A weekend away in countryside – possibly one of my favourite things thing to do. Exploring the landscape by foot or by bike. Stopping off at quaint little towns. Relaxing in the evening with a meal and glass of wine, while sitting by a roaring fire in a hotel bar. This never gets boring, which is why I had been counting down the days to our countryside weekend away at Colwall Park Hotel in the village of Colwall, with the beautiful Malvern hills at our mercy.
The hotel is the perfect base for cyclists looking to explore the Malverns. These rolling hills yield some of the most beautiful views in England – or anywhere else for that matter – and make for a challenging but truly rewarding cycling experience.
We arrived at the hotel after a long drive from Kent with a baby and dog in tow, bike fixed to roof rack. One major plus of this hotel is its dog friendliness. They don’t just allow dogs in the hotel but pamper them silly and even have a ‘paw-washing station’ as you enter. All the staff made such a fuss over Polly, the Cyclechic collie, and not having to apologise for having our dog with us made us instantly relax.
Our relaxation levels went off the chart as we were shown to our suite, a cosy living space with a separate bedroom, with comfy sofas and a complementary bottle of sherry on the table. Winter getaways don’t get much better than this, I thought, as I tucked into the sherry and shortbread biscuits while Mathilda, our three-month-old, dozed on the sofa. Bliss.
But before we got too comfy we decided to get out and about and do some exploring. The spa town of Great Malvern is about three miles from the hotel and Ledbury about six, both very picturesque. We decided to head to the former and sample the waters, which are said to be favoured by the queen. Rather handily, the station is a stone’s throw from the hotel and the town is just one stop away.
Great Malvern is very pretty – lots of quirky book shops, cafés and gift shops – all set on a steep hill so that when you get to the top of town the view is breath-taking. And where the town ends, a walk or cycle higher into the hills begins. If you like a challenging hill climb, this really is the place for you.
As a new mum with babe in arms, I, for once, wasn’t here to cycle – but this is a cycling blog, after all, so my husband scuttled off on his solitary adventure on two wheels while I hot-tailed it back to the hotel for more lounging by the hearth, baby permitting.
Of course, the steep landscape can really make for some extreme cycling (with a capital ‘X’), if that’s your sort of thing. But it doesn’t need to be an ordeal. For example, to the east of the Malverns lies the Severn Plain, which affords some largely flat cycling along bridle paths and quiet country lanes.
One circular cycle route from Colwall, which takes in Coddington Village and vineyard, as well as Cradley Village with its splendid 16th century half-timbered village hall, is described as merely “lightly undulating,” which sounds like the ticket.
Or, as my husband explained over pre-dinner G&Ts, you can take the train to Great Malvern and pretty much coast down the hill to the Colwall Park Hotel, sparing the stiff legs altogether. What a fraud!
The food was simply fantastic, and the ambience of the restaurant was just the right combination of fancy and friendly. I had a delicious starter involving feta, basil, tomato, and fish and samphire for my main. The pudding was perhaps my favourite, a medley of honey, original and downright yummy. And the full English the next morning was a real treat.
The staff were so friendly and went out of their way to make us feel at home without being intrusive. Waitresses offered to hold the baby while we ate and locals at the bar checked the train time tables for us while the dog was given biccies and strokes left right and centre.
Suffice to say, we will return to the part of the world, and soon, and we’ll be staying at the Colwall. Maybe next time I’ll be ready to tackle those hills
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