Escape | Explore | Discover
Stunning in spring, summer, autumn and winter, is there anywhere better for a staycation than The Malverns? The Malverns is conveniently located in the West Midlands of England, meaning it has easy access to the Welsh Borders, Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford, as well as being just one direct 2hr 30min train ride from London Paddington. This means that you can get from the bustling streets of central London to the green hills of The Malverns before you’ve had your midmorning snack. Choosing a more sustainable way to travel to The Malverns, like the train, helps preserve this wonderful landscape for generations to come.
You’ll be in for a treat as soon as you alight at Great Malvern Train Station for your holiday in The Malverns. This beautifully preserved Victorian station gives a flavour of times gone by, when Victorian health- seekers and holiday- makers flocked to The Malverns to taste and bathe in the waters springing from the hills. You can find out more about the history of Malvern by taking a new, interactive trail of its most beautiful buildings on the TrailTale app.
The heart of The Malverns is the Malvern Hills. The Malvern Hills are a stunning National Landscape (previously AONB) which hug the western boarder of our district. Having formed between 600 and 1000 million years ago during the Precambrian Age they are made up of some of the oldest rocks in the United Kingdom, and they have been loved by locals and visitors for almost as long! With walks accessible to most, and taking in 360 views across up to 13 counties, as well as to the Black Mountains in Wales, its no wonder that the Malvern Hills are the perfect location for an easy holiday to soak up nature.
Travelling sustainably within The Malverns has never been easier now that the Worcestershire on Demand bus service has been launched. Travel any time from Great Malvern station to various more rural locations including the beautiful riverside town of Upton upon Severn. The nearby Bristol Airport is a convenient entry point for international travellers as it has great green credentials.
Discover The Malverns
Highlights
Visit Our Brilliant Towns
Each of our towns has its own unique character – Malvern is largely Victorian in make-up and clings to the side of the ancient Malvern Hills – Upton upon Severn traces its roots back into history due to its importance as one of the main crossing points on the River Severn – and Tenbury Wells has a long agricultural history as one of the key market towns of the area with national importance for apples, mistletoe, holly and hops.
Travel Sustainably
Did you know how easy it is to visit The Malverns by train? Train travel was all the rage in Victorian times, and lots of Victorians wanted to holiday in The Malverns for its spring water and beautiful scenery, so they made it easy for Victorian holiday makers to hop on the train and hop off in Malvern. Great Malvern has been welcoming visitors since it opened over 150 years ago, and looking good while doing it! Lucky visitors to the station’s pretty platforms can enjoy colourful floral metal work, a beautiful stone building, a restored canopy and even a secret tunnel.
These easy travel routes still make the journey to Malvern easy, enjoyable and sustainable. There are direct trains to Malvern from all over the country from large stations such as London Paddington, Birmingham, Worcester, Hereford, Oxford, Cheltenham and Reading. Leave the car and stress of driving at home and cruise in to the centre of Great Malvern, walking distance to attractions such as Great Malvern town centre, Great Malvern Priory, Malvern Theatres, the Malvern Hills National Landscape and more. Enjoy the ride through the beautiful countryside, getting a brilliant view of the Malvern Hills as you pull in.
On Demand Bus Service
The On Demand bus service is now operating around Upton upon Severn and the surrounding rural areas you can request a ride through the app or on the phone. You will then be quickly collected from a close by pick up point, but you can also book journeys in advance if you are planning your day. Operating between 7am until 7pm Monday to Saturday there’s a flat fare of £2.50 for all journeys per person, with additional passengers paying £1.25 and ticket bundles available as well as concessionary cards being accepted.
The bus can also drop you off at locations like Croome National Trust, Barnards Green, Great Malvern train Station and Eastnor Castle.
Dowload the app from the google Play StoreDowload the app from the app storeCroome Court National Trust
One of the locations recently added to the route of the On Demand Bus is Croome National Trust.
There’s more than meets the eye at Croome. A secret wartime airbase, now a visitor centre, was once a hub of activity for thousands of people. Outside is the grandest of English landscapes, ‘Capability’ Brown’s masterful first commission, with commanding views over the Malverns. The parkland was nearly lost, but is now great for walks and adventures with a surprise around every corner. At the heart of the park lies Croome Court, once home to the Earls of Coventry. The 6th Earl was an 18th century trend-setter, and today Croome follows his lead by using artists and craftspeople in the house to tell the story of its eclectic past in inventive ways, perfect for making new discoveries.
Croome has accessible toilets as well as a Changing Places Toilet as well as a shuttle taking visitors from the entrance to the main house.
Access is via a Radar key supplied on the building. Spare keys are located at Visitor Reception and in the Cafe. Facilities are open along with site opening times.
Contact Croome : 01905 371006 croome@nationaltrust.org.uk
Croome National TrustEngage with local history and Culture
Get yourself stuck into the local heritage and history of The Malverns with ancient monuments, local tales, and stunning churches. In Great Malvern you can take the new TrailTale which gives you a visual and audio tour of the most interesting and beautiful buildings in the town centre. Learn about the Victorian Water Cure and find out what’s so special about Great Malvern Priory as you are guided through the town.
Dowload from Apple App StoreDownload from Google play storeThe Malverns has several other mapped routes which take you through both our stunning landscape but also through the stories of some of our most talented past residents and visitors. On the Route to the Hills find out about the hardships of the Victorian water cure, secret Second World War research projects, medieval monks and a royal donkey on this walking tour with themed benches and and artwork along the way. The Elgar Route takes you, either by car or bicycle, through the countryside that inspired England’s greatest composer as well as locations that were important in Elgar’s life. In The Chronicles of Malvernia walking stories find out about famous authors, J.R.R. Toliken and C. S. Lewis, connections to The Malverns.
Everyone’s Welcome
Everyone can have the holiday that suits them in The Malverns. Whether you are looking to support destinations that are more friendly to our planet, bring your furry friend or make sure that locations provide for accessibility needs, The Malverns welcomes you.
Help look after The Malverns – pledge to follow the countryside code
The Malverns is made up of over 3,000 acres of managed natural landscapes by the Malvern Hills Trust, Malvern Hills Natural Landscape (AONB), Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Malvern Hills District Council and Worcestershire County Council, along with around 1000 miles of public footpaths meandering through some of England’s most beautiful countryside.
Our passion for conservation means we want to keep our beautiful countryside, beautiful, for the benefit of our future generations to enjoy.
We’re asking YOU, (our visitors and residents) to ‘Take The Pledge’ on a day out around The Malverns by sticking to The Countryside Code.
The Countryside Code
Protect The Environment
- Take your litter home – leave no trace of your visit
- Do not light fires and only have BBQs where signs say you can
- Always keep dogs under control and in sight
- Dog poo – bag it and bin it – any public waste bin will do
- We all have a responsibility to protect our countryside and open spaces for current and future generations.
- Care for nature – do not cause damage or disturbance. Leave rocks, stone, plants and trees as you find them and take care not to disturb wildlife including birds that nest on the ground.
- Do not disturb ruins or historic sites – our heritage in the natural and built environment is important.
Farming, Livestock and Wild Animals
- Your actions can affect other people’s lives and livelihoods.
- Co-operate with people working in the countryside. For example, follow the farmer’s directions when animals are being moved or gathered. This helps keep everybody safe.
- Leave gates and property as you find them or follow instructions on signs. When in a group, make sure the last person knows how to leave the gates. Farmers close gates to keep animals in or leave them open to give access to food and water. Do not interfere with farm machinery, horses or livestock. If you think a farm animal is in distress, try to alert the farmer.
- Give wild animals, livestock and horses plenty of space. Their behaviour can be unpredictable, especially when they are with their young and you could get hurt.
- Do not feed livestock, horses or wild animals as it can cause them harm.
Respect Everyone
- Be considerate to those living in, working in and enjoying the countryside
- Leave gates and property as you find them
- Do not block access to gateways or driveways when parking
- Be nice, say hello, share the space
- Follow local signs and keep to marked paths unless wider access is available
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