Distance: just under 9 miles

Difficulty of the terrain: medium

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps

Predominantly rural walk from Great Malvern to Colwall via Castlemorton Common. An unusually large surviving fragement of common land in the shadow of the Malvern Hills which hosted Britian’s largest ever free party between 22nd and 29th May 1992.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

Malvern! Make Some Noise!

Nestling between the village of Welland and the eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, Castlemorton Common is a rare surviving large tract of common land. 

Unlike other land in the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty it was not enclosed in the 17th Century and remains a wild looking area upon which residents of the surrounding villages have the right to graze their animals. This unusual state of affairs has led to many rare species of plant life appearing on the Common. 

The area around the Common is home to several villages, some little more than hamlets, others such as Malvern Wells quite substantial. In a few cases in classic “commoning” fashion the houses front directly onto the common land.

This means that while Castlemorton Common itself is desolate, albeit in a scrubby grassland kind of way, the area surrounding it is home to several thousand people. As a rule they are a mixture of long established locals with roots going back centuries in the area, and incomers attracted to the remote location, albeit one with relatively good transport connections and easy access to small but fairly lively towns in Malvern due north, Ledbury just to the west, and the small city of Worcester a little to the north east.

For a week in late May 1992 (22nd – 29th May) this settled order was disrupted by the arrival of somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 new age travellers, and their accompanying sound systems.

During that week Castlemorton Common became the site of the largest free party in British history. An event which so shook the British establishment and the media class that it became a major catalyst for the 1994 Criminal Justice Act which amongst other things severely limited the rights of people in the UK to use and enjoy public space.

The background to the Castlemorton Free Festival – as the organisers christened it – lay in the suppression of the annual May Bank Holiday Avon Free Festival, near Bath, by the police force in that county.

Avon and Somerset Police’s actions served to shunt hundreds of new age travellers, “crusties” and other party goers, with their vans and cars into the neighbouring counties.

Regrouping they began heading north up the M5. Gloucestershire police barred them from exiting the motorway in their county, but West Mercia Police, whose remit covers Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, decided that their least bad option was to attempt to confine the convoy on Castlemorton Common.

Predictably the media and right-wing and centrist politicians reacted to the spectacle of this convoy steadily winding its way up from the south west towards the midlands incredibly normally. Much of the TV coverage from the time – copied off fuzzy cassette tapes and uploaded to Youtube – is near hysterical. So it is easy to imagine how almost the entirety of the British print media ecosystem portrayed the events.

And of course, the coverage served to encourage rave goers across the UK, from all musical and subcultural tendencies and none, to get in their cars and campervans and head for Castlemorton Common. This meant that the initial hundreds of free partiers kicked out of Avon and swelled to thousands, and then tens of thousands by the time that the party was in full swing.

By all accounts it was a spectacular weekend, a culmination of the anti-authority, anti-capitalist, pro-hedonism free party culture which had developed in Britain since the mid-1980s. Its symbolic location on a surviving piece of common land providing a pointed assertion of people’s right to access land.

Many of the great sound systems of the period was in attendance performing sets. This included:  Bedlam, Circus Warp, Spiral Tribe and DiY Sound System, and bands such as Back To The Planet, Xenophobia (fronted by Spiral Tribe’s MC Skallywag), AOS3 and Poisoned Electrick Head.

Michael Spicer, who was then the MP for the constituency covering Castlemorton Common, reacted especially normally to the event, comparing the arrival of the ravers to a form of blitzkrieg:

 “new age travellers, ravers and drugs racketeers arrived at a strength of two motorised army divisions, complete with several massed bands and, above all, a highly sophisticated command and signals system. However, they failed to bring latrines. The numbers, speed and efficiency with which they arrived—amounting at one time to as many as 30,000 people—combined to terrorise the local community to the extent that some residents had to undergo psychiatric treatment in the days that followed. Such an incident must never happen again, in my constituency or elsewhere. We need tighter laws, especially to give banning powers to the police; a Cabinet Committee to bring responsible Departments together; quicker and more co-ordinated police action; and a more effective application of existing policies by national and local authorities.”

Of course, there is no doubt that the free party was disruptive to those living around the common. Likewise reasonable questions could be asked about the decision of the police to corral up to 40,000 people from seven days in an important nature reserve. The impact of thousands of vehicles, tens of thousands of people, and the rubbish left behind cannot have been good for Castlemorton Common’s unique ecosystem. Though who knows? Perhaps future archeologists will be able to pin-point a particular strata in the soil of the Common related to when the rave took place: comprising chunky old 50p pieces, metal NOS canisters and the occasional rusted smiley face badge.

In a development not unlike the prosecutions of several of the organisers of the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass 60 years prior to the Castlemorton Common Rave in April 1932 for “riotous assembly”, 13 members of the Spiral Tribe sound system were deemed ringleaders of the gathering and put on trial for public order offences. 

Happily unlike in 1932 they were all acquitted. However, whilst it could be argued that the free party movement was running out of steam by May 1992 and the Castlemorton Common Free Festival represented a closing cresdenso, the rave undoubtedly led to the passing of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act which gave Michael Spicer much of what he wanted. 

Amongst other things the law infamously criminalises playing music consisting of “sounds wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats” to even gatherings of just a few people without obtaining a licence. Whilst there had been a commercial element to rave from its beginnings in the mid-1980s, in many ways the true impact of the law was to cement the power of the commercial nightclub industry, which went from strength to strength in the later 1990s and the 2000s, at the expense of DIY parties.

Today Castlemorton Common and its surroundings are as bucolic as they ever were. However, like Epping Forest, Winter Hill and Kinder Scout it remains an important symbol of the long running battles fought in this country by the bulk of the population to access and enjoy the land.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps

This walk leads from Great Malvern Railway Station, to Castlemorton Common, then up and across the Malvern Hills to Colwall for onward public transport connections.

From Great Malvern Station exit from Platform One (the direction trains arrive from Birmingham, Worcester, Cheltenham and London).

Once out on the small car park beside the station buildings head off along the road to the right walking down a residential hill.

Presently you reach a larger residential road. Turn right here as well.

At a t-junction next to a primary school which stands on your right, turn left.

A very short distance further on you reach a main road. Turn right here.

Follow this road for a considerable distance as it passes through residential neighbourhoods.

Initially the houses are quite a jumble of periods and styles, including some timber framed, thatched, structures.

Presently as you near the edge of the main Malvern built up area the houses that you pass become more consistently modern.

Eventually the road ends – fairly suddenly – at a t-junction.

On the other side of the road you have joined there is a track leading off into a patch of woodland to your left.

This is part of Malvern Common, another of the larger tracts of common land which survive in the area around the Malvern Hills.

Cross the road and head down this track to the left.

Once in and amongst the trees follow the track heading to the right.

Here to your left you soon join the trackbed of the former railway line between Malvern and Tewkesbury via Upton-upon-Severn.

Turn left and follow it.

Soon you pass through a metal gate, put in to deter cars and motorcyclists with a footpath waymark.

Follow the line of the former railway – which closed in the early 1950s – for some distance.

Presently you come to some steps on your left leading down into woodland.

Head down these steps and then take a right turn.

This leads to a gate leading onto an open field.

Once in the open field walk across it, heading up and over a small hillock.

On the other side of the hillock you see the buildings of a farm ahead of you.

Head through a metal gate set in the boundary between two fields.

Walking across the paddock keeping to the right you approach the farm.

Walk through a metal gate on the far side of the field.

On the far side there is an unpaved lane.

Then head to the right. Here you pass under the distinctive red brick arch of a former railway bridge.

On the far side of the bridge you approach the edge of the Worcestershire Golf Club.

Before entering the Golf Club’s land turn to the left.

Follow the path, running parallel with the former railway embankment for some distance.

Presently you reach the edge of a farm.

To your right there is a plank bridge with a stilie on the far side.

Turn right and cross into the field beyond.

Once in the field head across it in the direction of the Malvern Hills immediately in front of you.

The path leads into a patch of woodland, keep on heading along it, crossing over a stilie to enter the woods.

The path runs through the trees for a short distance.

After a short distance walking through the trees you come out on the side of a road.

Here turn left and follow the road as it runs slightly uphill.

The road passes through a residential area on the edge of the large village of Malvern Wells.

After some distance the road that you have been walking up joins a larger one.

Here turn left and follow the road as it slopes gently downhill.

Having walked a short distance the road forks.

Here keep on the left hand downhill segment of the road.

Continue a little further looking out for a footpath sign leading into trees on the other side of the road off to your right.

Upon reaching it, cross over the road and head down along the path into the trees.

Having passed through a gate you walk through tranquil woodland for some distance.

Here and there you get impressive views of the Malvern Hills off to your right.

Presently you leave the trees and come out beside an open field beside a stile.

Once in the field head to the right walking diagonally across the field.

There are the buildings of a farm sprawling off to the side in front of you, at this point you want to head for the end of the track that leads up towards the barns and other structures.

Upon reaching the track head through a metal gate to the right – next to a way mark post.

Once in the field beyond, continue along the track heading to the right for some distance.

Presently there is a bridleway waymark pointing off to the right.

Head right walking along the bridleway.

After a short distance you pass through a metal gate.

On the other side of the gate continue walking along the bridleway.

When I walked the route in May 2022 the farmer who runs the farm across which the bridleway runs had placed two battered HGV trailers full of animal feed near to the track.

Despite it being a relatively still day, the tarpaulins and fastenings on them were jangling creepily in the breeze.

Just beyond the trailers there is a gateway.

Having passed through the gateway you find yourself at a crossroads.

Here turn right.
Shortly after this point, turn right again.

Here you find a wooden gate leading into a field.

Pass through this gate and cross the field heading for a small stand of trees in the distance.

Once at the far side of the field next to the stand of trees there is a stile.

Cross over the stile and follow the path on the other side around the edge of a large field and a nature reserve.

On the far side of the field there is a wooden bridge amongst some trees.

Use this to cross a small brook.

Then head through a metal gate into the field beyond.

Follow the well worn footpath around the edge of the field.

After some distance the path forks. Remain in the field you are currently walking in and take the branch heading off to the left.

Presently take a short turn to the right, near the far side of the field.

This leads out onto a paved farm track.

Once on the paved farm track turn right and walk towards a large farm yard.

Just prior to reaching the farm buildings there is a footpath heading off to your left.

Once in the field head to the left passing under an electricity pylon.

Beyond the farm buildings there is a gateway leading out onto a track.

Once on the track turn left.

Follow the track for some distance as it winds slightly uphill and then heads gently to the right.

After some distance the track joins up with a main road.

Here, turn left and head downhill. Handily there is a narrow paved pavement for this section.

Near the bottom of the hill you pass a sign for the village of Welland.

A short way after the sign to the right there is a track.

Cross over the road and head down this track.

A little way down the track the path curves slightly to the right past a house.

Then takes a hard turn to the left uphill, before heading right again.

Continue for a short distance along the lane until an opening onto a meadow appears on your right.

A little further along this track and you pass – on your left – an interesting pop-up style farm shop operating out of a little shepherd’s hut on an honesty system.

It is little touches like this which lead me to suspect that whilst Castlemorton Common and its surroundings remain politically a “true blue” corner of England, in practice the area’s social fabric and the outlook of the residents is probably far more heterogeneous than was the case in 1992.

Next to where the little shepherds hut farm shop lies, to its right, there is a footpath leading between two fields.

Head down this footpath.

This stile is the final one that you will cross for a bit. This is because on the other side of the animal pen lies Castlemorton Common.

There is a stile leading into this pen, use it to cross the pen and exit out onto the road beyond.

This stile is the final one that you will cross for a bit. This is because on the other side of the animal pen lies Castlemorton Common.

Once on the Common follow the paved road in front of you to get further into the middle.

After a short distance this road connects with another paved road which runs across the northern edge of the Common providing access to a scattering of houses which face onto the grassland.

Having reached Castlemorton Common it is well worth spending some time having a look around, wandering freely to take in the unique unkempt aspects of the common land and enjoying the views of the Malvern Hills to the west. It is hard to imagine that three decades ago this tranquil place was the site of the largest and one of the longest lasting parties in British history.

If you are after refreshments there are a few places in the village of Welland, just to the east of the Common. There is a village shop and a café in the church, which is good value but in a bid presumably to keep their PRS subscription low, plays some of the worst covers playlists I have heard in years.

When you are ready to leave Castlemorton Common and begin heading to Colwall for a return train or bus, return to the junction on the small road across the Common and turn right.

Follow the road for some distance round past the houses fronting onto the Common.

Eventually you reach a gate which you walk through.

This gate marks the boundary of Castlemorton Common. It serves both a practical and a symbolic purpose in that it stops animals being grazed by the commoners straying, whilst also signifying the border between the Common and the not common land outside it.

Once through the gate keep walking heading up a slight gradient up the tree lined lane beyond.

Presently on your left you come to a metal gate with a waymark next to it pointing into a field.

Head through this gate and follow the path to the right around the edge of the field which a house backs onto.

This section of the walk also comprises part of my route from Colwall to Upton-upon-Severn, but on the day I walked the route in May 2022 with the grasses out it looked very different from the wintery day I previously walked this way.

Presently after a gentle climb uphill you pass through a gap in the hedge into the field beyond.

Keep following the path more or less straight uphill and across this field.

Passing through a gate into the next field you approach a farm.

It is worth pausing here to look back towards Castlemorton Common and across the flat land of the River Severn plain towards the distant Bredon Hill which marks the start of the Cotswolds.

Crossing the field in front of the farm you approach a gate out onto a lane immediately to the right of a shed.

Once on the lane turn right and walk uphill a short distance.

Soon on your left you see a gate with a bridleway sign.

On the other side of the gate walk uphill heading slightly to the left.

The hill is getting a little bit steeper now, as the reach the gap between Broad Down and Tinker’s Hill which will lead you over the Malverns.

Here the path plunges into woodland.

Just after this you pass through a metal gateway.

Then heady up a fairly steep, rocky, path through the woodland.

For much of the way the path has become a second channel for a fast flowing stream off to your right.

After some distance heading uphill the track that you are on joins a semi-paved lane. Here you turn right.

The track is fairly steep but it is possible to make good steady progress up it, and it is not especially long.

At the top to your right stands the British Camp Reservoir which Severn Trent uses to supply water to the local area.

Above the Reservoir stands the 338 metre tall British Camp hill, so named after the ancient hillfort at its summit.

Beside the Reservoir the track levels out.

Keep walking along it straight ahead and follow it as it heads back into woodland.

After several minutes walking along the track, which weaves and dips, you come to a cattle grid.

On the other side of the cattle grid you are standing in the car park at the base of British Camp.

Walk straight up the car park.

At the top you are opposite the Malvern Hills Hotel and a little green kiosk which serves sandwiches and refreshments. The kiosk is a nice place to get something to eat or drink, but in January 2022 when I stopped off there during my walk from Colwall to Upton-upon-Severn it had a five pound card payment limit, though they waved it in my case as my order was just under.

Here you cross over the A449 which runs between Ledbury and Malvern. This section marks the boundary between Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

Having crossed over the A449 head to the right and walk for a very short distance down Jubilee Drive.

Here to your left there is a footpath leading off the road side pavement.

Walk down here passing a hut on your right.

Then take a slight right turn heading into a thicket of trees and shrubbery following the path.

Then take a left turn, cross a stilie and follow a fairly steep set of steps down the side of the hill through a copse.

At the bottom of the steps there is a stile leading out onto an open field.

Cross the stile and head straight across the field.

On the far side there is a further stile which you should also cross.

Walk straight across the field on the far side of this stile as well.

Here there is a beam bridge, quite decayed, across a ditch marking the field boundary.

In the middle of it there is a stile.

On the far side of the stile and the bridges continue walking straight across the field ahead of you.

Before reaching the far side of the field turn slightly to the left and head for the field’s left hand corner.

Here there is a small stream which you can cross with the aid of stepping stones.

On the far side to the right there is a stile, cross over this and enter the field beyond.

After crossing the stile follow the course of a stream which marks the field boundary heading to the right.

Eventually you reach the edge of a copse.

Here there is a plank bridge crossing the stream and leading into the little patch of woodland.

On the far side of the bridge follow the path in the woods. Here there is a stile leading into an orchard.

Crossing over a sturdy wooden bridge you walk through the orchard.

On the far side there is a gate and stilie leading out onto a lane.

Once on the lane turn right and walk a short way uphill.

Presently on your left there is a track leading off the road.

Turn left and walk along the track.

The track forms part of the Geopark Way, a well used and well maintained trail which seeks to showcase Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire’s geological richness.

Follow the track for some way. It steadily narrows and becomes more, and more uneven.

After some distance the track comes to an end by a metal gate.

On the other side of the metal gate keep walking along the path at the edge of the field.

Presently it enters woodland.

Upon leaving the trees you are practically at Colwall, which can be glimpsed off to your left.

Head to your left down a steep well worn track.

There is a good view off to the right of some of the highest parts of the Malvern Hills including the Worcestershire Beacon off to the right at this point. If you would like to walk the Malvern Hills range check out my Ledbury to Malvern walk.

Continue heading down the slope to your left.

At the bottom of the slope I opted to duck down underneath a single strand of barbed wire fence to enter the next field. There is, however, a proper gate just on the other side of a tuft of grass to the right of where I crossed, if you’d prefer to follow the proper path.

Once in the field follow the path all the way across.

Having crossed the field you enter a patch of woodland via a gate.

Walk a short distance along the path on the other side.

Presently, nearing the edge of the woodland turn right.

This leads up a short bank with the distinctive form of a railway footbridge at the top.

Head over the footbridge and Colwall’s little single platformed station is on the far side.

This is where the walk ends.

Getting Back

From Colwall Railway Station (at the time of writing in May 2022) there is an hourly train service during the week and Saturdays heading west towards Ledbury and Hereford and north on to Malvern, Worcester and Birmingham. There is also a less frequent service via Worcester and Oxford to London Paddington. Colwall is also quite well served by buses with services to nearby settlements as well as Ledbury and Hereford, and Malvern and Worcester.