page_title: Malvern Hills
section_title: Sport, leisure, and tourism
hierarchical_section_title: Malvern Hills / Sport, leisure, and tourism
caption_attribution_description: English: Walkers on the Malvern Hills The soil on the top of this range of ancient rocks is thin, supporting mainly short, wiry grass. In the distance, the distinctive outline of the Herefordshire Beacon - 338m - can be seen. Dogs are allowed on the hills and can run free if they are well behaved.
context_page_description: The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire, dominating the surrounding countryside and the towns and villages of the district of Malvern. The highest summit of the hills affords a panorama of the Severn Valley with the hills of Herefordshire and the Welsh mountains, parts of thirteen counties, the Bristol Channel, and the cathedrals of Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford.
  They are known for their spring water – initially made famous by the region's many holy wells, and later through the development of the 19th-century spa town of Great Malvern, a process which culminated in the production of the modern bottled drinking water.
  The Malvern Hills have been designated as a biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, and by Natural England as National Character Area 103 and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The SSSI notification has 26 units of assessment which cover grassland, woodland and geological sites. The site is listed in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review' as a Key Wildlife Site.
  Management of the hills is the responsibility of the Malvern Hills Trust.
context_section_description: The Malvern Hills are home to a wide range of outdoor sports and leisure activities, including walking, mountain biking, horse riding, orienteering, hang-gliding, paragliding, model aircraft flying, fishing, climbing and diving.
  The Worcestershire Way is a waymarked long-distance trail located within the county of Worcestershire. It runs 50 km (31 miles) from Bewdley to Great Malvern. It is an important recreation resource in the AONB.
  The Geopark Way is a 175 km (109 miles) long-distance trail which runs from Bridgnorth to Gloucester and passes through the Abberley and Malvern Hills Geopark. The route was devised to highlight geology, landscape and associated heritage. The Malvern Hills Geocentre is located halfway along the Geopark Way, at the Wyche. This official visitor centre gives more information on interactive iPads about the geology, nature and history of the Geopark and the Malvern hills and Malvern in particular, as well as large wall maps of the area.
caption: Walkers on the Malvern Hills
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