RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWorcestershireMalvern HillsMalvern
Sugarloaf Hill – North Hill Summit loop from Malvern
RoutesHiking trails & RoutesUnited KingdomEnglandWest Midlands RegionWorcestershireMalvern HillsMalvern
Sugarloaf Hill – North Hill Summit loop from Malvern
Moderate
4.6
(32)
221
hikers
Sugarloaf Hill – North Hill Summit loop from Malvern
02:06
6.12km
320m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Tips
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Waypoints
A
Start point
Bus stop
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1
266 m
Great Malvern Priory
Highlight • Monument
1085 Norman Beginnings
According to the Worcester Monastic Annals the building work began in 1085.
The Priory was built for thirty monks and was much smaller than it is now. The areas coloured red in the plan on the right are part of the original building, itself part of a larger complex of Monastery buildings. The picture (below right) shows the Roman style pillars and arches.
Not long after the time of the Battle of Hastings St Wulstan, the Bishop of Worcester, encouraged a monk, called Aldwin, in the work of founding a monastery in what was then the Malvern Chase. (A chase was an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved for hunting!)
The Priory was built on land which belonged to Wesminster Abbey, under the control of the crown at that time. Malvern was in the diocese of Powick but the Priory was subservient to Westminster Abbey and so it had 'Priory' status.
Having allegiance to Westminster Abbey, there were altercations between the Priory and the Bishop of Worcester over the years.
It is reported that in 1286 the Archbishop, the King and even the Pope were involved in these disagreements.
The picture (right) shows one bay of a two bay sunken chantry alongside St Anne`s chapel. You can see two coffin lids, one of which records an epitaph to Prior Walcher who died in 1135. He was Malvern's most outstanding scholar and the first man in the western world to record the use of the astrolabe, an early form of sextant marked in degrees.
1440 - 1500
Around this time Henry VII and the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III donated two of our great windows, that at the west end and the one in the North Transept. You can see a sample of these windows on the Stained Glass page.
The North aisle was also extended and the new shape of the Priory is indicated by the blue colour on the plan (left). Widening of the South aisle was prevented by existing monastery buildings.
Floor and wall tiles plus Monk's stalls were added at this time.
The Norman church was extended in the years between 1440 and 1500. There is an interesting study into the rebuilding of Great Malvern Priory in 15th Century.
1539 and Henry VIII
(I) During the 1530's King Henry VIII was short of cash and since the monasteries belonged to someone else (the Pope) he decided to plunder them. All opposition was brushed aside by Thomas Cromwell and in 1539 the Malvern monks surrendered their lands and buildings. These were leased and sold to various people. The exception was the disused church which belonged to the crown.
(II) Destruction began; one man paid a pound for the Lady chapel and destroyed it. The cloisters and the South transept were pulled down and the lead removed from the roofs.
(III) The Priory church was saved by the parishioners of Malvern. Their own tiny parish church was derelict. It stood where the main Malvern post office is now. The parishioners petitioned the King and succeeded in buying the Priory for £20. It took them two years to raise the money. The parish consisted of only 105 families and after they had bought the church they had no money left to carry out repairs!
It is an interesting fact that we have, in the Priory, a monument to one of the men, John Knotsford, who was responsible for the demolition of the monastic buildings.
John's daughter Anne gave the impressive monument (pictured on right) with herself kneeling at the foot of the tomb.
1540 to 1800
Lack of money continued to be a problem over the next couple of centuries. This meant that hardly any repairs or maintenance were carried out over this period of time. On the plus side there was no money to remove the 'Popish' medieval glass so it is still with the priory.
Although the Civil War raged in nearby Worcester, Malvern was still a remote part of the English countryside surrounded by the dense forest of Malvern Chase.
1860 Restoration and Repair
We are not sure who financed this work but this was the age of the industrial revolution and wealthy businessmen clearly made possible this renewal. Details in the stained glass windows of the nave, and tiles on ceiling and floor, bear witness to their generosity. On the right is a picture of the ceiling put in at this time.
The North Porch was rebuilt in 1894 and between 1910 and 1915 a considerable amount of restoration of the stained glass was carried out.
1939-45 World War II
During World War II the stained glass was removed and stored in zinc lined boxes which aided their preservation. After the war Dr L.A. Hamand, the organist, painstakingly replaced the stained glass windows in their original positions as far as was possible.
1977
In 1977 over £100,000 was raised for urgent repairs to stonework and re-leading of the glass. This never ending preservation work continues today.
According to the Worcester Monastic Annals the building work began in 1085.
The Priory was built for thirty monks and was much smaller than it is now. The areas coloured red in the plan on the right are part of the original building, itself part of a larger complex of Monastery buildings. The picture (below right) shows the Roman style pillars and arches.
Not long after the time of the Battle of Hastings St Wulstan, the Bishop of Worcester, encouraged a monk, called Aldwin, in the work of founding a monastery in what was then the Malvern Chase. (A chase was an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved for hunting!)
The Priory was built on land which belonged to Wesminster Abbey, under the control of the crown at that time. Malvern was in the diocese of Powick but the Priory was subservient to Westminster Abbey and so it had 'Priory' status.
Having allegiance to Westminster Abbey, there were altercations between the Priory and the Bishop of Worcester over the years.
It is reported that in 1286 the Archbishop, the King and even the Pope were involved in these disagreements.
The picture (right) shows one bay of a two bay sunken chantry alongside St Anne`s chapel. You can see two coffin lids, one of which records an epitaph to Prior Walcher who died in 1135. He was Malvern's most outstanding scholar and the first man in the western world to record the use of the astrolabe, an early form of sextant marked in degrees.
1440 - 1500
Around this time Henry VII and the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III donated two of our great windows, that at the west end and the one in the North Transept. You can see a sample of these windows on the Stained Glass page.
The North aisle was also extended and the new shape of the Priory is indicated by the blue colour on the plan (left). Widening of the South aisle was prevented by existing monastery buildings.
Floor and wall tiles plus Monk's stalls were added at this time.
The Norman church was extended in the years between 1440 and 1500. There is an interesting study into the rebuilding of Great Malvern Priory in 15th Century.
1539 and Henry VIII
(I) During the 1530's King Henry VIII was short of cash and since the monasteries belonged to someone else (the Pope) he decided to plunder them. All opposition was brushed aside by Thomas Cromwell and in 1539 the Malvern monks surrendered their lands and buildings. These were leased and sold to various people. The exception was the disused church which belonged to the crown.
(II) Destruction began; one man paid a pound for the Lady chapel and destroyed it. The cloisters and the South transept were pulled down and the lead removed from the roofs.
(III) The Priory church was saved by the parishioners of Malvern. Their own tiny parish church was derelict. It stood where the main Malvern post office is now. The parishioners petitioned the King and succeeded in buying the Priory for £20. It took them two years to raise the money. The parish consisted of only 105 families and after they had bought the church they had no money left to carry out repairs!
It is an interesting fact that we have, in the Priory, a monument to one of the men, John Knotsford, who was responsible for the demolition of the monastic buildings.
John's daughter Anne gave the impressive monument (pictured on right) with herself kneeling at the foot of the tomb.
1540 to 1800
Lack of money continued to be a problem over the next couple of centuries. This meant that hardly any repairs or maintenance were carried out over this period of time. On the plus side there was no money to remove the 'Popish' medieval glass so it is still with the priory.
Although the Civil War raged in nearby Worcester, Malvern was still a remote part of the English countryside surrounded by the dense forest of Malvern Chase.
1860 Restoration and Repair
We are not sure who financed this work but this was the age of the industrial revolution and wealthy businessmen clearly made possible this renewal. Details in the stained glass windows of the nave, and tiles on ceiling and floor, bear witness to their generosity. On the right is a picture of the ceiling put in at this time.
The North Porch was rebuilt in 1894 and between 1910 and 1915 a considerable amount of restoration of the stained glass was carried out.
1939-45 World War II
During World War II the stained glass was removed and stored in zinc lined boxes which aided their preservation. After the war Dr L.A. Hamand, the organist, painstakingly replaced the stained glass windows in their original positions as far as was possible.
1977
In 1977 over £100,000 was raised for urgent repairs to stonework and re-leading of the glass. This never ending preservation work continues today.
Tip by
2
542 m
View of Great Malvern and St. Anne's Church
Highlight • Religious Site
After ascending the 99 steps from Malvern, you’re rewarded with a stunning view of the town, beautifully framed by rolling hills and sprawling farmland in the distance.
Tip by
3
1.81 km
Stone Compass Rose, Malvern Hills
Highlight • Monument
Pretty cool marker stone, points to everywhere
Tip by
4
2.26 km
Worcestershire Beacon Summit and Toposcope
Highlight • Natural Monument
At 1,394 feet (425 m), Worcestershire Beacon is the highest point in the county and a grand viewpoint to boot. Its popularity is such that it is at the centre of a veritable spider's web of paths. As with so many summits in the region, beacon fires have been lit here in days gone by, notably to warn of the coming Spanish Armada in 1588.
On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Black Mountains plateau in South Wales. To the north west, the Shropshire Hills rise in gentle folds. The River Severn winds its way towards the sea to the east and south. A grand toposcope adorns the summit, enabling you to identify the surrounding landmarks.
On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Black Mountains plateau in South Wales. To the north west, the Shropshire Hills rise in gentle folds. The River Severn winds its way towards the sea to the east and south. A grand toposcope adorns the summit, enabling you to identify the surrounding landmarks.
Tip by
5
2.34 km
Summit Rocks
Highlight • Viewpoint
This rocky tor is only a few yards from the summit Toposcope and Trig point, yet they get overlooked as a scenic viewpoint.
Tip by
6
2.91 km
Sugarloaf Hill
Highlight • Natural Monument
Enjoy another excellent view from the top of Sugarloaf Hill, a 368m hilltop located in the beautiful Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.
Tip by
7
3.54 km
Table Hill (375 m)
Highlight • Natural Monument
Great view from the top, worth the climb
Tip by
8
3.83 km
North Hill Summit
Highlight • Natural Monument
North Hill is the second highest point of the range of Malvern Hills that runs about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north-south along the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border, although North Hill lies entirely within Worcestershire. It has an elevation of 397 metres (1,302 ft), making it the highest point of the Worcestershire Way.
The eastern flank of the hill lies directly behind Worcester road in Great Malvern from where its summit is a brisk 15 – 20 minutes steep walk from the town centre via St Ann's road and Happy Valley. A path from the car park in North Malvern follows the lower contour of North Hill to Happy Valley and St. Ann's Well.
Although the flint route from North Wales to Wessex lay to the north of Malvern, there is some evidence to suggest that traders passed over the Malvern Hills. Parts of an arrowhead, scraper and flint flakes have been discovered between the North Hill and Table Hill. A 19th-century guide book describes both a collapsed burial mound on North Hill named the Giant's Grave and a tump on Table Hill. These tumuli may have been connected to the Dobunni settlement in Mathon.
A track that runs along North Hill was known as the "Pyx Path" and was used by the priest from Worcestershire when bringing Sacrament to the hermits that lived in Malvern in the 11th Century. It was also referred to as the "Pixie Path", as it was believed to be used by fairies. The Lodge spring can be found at the foot of North Hill, off Worcester road. The ornamental fountain has a small spout and basin that is similar in design to those at St Ann's Well.
The eastern flank of the hill lies directly behind Worcester road in Great Malvern from where its summit is a brisk 15 – 20 minutes steep walk from the town centre via St Ann's road and Happy Valley. A path from the car park in North Malvern follows the lower contour of North Hill to Happy Valley and St. Ann's Well.
Although the flint route from North Wales to Wessex lay to the north of Malvern, there is some evidence to suggest that traders passed over the Malvern Hills. Parts of an arrowhead, scraper and flint flakes have been discovered between the North Hill and Table Hill. A 19th-century guide book describes both a collapsed burial mound on North Hill named the Giant's Grave and a tump on Table Hill. These tumuli may have been connected to the Dobunni settlement in Mathon.
A track that runs along North Hill was known as the "Pyx Path" and was used by the priest from Worcestershire when bringing Sacrament to the hermits that lived in Malvern in the 11th Century. It was also referred to as the "Pixie Path", as it was believed to be used by fairies. The Lodge spring can be found at the foot of North Hill, off Worcester road. The ornamental fountain has a small spout and basin that is similar in design to those at St Ann's Well.
Tip by
B
6.12 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
2.47 km
2.22 km
798 m
445 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
2.24 km
1.57 km
1.08 km
801 m
208 m
< 100 m
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Wednesday 8 July
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16°C
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