Training is well underway and its a wonderful time of the year to be walking the Malvern Hills. So far I’ve walked from home, over to Hollybush, up Raggedstone Hill – steep! – down the other side – even steeper!!! – through the wonderful White Leaved Oak, up Chase End Hill and then done a loop on footpaths which run across the Bromsberrow Estate. Had never seen that amazing house before but one of the footpaths took me across a lake with a view up to the front of it which looked fab. Came back via the lanes into White Leaved Oak, then took the GeoPark walk route back round the side of Raggedstone and so home via Hollybush and the Millpond. Raggedstone is so steep, but on the way up the sheets of bluebells on its slope provided a welcome distraction from the noise of my own breathing.
On the way down, the phrase the slippery slope came to mind as I struggled with a steep stony descent but I kept going, one nervous step at a time which could turn into a metaphor for this walk!
On the way back around the side of the Raggedstone, the scent of wild garlic was almost overpowering, especially when I tried out a slightly new route which took me down an entire slope covered in it.
Chase End is fast becoming my favourite of the hills as the views from the trig point are truly spectacular especially at this time of year when the splashes of yellow oil seed rape contrast with the vivid blue of the bluebells – Spring in all her glory.
