The details of this walk were checked against published sources on 15 Sept 2026. Distance and climb measured along mapped paths; time estimated at 4 km/h plus 1 minute per 10 m of climb, without stops. Things change, so check before you travel.
Route overview
This loop takes in the two highest summits of the range from the northern end. From North Quarry car park, climb onto North Hill (397 metres), the second-highest top and the highest point on the Worcestershire Way. Cross Sugarloaf Hill and carry on to the Worcestershire Beacon (425 metres) and its toposcope.
For the return, drop off the ridge on the eastern side and follow the lower paths back north. Your route could take in Happy Valley or pass near St Ann’s Well, where there is a café.
Expect steep climbs and an exposed ridge. North Quarry is also the start of the Malvern Hills Trust’s mountain-bike trails, so watch out for cyclists near the car park.
Route map
Route line follows mapped paths (OpenStreetMap). Use it to plan, and follow the paths and signs on the ground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Route points as a list
- Start: North Quarry car park, North Malvern Road
- North Hill
- Sugarloaf Hill
- St Ann’s Well
- Worcestershire Beacon
- Worcestershire Beacon toposcope
- Return to the start
After your walk
Where to eat, where to stay and how to get back, worked out from where this walk starts and ends.
Where to eat after this walk
-
A freehouse on Bank Street in Malvern, with food and cask ales.
- By a walk start
- Dogs welcome
- Near a station
Website for The Nag's Head (opens in a new tab) Directions to The Nag's Head (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A café in West Malvern on the path up towards Sugarloaf Hill and the Worcestershire Beacon.
Website for Sugarloaf Café (opens in a new tab) Directions to Sugarloaf Café (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A pub-hotel in central Great Malvern. The hotel says the walking trails to the top of the hills start just over the road. There is no lift.
- Walk from the door
- Near a station
- Breakfast
- Food on site
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for The Foley Arms Hotel (opens in a new tab) Directions to The Foley Arms Hotel (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 Great Malvern: town base with a station, shops and places to eat, right at the foot of the Worcestershire Beacon.
- Great Malvern station
- Car-free trips
- First visits
- Food and drink
Our picks nearby
-
A pub-hotel in central Great Malvern. The hotel says the walking trails to the top of the hills start just over the road. There is no lift.
- Walk from the door
- Near a station
- Breakfast
- Food on site
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for The Foley Arms Hotel (opens in a new tab) Directions to The Foley Arms Hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A Georgian hotel on Belle Vue Terrace in the centre of Great Malvern, a short walk from the paths up the hills. Its Mulberry Tree restaurant serves afternoon tea daily.
- Walk from the door
- Near a station
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Food on site
- Afternoon tea
Website for Mount Pleasant Hotel (opens in a new tab) Directions to Mount Pleasant Hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
-
A town-centre hotel that says it often has walkers to stay: every room has dirty-boot storage and it will wash and dry walking gear. Food Monday to Saturday; small car park.
- Walk from the door
- Near a station
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Boot room
- Food on site
Book direct (opens in a new tab) Website for Great Malvern Hotel (opens in a new tab) Call Great Malvern Hotel Directions to Great Malvern Hotel (Google Maps, opens in a new tab)
Also close: West Malvern or Malvern Wells. Compare all areas.
Getting back
This walk brings you back to where you started. If you came by train or bus, here is how to get home from the finish.
- Malvern Link station · 1.2 km from the start. 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
- Bus 44 / X44 (First Worcestershire): Reaching Great Malvern from Worcester for St Ann’s Well, North Hill and the Worcestershire Beacon. Daily, including Sundays. Timetable
- Bus 42 / S42 (LMS Travel): Getting from the town up towards the Wyche. Monday to Saturday. 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: St Ann’s Well from Great Malvern · 1.3 km, 30 min
- Weekend itineraries for the hills
- 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.
Terrain and elevation
- Total ascent
- 385 m (1263 ft)
- Highest point
- 425 m (1394 ft)
- Route type
- Circular
- Grass paths
- Steep sections
- Rocky in places
- Exposed ridge
Parking and getting there
Pay-and-display car park on North Malvern Road, close to End Hill and North Hill.
Charges: £6.50 per day (valid in any Malvern Hills Trust car park that day), or £3.75 after 6pm. Blue Badge holders free. (checked Sept 2026)
Free car park on West Malvern Road, close to End Hill and North Hill.
Charges: Free (checked Sept 2026)
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.
Hill · Sugar Loaf Hill
Sugarloaf Hill
The shapely summit between North Hill and the Worcestershire Beacon, crossed by most walkers linking the two.
Hill · Worcester Beacon
Worcestershire Beacon
The highest point of the Malvern Hills and of Worcestershire, with a toposcope and trig pillar on its rocky summit.
Viewpoint
Worcestershire Beacon toposcope
The 1897 view indicator on the highest point of the Malverns, naming the landmarks you can see across the surrounding counties on a clear day.
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
St Ann’s Well from Great Malvern
- Distance: 1.3 km · 0.8 mi
- Time: 30 min
- Route type: Out and back
A short, steep stroll from the town centre up to St Ann’s Well, the 1813 spring house with a café, on the way to the Worcestershire Beacon.
Great Malvern to British Camp along the ridge
- Distance: 9.1 km · 5.7 mi
- Time: 5 hrs
- Route type: Linear
Start at the Priory, climb steeply through the woods to the ridge and follow it south over the central hills to the British Camp hillfort.
Worcestershire Beacon from Great Malvern station
- Distance: 6.4 km · 4.0 mi
- Time: 2 hr 30 min
- Route type: Circular
The classic climb from the town: past the Priory and St Ann’s Well to the toposcope on the highest point of the Malverns, and back down.
More walks like this
Last checked 15 Sept 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.