Thursday, January 17, 2019

Malvern Hills New Year Walks 2019. Joy & Sadness

Mostly off message but Gill and spent new year in Great Malvern, Worcestershire. We had never been here before but I had seen the historical railway poster (see bottom right) and thought it might be a good place to go walking.

It turned out to be a fabulous place to visit and go walking. We stayed in a lovely rented cottage in Great Malvern (much better value than anything on Airbnb).

Walk across the road and you start climbing up the hills which are "an area of outstanding natural beauty".  Our best walk was from Great Malvern along the ridge to the ancient celtic fort now called the "British camp". Then walk down across countryside to Colwall railway station and take train back home. About 8 miles walking and under 5 hours. Stunning views from beginning to end.

There are a number of good restaurants, cafes and pubs as well as an impressive church with beautiful medieval stained glass windows (and outside were Annie, the 10 year old daughter of Charles Darwin is buried. We actually stayed near where she actually died. I remember the moving film about her death and the impact on her father and science "Creation").

Another nearby sad sight but one bang up to date, was the flowers and messages in the Great Malvern department store doorway, (see top left) where in this prosperous, very middle England town, a young homeless man was found dead on Christmas day. 

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