British Camp
British Camp in the Malvern Hills
You can find British Camp, also known as Herefordshire Beacon, in the Malvern Hills.It's probably the best known of all the Malvern Hills and it's a popular walking spot for locals and tourists alike. As well as being a great location for walking, it also has historical significance.
Only limited excavations have been done here but it's believed that British Camp was the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort. So the settlement is possibly as much as 3500 years old. The hill fort is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and thus will hopefully be protected into the future.
You can still see the the earthworks today - look at the shape of the hill
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Whether you are interested in the history of the hill or not, it's a great place for a walk. The summit is 338 metres (1109 feet) and if you make the climb today, you'll be rewarded with fabulous views across the Malvern Hills.
Location
You'll find the walk on the A449 Malvern to Ledbury road. This stretch of road is fairly uninhabited so look for the pub and cafe and then you'll see the car park opposite. There is a sign but it's easy to miss.
Parking
Firstly, let's talk about parking. There is a small car park at the foot of the walk. Most days you won't have a problem getting a space although it can get busy on weekends and holidays. The car park costs £4.40 as you have to buy a full day ticket. It's a bit steep since the walk really isn't that long but you can use it to park in the other car parks run by Malvern Hills Trust so keep your ticket if you want to visit any other their other walking areas nearby.There is no further charge for accessing the walks though.
The Walk
Map showing the walk up to the beacon
This map, which is also on display at the entrance to the walk, shows the route up to the beacon. There are actually a few options but they basically all lead to the top. From the car park look for the gate just behind the map and start your walk up. The first part of the walk is pretty steep but it's a paved route and there are planty of opportunities to sit down if you need to catch your breath.
Views across the Malvern Hills
As you walk up the pathway opens up from a paved walkway to open grassland. From here, you can either head directly, up the winding trail to the beacon or you can take a more leisurely route. It's all very open and makes a very pleasant area for a picnic or just to sit for a while and enjoy the views on the way up.
The path on the way to the Beacon
You can clearly see the main pathway to the Beacon in the photo above. It's steep but manageable for anyone who's reasonably fit.
If you visit the Malvern Hills Website you can download very detailed maps of the area which are idea for planning your walk.
