The details of this walk were checked against the route source 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
If you only have an hour in Great Malvern, walk up to St Ann’s Well. The café in the well house says it is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the town. From Belle Vue Terrace, follow St Ann’s Road up the hillside. It is steep but short, zig-zagging through the trees above the town. (The Rose Bank Gardens steps, a shortcut, were reported closed when we checked.)
At the top you will find the spring house of 1813, with water running from a carved spout, and a café. Carry on up to the Worcestershire Beacon if you feel like it, or head back down to the town. See springs and wells for the story of Malvern water.
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: Great Malvern town centre (Belle Vue Terrace)
- Great Malvern Priory
- St Ann’s Well
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 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 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)
-
On Abbey Road by the Priory, a minute from Belle Vue Terrace: breakfast before a walk from the town.
- By a walk start
- Near a station
Website for Mac & Jac's (opens in a new tab) Call Mac & Jac's Directions to Mac & Jac's (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 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 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 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)
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.
- Great Malvern station · 820 m 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: Great Malvern to British Camp along the ridge · 9.1 km, 5 hrs
- 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.
Terrain and elevation
- Total ascent
- 89 m (292 ft)
- Highest point
- —
- Route type
- Out and back
- Tarmac
- Steep sections
- Woodland paths
Parking and getting there
By train: this walk starts from Great Malvern 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
Landmark
Great Malvern Priory
The medieval priory church in the centre of Great Malvern, famous for the largest display of 15th-century stained glass in England.
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 windproof layer The ridge is exposed. It is often much windier and colder on top than in the town below.
- Water and a snack There is nowhere to buy food or drink on the ridge itself.
Nearby walks
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.
North Hill and the Worcestershire Beacon
- Distance: 4.8 km · 3.0 mi
- Time: 1 hr 50 min
- Route type: Circular
The two highest summits in one loop: North Hill, Sugarloaf Hill and the Worcestershire Beacon from North Quarry car park, returning on lower paths.
More walks like this
Last checked 15 Sept 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.