What have the Malvern Hills got to offer tree-loving walkers?

In a previous blog, I talked about how bluebells are thriving on the Malvern Hills, in areas where the trees have been removed.

There is always a bit of disagreement locally about where trees should be allowed to grow on the Malvern Hills and which areas should be kept clear. For now, the tops of the hills tend to be managed as grassland, partly because the grassland is of nature conservation value and partly, I suspect, so that visitors can enjoy the views.

The view over Herefordshire to Wales from the bare upper slopes of the Malvern Hills

Nevertheless, thousands of trees remain on the Malvern Hills.

Trees on Swinyard Hill and Midsummer Hill - unusually close to the top

Specimen trees dwarfing the houses on Avenue Road

As well as the trees on the hills, which are mainly native, there is a surprisingly large number of mature exotic trees in the town. The wealthy Victorians who built houses in Malvern planted newly discovered trees as a status symbol, and 150+ years on, we are benefitting from this trend. Walking through Malvern is like walking through an arboretum, with fantastic specimens of Giant Sequoia, Chilean Pine (monkey puzzle) and Cedar of Lebanon trees, among others, visible in the gardens and parks.

My husband and I have written a series of four self-guided walks, focusing on Malvern's Marvellous Trees, and many of the walks in 15 Short Walks on the Malvern Hills have an element of woodland walking.

If you want to know where to walk on the Malvern Hills to find trees, check out my free guide to Choosing Your Walk on the Malvern Hills. It directs readers to different areas of the hills and specific walks in the guidebooks where you will find trees.

Where is your favourite place for a walk in the woods? Please share in the comments below.