THIS lovely walk is rich in wild flowers, with the first bluebells now in bloom, a month later than usual.

The delay has meant they’re in danger of being overwhelmed in places by later flowering, more vigorous species such as wild garlic and rosebay willow herb, which have been less affected by the cold.

Elsewhere, there are unusual species to look out for, including blue alkanet lining the woodland paths on the east side of Summer Hill, and a few patches of wood sorrel near St Ann’s Well. This delicate little plant favours acidic soils so it’s scarce in most of Worcestershire, but conditions in the Malverns are suitable for it. On the west side of Summer Hill there are some veteran wild cherry trees among the sycamores and birches, with honeysuckle competing with brambles to provide the ground cover.

The route passes several quarries, most notably Gardiners Quarry, which supports abundant flora and fauna.

It’s one of 19 geological sites across Herefordshire and Worcestershire chosen as part of an Earth Heritage Trust project called Heritage Champions. Each site has its own Champions Community Group, drawn from the local population. These groups undertake conservation work, promote interest in the site and monitor it.

The project is intended to encourage conservation and to foster a holistic view of the environment, helping people understand the relationship between geology, ecology and archaeology. Quarrying at this site was at its height from about 1880 to 1900, and ceased soon after. The rocks extracted by the quarrymen were formed during the Pre-Cambrian era 680 million years ago.

At that time the position of the world’s continents was very different from today and what is now the Malvern area would have been located south of the equator on the edge of a landmass known as Gondwana.

The collision of two tectonic plates along the edge of Gondwana resulted in one sliding under the other. This caused intense heat and pressure, leading to the formation of the igneous and metamorphic rocks which make up the Malvern Hills.

FACTFILE

Start: Beacon Road, Upper Wyche, Malvern; grid ref SO769438.

Length: 5½ miles/8.8km (it’s a figure-of-eight so can be split into two very short walks if preferred).

Maps: OS Explorer 190, OS Landranger 150, Harvey Superwalker Malvern Hills.

Terrain: Woodland and grassland, mildly hilly.

Footpaths: Excellent, except for missing waymarks near Linden where new fences have been erected.

Stiles: One. Parking: Beacon Road.

Public transport: First 44B from Worcester to the Wyche on Sundays/bank holidays, from 12 May to 31 August only; on weekdays go by train or First 44/44A/44C to Great Malvern and change to Astons 675, or walk to St Ann’s Well to join the route; or take a train to Colwall and make the short walk to join the route at Linden; worcestershire.

gov.uk/bustimetables or 01905 765765 or thetrainline.com or 08457 484950.

Refreshments: The Kettle Sings (Gardiners Quarry), the Wyche Inn and St Ann’s Well Café.

DIRECTIONS

1 Walk north from Beacon Road, bearing right to gain the ridge as soon as you can. You’ll soon reach a round, stone-built route indicator. Choose the path signed to the Beacon if you wish to go to the top, or choose the one for St Ann’s Well if you prefer an easier, though longer route, mainly through woodland.If you choose the Beacon, continue north from the summit to descend to a col where there’s another stone route indicator.If you choose to go to St Ann’s, climb up past the well and then join a wide path signed to the Beacon. Turn left at a junction and proceed to the col.

2 Take a path signed to the Dingle but after a few metres fork left to bypass the Dingle on a well-trodden path contouring round the lower slopes of Worcestershire Beacon. Go to the left when the path forks, to avoid descending to the road. Fork left again above a car park, climbing slightly on a grassy path, then very soon descending again to rejoin the lower path by another car park.

Keep left at the next junction and straight on at another. After passing a quarry the path splits into three – take the middle one.

When the path forks again go left, climbing slightly, then proceed to Beacon Road. Descend to the Wyche and take the Colwall road, passing Wyche Spring. Just after the bus stop turn right down Fossil Bank. Go straight on at two junctions, passing houses and grassland and then walking through woodland.

3 Meeting the Colwall road again, at a bend, go to the left, beside the road, then join a driveway (which is also the Geopark Way) on the right, just before Chase Road.

Ignore branching paths and walk to the end of the driveway, where the Geopark Way bends right.

Follow it through woodland and lightly wooded pasture. After going through a gate into park-like pasture the Geopark Way turns right, but there is also a path, which is not waymarked, running by the left-hand fence – take this path. The waymarking resumes at the next gate.

4 At the next junction go through another gate and turn left.

After a short distance the path swings right along the top edge of a pasture and then continues through woodland. At the next junction go straight on to enter a lightly wooded area with bracken and brambles (this is access land, where you can explore at will).

Turn left and walk up to the road at Gardiners Quarry. Cross the road and turn left on a gently rising path. Go to the top of the ridge and head north over (or round the side of) Jubilee Hill and Perseverance Hill to return to the Wyche.

Worcester News recommends the use of OS Explorer Maps, your ideal passport to navigating the countryside. This walk is based on OS Explorer 190.