15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills
Julia Goodfellow-Smith Cicerone , £ 9.95 ( pb )
It was the Everest climber Wilfred Noyce who once described the Malvern Hills as the nearest thing we have in Britain to the Himalaya for the way in which they rise spectacularly sheer from the Severn Plain . Not that this gentle , rolling ridge straddling the borders of Worcestershire and Herefordshire , approaches anywhere near the heights of the Himalaya . But when I was a regular traveller on the Birmingham-Cheltenham line or on the M5 heading for the West Country , I always looked forward to seeing their distinctive blue pro�ile away to the west . Governed for many years by the Malvern Hills Conservators – now the Malvern Hills Trust – the Malvern Hills consist of some of the oldest , Precambrian , rocks in Britain , which date to over 500 million years ago . Other than noting the presence of some old quarries , the incredibly ancient and nationally important geology of the ridge seems to have escaped the attention of the author . But the 15 walks described provide a comprehensive introduction to the undoubted joys of striding the Malverns , including two routes up both the Worcestershire Beacon and the falsely-named British Camp ( it was an Iron Age hillfort ), which is also known as the Herefordshire Beacon . It was Edward Elgar , the most supremely English of all our composers , who was said to have remarked on his deathbed to a friend : “ If ever you ’ re walking on the Malvern Hills and hear my Cello Concerto , don ’ t be frightened , it ’ s only me .” The Malvern Hills are still alive with the sound of music , and this handy , pocket-sized guide will delight all your senses .
ALSO PUBLISHED
Walking in the Picos de Europa
Robin Walker Cicerone , £ 17.95 ( pb )
This is the second edition of
Robin Walker ’ s popular guide to 42 walks and treks in Spain ’ s �irst-ever National Park , which was originally designated in 1918 and expanded to its present 258 square miles in 1995 and 2014 And as anyone who has visited its bristling range of �ine
limestone peaks , outstanding wildlife and 11 charming villages , it is a real gem , often overlooked for the higher and more famous Pyrenees .
GUEST REVIEW
Coastal Pub Walks : South Wales
Julia Goodfellow-Smith Northern Eye Books , £ 6.99 ( pb )
If you like a walk that involves a pub then Julia Goodfellow- Smith ’ s new book is de�initely for you ; the 10 walks described all feature one pub somewhere along the route . Helpfully , the route instructions are accompanied by information such as opening times , what type of drink is on offer , and whether food is available . Wonderfully , local or craft beers are a common theme , and a good number of the pubs serve beers brewed on-site . The walks are varied , and Goodfellow-Smith has provided clear directions on how to follow
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