Background
The Malvern Hills are a series of hills in the West Midlands, stretching through the counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and a small part of Gloucestershire. They run north-south for 8 miles and offer spectacular views across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. To the east, the hills overlook the River Severn and the Cotswolds in the distance. The flora of the hill includes gorse, ferns and bluebells and the fauna includes birds of prey such as vultures and larks.
History
Founded in 1959, the Countryside Agency named The Malvern Hills an Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).
Evidence points to Bronze Age settlers occupying the hills thousands of years ago. Flint axes and arrowheads have been found in the area. There are earthworks that are believed to date back 3000 years.
The highest point
Worcestershire Beacon offers the highest point of the range at 425 meters (1,394 ft). From here the following are visible:
- severn valley
- bristol channel
- Gloucester Cathedral
- hereford cathedral
- worcester cathedral
- thirteen counties
geology
The geology of this AONB includes some of the oldest rocks in England. Igneous and metamorphic rocks date back about 680 million years. There are faults and folds in the rocks that have given rise to this ancient rock. These hard edges of faults and folds in igneous rock give the mountain range a striking sharp sky line, giving it the effect of a mini mountain range.
malvern water
The spa of Great Malvern is home to the famous Malvern Spring Water. The water comes from natural mineral springs and wells in the hills. The village bottles the water and sells it throughout the UK and even abroad.
The igneous and metamorphic rock is old and has a high mineral content. It has high permeability and cracks within the rock. When these fissures are filled with water, the water seeps around the fault lines, creating a spring.
