BIRMINGHAM TO MALVERN
It’s a 40-mile drive south from Brum to reach the Malvern Hills, and boy, is it worth it. The undulating landscape is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and we concur – it really is a sight for sore eyes.
Route highlight
Pull in at Pershore, a quaint market town about 9 miles from Worcester and just next to the River Avon, where you’ll find Bonkers Activities (Bonkersactivities.co.uk).
Owners Kim and Alex specialise in all kinds of paddleboarding, including SUP yoga (that’s yoga practised standing up on a paddleboard, FYI). Book a session in advance and enjoy an afternoon paddling down the Avon, passing swans and beautiful countryside.
Eat & sleep
It’s a 25-minute drive west from Pershore to
The Malvern Spa Hotel (from £177 per night; Themalvernspa.com). Time it right and you’ll be able to fit in a dip in the outdoor hydrotherapy pool and a facial before dinner at The Grovewood restaurant, which might include delicious dishes like vegetable coconut curry, beef bourguignon or halloumi burgers.
Run a bath before bed and make good use of all the complimentary Elemis toiletries, before falling asleep cocooned in a cloud-like duvet. The next day, enjoy a healthy breakfast and perhaps a free fitness class – pilates, yoga, body pump and spin run throughout the week. Then drive out to St Ann’s Well in Great Malvern, where you can fill up an empty water bottle with fresh Malvern spring water, said to be good for health. Apparently, Charles Darwin and Dickens both did the same when they visited in the Victorian era, so you’re in good company.