The details of this walk were checked against the route source on 14 Sept 2026. Distance and time as published by Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership (distance, time and grade). Things change, so check before you travel.
Route overview
One of the best car-free walks in the Midlands. Get off the train at Colwall, on the western side of the hills, and walk up and over the ridge. Then catch a train home from the other side.
The Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership publishes the route at 5.5 km (3.4 miles), allowing more than two and a half hours, and grades it moderate. It climbs from Colwall onto the hills, runs below the Worcestershire Beacon to North Hill, then descends either to Great Malvern station past St Ann’s Well or to Malvern Link station past the Clock Tower.
It is easy to add the Beacon summit with a short detour if you have the legs for it. Colwall station has a single platform and no toilets, so plan accordingly.
Route map
Route diagram only, not for navigation.
Route points as a list
- Start: Colwall railway station
- St Ann’s Well
- North Hill
- Finish: Great Malvern or Malvern Link station
After your walk
Where to eat, where to stay and how to get back, worked out from where this walk finishes.
Where to eat after this walk
-
On Church Street in the town centre, a few minutes from Belle Vue Terrace and the start of the walk up to St Ann’s Well.
- By a walk start
- Near a station
Website for The Lyttelton Well Café (opens in a new tab) Call The Lyttelton Well Café Directions to The Lyttelton Well Café (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A large hotel beside the Priory in the centre of Great Malvern, convenient for the station and the walks up from the town.
- Walk from the door
- Dogs in rooms
- Near a station
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Packed lunches
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for The Abbey Hotel (opens in a new tab) Directions to The Abbey Hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A coffee stop on Abbey Road by the Priory, close to the start of walks from the town centre. It posts opening changes on Facebook.
- By a walk start
- Near a station
Website for Abbey Road Coffee (opens in a new tab) Directions to Abbey Road Coffee (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
Our picks are chosen for their position near the route; partners are paid placements. Check opening times before you go. More food and drink
Staying overnight?
The most practical base for this walk is Colwall: quieter village base on the Herefordshire side, with a station and paths up to the ridge.
- Colwall station
- Quieter stays
- Station-to-station walks
- Western slopes
Our picks nearby
-
A country-house hotel in Colwall village, close to the station and handy for car-free walks over the ridge. Dogs are welcome in some rooms. Afternoon tea needs 48 hours’ notice.
- Walk from the door
- Dogs in rooms
- Near a station
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Packed lunches
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for Colwall Park Hotel (opens in a new tab) Directions to Colwall Park Hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
Three self-catering properties on the Perrycroft estate on Jubilee Drive, right on the western flank of the hills, each with a private garden. Sleeps: The Lodge 6; Coach House Cottage 4; The Hayloft 2.
- Walk from the door
- Dogs in rooms
- Parking
- Drying room
- Self-catering
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for Perrycroft Holiday Cottages (opens in a new tab) Directions to Perrycroft Holiday Cottages (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A hillside hotel above Malvern Wells with wide views east. It serves afternoon tea in its restaurant or on the covered terrace (book at least 24 hours ahead), and has pet-friendly rooms.
- Walk from the door
- Dogs in rooms
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Packed lunches
- Accessible rooms
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for The Cottage in the Wood (opens in a new tab) Directions to The Cottage in the Wood (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
Also close: Malvern Wells or British Camp. Compare all areas.
Getting back
This is a one-way walk finishing at Great Malvern or Malvern Link station. Trains link Great Malvern and Colwall, so the simplest plan is to leave the car at home, or park at one station and take the train back.
- Great Malvern station · 0 m from the finish. Station details · Train times
- Bus 675 (First Worcestershire): Crossing the hills at the Wyche. Good for linear walks: Upper Wyche and the Beacon Road car parks, West Malvern and Colwall. Monday to Saturday (no Sunday service found). Timetable
- Access Taxis (taxi, Great Malvern) · 07749 621594 · website
- Pittstop Travel (taxi, Malvern) · 07894 630458 · website
- Smith Taxis (taxi, Malvern) · 01684 568686 · website
We don’t copy timetables because they change. Check times on the day, especially on Sundays. The hills without a car
Making a weekend of it?
- Tomorrow: Jubilee Drive path from the Wyche · 3.0 km, 1 hr
- A car-free walking weekend
- Build a trip plan around this walk
Step-by-step directions
The route overview and map above show the way. We add turn-by-turn directions once we have walked a route ourselves, so they’re right on the ground. The original published route has its own directions.
Terrain and elevation
- Total ascent
- Not yet measured
- Highest point
- 397 m (1302 ft)
- Route type
- Linear (one way)
- Grass paths
- Steep sections
- Exposed ridge
Parking and getting there
By train: this walk starts from Colwall station. Getting here by train.
Safety and walking conditions
- The ridge is exposed. Wind and cold are often much stronger on the tops than in the town. Low cloud can reduce visibility quickly.
- Steep ground and old quarries. Some slopes are steep and loose, and quarry edges can be sheer. Stay on the paths and keep children close.
- Livestock. Cattle and sheep graze parts of the hills. Keep dogs under close control and on a lead near animals.
- Daylight. Allow time to finish in daylight, especially in autumn and winter. Check sunset and conditions for today.
- In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue. Give your location as precisely as you can.
This information is general guidance, not a guarantee of safety. Conditions change, and you are responsible for deciding whether a route is right for you on the day.
Hills and viewpoints on this walk
Hill
North Hill
The second-highest of the Malverns, rising straight above Great Malvern and the highest point on the Worcestershire Way.
Landmark
St Ann’s Well
A spring house on the hillside above Great Malvern, where Malvern water flows from a carved spout; it also houses a café popular with walkers.
What to take on this walk
- Shoes or boots with good grip Grass slopes get slippery after rain and some paths are loose and rocky.
- A waterproof jacket Showers arrive quickly from the west, and there is little shelter on the tops.
- Water and a snack There is nowhere to buy food or drink on the ridge itself.
- A map, and a phone with the route saved offline Paths criss-cross the hills and cloud can come down quickly. Phone signal is patchy on the western slopes.
Nearby walks
Jubilee Drive path from the Wyche
- Distance: 3.0 km · 1.9 mi
- Time: 1 hr
- Route type: Out and back
A gently graded path above Jubilee Drive with big views west over Herefordshire, from the Wyche Cutting to Gardiner’s Quarry car park.
Worcestershire Beacon along the ridge from Jubilee Drive
- Distance: 7.3 km · 4.5 mi
- Time: 2 hr 25 min
- Route type: Out and back
The central ridge: from Jubilee Drive past Pinnacle and Jubilee hills, across the Wyche and up over Summer Hill to the Beacon, then back.
Easiest route up the Worcestershire Beacon
- Distance: 2.6 km · 1.6 mi
- Time: 55 min
- Route type: Out and back
The gentlest way to the top of the Malverns: start high at the Beacon Road car park and follow the surfaced path to the summit toposcope.
More walks like this
Last checked 14 Sept 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.