fewer people and is an easier section with gentler climbs between the summits. After Perseverance Hill you’ll pass over Jubilee Hill. Pinnacle Hill and Black Hill before descending to the end point at the Malvern Hills Hotel and British Camp car park on the A449. If you’re not ready to finish walking for the day you can rest a while here then take in the short circular up to Herefordshire Beacon. Scroll down for details.
Bonus Walk: Herefordshire Beacon and Millennium Hill
Route Start and Finish: British Camp Car Park, A449, Great Malvern, Malvern, WR13 6DW
Route Distance: 2.4 km (1.5 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 83m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Three Choirs Way
Other routes touched (cycle): none
Map: OS Explorer Map (190) Malvern Hills & Bredon Hill
Links: Wikipedia: (Herefordshire Beacon / British Camp), Peakbagger: (Herefordshire Beacon / Millennium Hill), Hillbagger: Herefordshire Beacon,
If you’ve been following the main route above you’ll see Herefordshire Beacon in the distance for much for the walk. It’s distinguishable by a flat grassy top and ringed by earthworks. Summiting it plus Millenium Hill at the end of the plateau is a short, steep but rewarding walk either as an add on to the main ridge walk or a short walk in it’s own right.
OTHER HIGH POINT IN Worcesterhire
Rednal Hill North Top (250m) Birmingham Unitary Authority High Point: Peakbagger / Hillbagging
