The Two Routes
 

The Malvern Hills Challenge can be walked as an individual or a team with a choice of two beautiful routes;

• The 18 km ‘Long Walk’, which will take around 6 hours at a steady pace, it can take up to 8 hours for slow walkers.

• The 9 km ‘Short Walk’, which will take around 3 hours, it can take up to 5 hours for slow walkers.

 

All entrants must be physically fit enough to walk the two routes.  It is the responsibility of every entrant to ensure they are suitably fit and healthy to undertake the Malvern Hills Challenge. Entrants are further responsible for ensuring that, where required, they have with them any medication or medical devices that might be needed during the Challenge.

 

Dogs are welcome at the event and can be taken on the coaches (though they must be kept on a lead, please).  All dogs completing the Challenge will receive a rosette.

 

All entrants are asked to abide by the Countryside code throughout the walk, details are provided here.

 

Registration Area and Parking

 

The Malvern Hills Challenge begins at the Registration Area in Malvern Priory Park, between the Malvern Theatres and the Splash Leisure Centre.  The Splash car park is off Priory Road (WR14 3DS), there are other car parks around the park shown on the map.  Parking tickets are £3.00 for the day. It is possible to park in the roads nearby. Those arriving by train will find that there is a frequent service to Great Malvern Station.  Priory Park is a short 5 min walk up the road from the station. (Don't get off at Malvern Link).

 

There are 5 entry points around Priory Park, there will be yellow 'Registration'

arrow signs marking the entrances and paths into Priory Park to the

Registration area, as shown to the right here.

 

Registration

 

Register by choosing one of three 'Waves' between 0700-1100 hrs, the details of each wave are as follows:

• Wave A - Long Walk - 0700-0830 hrs. People who want an early start and finish, or those who want to take their time and stop along the route, or entrants who need more time (e.g. family with young children or those who have some form of disability) should consider opting for this registration slot.  There will be regular bus runs to the Long Walk Start starting at 0715 hrs.

• Wave B - Long Walk - 0830-1000 hrs.  People who can complete the walk at a steady pace should opt for this registration slot.  There will be regular bus runs to the Long Walk Start,  starting at 0845 hrs with the last run at 1000 hrs approximately.  People arriving after 1000 hrs will not be able to register for the Long Walk.

• Wave C - Short Walk - 1000-1100 hrs.  People entering the Short Walk will not be able to register before 1000 hrs. Those who need more time (e.g. family with young children or those who have some form of disability) should consider registering as soon as possible after 1000 hrs so they can take the first bus run to the start. There will be regular bus runs to the Short Walk Start,  starting at 1015 with the last run at 1115 hrs approximately. Entrants arriving after 1100 hrs will not be able to register for the Short Walk as the Registration Area will be closed.

 

Event Packs

 

Each entrant will receive a T-Shirt, a self-adhesive race number and a water bottle.  Our water bottles in 2023 were supplied by Fluid Branding who planted a tree for every order they received.   On the coach entrants will be given Route Guide containing a map and description of each sector, places to stop for refreshments along the route and information on what to do in an emergency.

 

Transportation, Start Points, Marshals and Monitoring
 

After registration in Priory Park, entrants will be told when to walk the 150 metres to the coach pickup point in Priory Road.  They will be told which coach to board to transport them to the starting point.