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I live in Malvern and might be in line for a job in Ledbury. I commute to work by road at present and would be happy to carry on with that but if I do get the gig down in the Led I quite like the idea of commuting off-road over the hills and down.
Thing is, my trail knowledge takes me as far as British Camp in that direction and thereafter it's a bit of a boring road ride. Anyone know of any trails on the western side of the hills that will take me a bit further? Maybe to Wellington Heath or something?
Where in Ledbury do you want to get to?
Well, if you want to get to the centre and look at the map carefully the route with most off road sections but a bit of a longer way round is to get to the camp, cycle a short way down the A449 and go along the Ridgeway to Eastnor, cross the road past Eastnor Farm up to The Holts, down across the field on the marked bridleway and through Mayhill Wood and Conygree wood till you come out by the Police Station. However I couldn't really suggest that as it requires passing a large sign saying STRICTLY NO MOUNTAIN BIKES to get onto the Ridgeway.
A quieter on road route would be to cycle down Brockhill Road, turn right at the end onto Old Church Road. Turn right towards Colwall Church and at the next T junction turn left and get to Petty France. Turn right to go Via Wellington Heath to the Station end of Ledbury or straight on to join Knapp lane.If a nice day you could turn off left halfway between Petty France and Wellington Heath and go through Frith Wood which also joins Knapp Lane
I used to live in Malvern. Chase or Dyson Perrins?
Cheers jimw. Plenty to think about there. The route you wouldn't recommend look good. Definitely won't be doing that one...
eaststand - didn't go to school here if that's what you mean.
Hi J, there's some good walks along which you could push your bike over midsummer hill to bring you out by hollybush 😉 from which you are on a pretty quiet road past Eastnor onto the main Ledbury road just after posterity.
Hi J - how's everyone?
Cant really help on the wellington heath/petty france area, but I did have a look at the Worcs Way. Its technically a "walk" 🙂 Take a left at the top of chance's pitch (the long downhill from camp to the Wellington Pub) and take Route One and it brings you out at the deer gate at the top of the gullet track, carry on to the holly bush road and you have an easy ride in past eastnor to Knapp Lane.
You going to be working with Mrs Burnside then? 😉
There's nicer walks to that gate though, the landrover track will be gopping after this rain. Although the tree felling has altered the walking area I'm thinking of.
yep the walking routes on the east side of the track keeps changing at the moment. Was up there last night and had to stick to the double track as fresh felling has blocked all of the trails at the moment. I was a bit mucky by the time I got to the pub...
ridgeway would be the premium route, if a little bit cheeky!
a large sign saying STRICTLY NO MOUNTAIN BIKES to get onto the Ridgeway.
You;d be better commuting on a CX to be fair, so that's not going to be a problem the 😉
Why don't you buy a map? You'll be amazed at what's out there, just look for the green dashed lines.
[url= http://www.shop.ordnancesurveyleisure.co.uk/products/paper-maps/paper-maps-ordnance-survey-great-britain/paper-maps-ordnance-survey-great-britain-os-explorer-map/malvern-hills-and-bredon-hill/pid-9780319240496 ]Malvern Hills map[/url]
you feeling grumpy again today globalti?
There's very, very few legitimate bridleways once over the herefordian side of the county boundary along the malvern ridge top
Its all down to the original civil servant that was charged with classifying rights of way in Herefordshire in the countryside act in the 50's. He was a lazy bastard and his ear was had by the larger landowners. His legacy is cheeky trails. But even cheeky trails arent always rideable as they arent maintained/access provided beyond a footpath's needs.
If you look at the map there is only one BW between the hills and ledbury.
Ha ha, Stoner you should have seen my reply until I edited it! I decided it was a bit harsh on the OP and toned it down. It beats me why people are so ignorant of the joys of the Ordnance Survey; we live in the best mapped country in the world and maps can really open your eyes to your area.
My understanding is that in the 60s when the definitive rights of way were being recorded for mapping, local councils downgraded many thousands of miles of traditional bridleways, which had been packhorse trails for centuries, to footpath status so as to avoid the obligation to maintain them to BW standard. There is a group of horse riders near Hebden Bridge called the SPPTT (South Pennines Packhorse Trails Trust) who campaign to get FPs reinstated as BWs but it is a tedious and time-consuming business requiring lots of research into the historic uses of the route in question. The Malverns are particularly badly affected, I know.
The OP isnt ignorant of OS maps, just which cheeky trails are viable.
You should take a up a hobby like me, Im doing evening class city and guilds in central heating and ventilation at local tech college. Give our conversations you might enjoy something like that 😉