Trip to Malvern Hills

 Just before Easter, I went to the Malvern Hills to celebrate my birthday with my daughters. We stayed for 2 nights in a lovely place where we've stayed before, once 4 years ago with three of us, and last year with only two because Helen had Covid. A trip to the Malvern Hills offers a huge variety of walks in bracing fresh air with wonderful views, and although there are some steep climbs up and down the hills, there is often a more gentle way round the hills. If you click on the link, it takes you to Wikipedia which gives a complete list of the hills and heights from north to south. 

We stayed in north Malvern, and so on the first day, walked up to Worcestershire Beacon, at 1395 ft above sea level, it's the highest of the Malvern Hills and perfect for a few photos:

I love the one above of Helen and Alison

You can see the land below a long way down, and the weather looking good, we had sunshine

This looks like a Queen Victoria post box, we were warned by a passer by that there are 3 genuine Victorian post boxes and some fake ones. I've just looked up letterboxes in Malvern and found out that the Malvern Civic Society have done a really interesting survey of letterboxes which can be found here. The one photographed was situated in Orchard Road which is listed as a VR, so that's fairly conclusive, it's a real Queen Victoria letterbox.

As well as old letterboxes, there were many beautiful Magnolias in peak flowering condition

this was another lovely one in the park

where we also saw this bandstand, not as magnificent as the one in Town Gardens and with a setting of tarmac and modern buildings behind it, not nearly as delightful as ours.

The day of my birthday was very wet, and although we walked for over 4 hours, and completed 11 miles, it was a struggle. You can always dry out when you get back, but taking off the wet clothes was quite difficult. The only photo I have of the day was the cake made by Helen:

The next day we had a shorter walk, parking near British Camp, walking up it and along to the end of the hills

Here we are on the top of British Camp

We then walked along to this monument in Eastnor Deer Park

Where we also saw some wild daffodils, easily identified by their short stems. and two tone flowers.

Another birthday celebrated in wonderful surroundings with great company.