Herefordshire Beacon’s a hill in the Malvern Hills that sit near the borders of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.  

It’s the site of British Camp, a celtic hill fort dating from the 2nd century BC, though was subsequently extended and a Norman castle was later built on the site too.  It’s said to be the site of the last stand of Caradog (Caratacus) against the invading Romans, but then Caer Caradog in the Shropshire Hills and some other places make that claim too!  

But its credentials as one of the best examples of an iron age fort in the British Isles are indisputable, with well preserved ramparts, and it’s not hard to visualise its past function as a lookout and stronghold.

As hill walks go, it’s a bit of a cheat. It’s just 338m high, and postcode WR13 6DW (OS Grid Ref SO 763 404) will take you to a car park, by the Malvern Hills Hotel and a refreshment kiosk, at a height of 236m so just 102 metres, and a short 15 minute walk, shy of the summit.

The daytime car park charge of £5.25  is as steep as the initial path which leads to the top, but proceeds go to the Malvern Hills Trust, to help with maintenance, and it’s obviously needed on this popular route. The first stretch is tarmacked, with man made steps, and gives the area the feel of a Council-run Park, but once up on the top, a more natural feel quickly returns.

And as Herefordshire Beacon sits at the end of the ridge, your walk can be extended as far as you want across another 3 hills. If you continue over Millennium Hill to Hangman’s Hill, there’s then options to drop down and return along lower lying public footpaths, but if not, then it’s worth at least dropping off the ridge a bit on your return, and taking the many ‘desire paths’ among the ramparts and exploring them a bit – that’s where the wildlife hangs out.

For me, this was a quick stop on the way back home from Somerset; an opportunity for a quick walk, a useful leg-stretch, and a far better alternative to sticking to motorways, and the inevitable summer-holiday-Friday crowds at service stations! But it served as a great quick taster of the Malverns too, whetting the appetite for a bit more exploration next time round.