Look for a sign for the Worcestershire Way, just round the corner from the snack kiosk and next to the bus stop. Follow the path down through woodland then briefly skirt an arable field to a stile and continue in the same direction to another stile. Turn right along a track to enter pasture.

Turn right beside the hedge to a waymarked post then turn left across fields to join a track leading to a lane at Evendine. Leave the Worcestershire Way and turn left until you can join a footpath on the right opposite Hartlands. Cross to the far left corner of a meadow then turn right on a track.

After passing some houses cross into cattle pasture and go along its left-hand edge to a pair of stiles where you enter an arable field. A path leads to the far side and a stile in the hedge. Follow the right-hand edge of the next field until a gateway gives access to an adjacent field.

Follow an obvious path almost to Colwall Station then turn right along a field edge to rejoin the Worcestershire Way. In the top corner of the field climb a stile and turn left. Walk to a junction near the far side of the ensuing field then leave the Worcestershire Way, turning right to the top left corner of the field, where a stile gives access to a track leading through trees.

When it forks go to the right and continue along a driveway, ignoring branching paths. When you reach the road cross to a path on the right and walk up to Wyche Free Church on Jubilee Drive to find a path ascending to the spine of the hills. Simply head south to return to the A449 below Herefordshire Beacon.

If you're tackling the southern loop as well, join the path which climbs through British Camp to the top of Herefordshire Beacon. From the top there is a slight descent then another ascent to a second top. The path then leads through a break in the ramparts and steeply down to a saddle. At a route indicator take the path signed to Giant's Cave and Pink Cottage.

Having passed the cave, continue along a path terraced into the western slope of the hills, just below the ridge. When you reach a crosstracks turn right, descending to another junction. Turn right again, on a narrow path between trees which descends to a rutted track along the edge of Gullet Wood - this is the Worcestershire Way.

Turn left through woodland to the entrance to Eastnor Park. Leave the Worcestershire Way here, and turn left towards Gullet Quarry. Pass just to the right of the quarry to emerge on a track running across Berrow Downs. Walk past a car park and shortly turn left on a bridleway, about 100m beyond the two ponds ahead. Walk back towards Herefordshire Beacon.

Aim for the top left-hand corner of a block of woodland at the far side of the downs. Join a track here which leads past Dales Hall, then fork left on a grassy bridleway contouring round Hangman's Hill, just below the point at which the slope starts to steepen. As it approaches Tinker's Hill the bridleway climbs more steeply before passing a reservoir and levelling out to return to the A449.

Autumn is a great time of year to explore the Malvern Hills as they acquire an ever broadening range of colour.

This starts at the end of August with the red of ripening hawthorn berries and soon the rowan berries join in too, followed by the russet tones of dying bracken.

The leaves of the trees turn more gradually, with initially subtle changes finally culminating in an explosion of colour in November.

The weather can be good too, with clearer skies than in summer and less haze to hide the wonderful views. It is said you can see 15 counties from the top of Worcestershire Beacon and the views are almost as impressive from the other high points of the ridge, such as Herefordshire Beacon, which is explored in this walk.

British Camp, the Iron Age hillfort on Herefordshire Beacon, is also enormously impressive. Its substantial ramparts and ditches were constructed between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC by the Dobunni tribe. It was never solely a fortification; it was a settlement too, home to about 2000 people.

Another earthwork runs along the spine of the hills, and was originally known as the Red Earl's Dyke, after Gilbert de Clare, called the Red Earl of Gloucester because of his red hair and fiery temperament. De Clare ordered the construction of the dyke in 1287 to demarcate his territory from that of the Bishop of Hereford. It later came to mark the boundary between Herefordshire and Worcestershire and was renamed the Shire Ditch.

FACTFILE

Start: Herefordshire Beacon, A449; GR763404 (or Colwall Station).

Length: 9 miles (14.5km), but it takes the form of a figure-of-eight so you can divide it into two short walks if you prefer - the northern loop is 5 miles (8km) and the southern loop is 4 miles (6.5km).

Maps: OS Landranger 150, OS Explorer 190.

Terrain: undulating hilltop, woodland, pasture, arable and commons with boggy patches.

Stiles: 16 (all in the northern loop).

Parking: British Camp car park below Herefordshire Beacon.

Public transport: daily trains to Colwall; buses to British Camp and/or Colwall include 144, 476, 675 (go direct from Worcester on Sundays and bank holidays, change at Great Malvern on weekdays); County Bus Line 08457 125436.

Refreshments: Malvern Hills Hotel and snack kiosk by A449, tea room on Jubilee Drive, pubs and shops in Colwall, spring water at Dales Hall.

DISCLAIMER

This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be correct at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss or injury, however caused.

This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be correct at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss or injury, however caused.

This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be correct at the time of publication. No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss or injury, however caused.