Horsebox parking to ride on the Malverns

[stimpy]

Hello all

I have recently moved from the south of England to a house a few miles north of Malvern and I'd like to hack up on the Malvern hills. Since moving here I've walked up on the hills a couple of times to check out access and car parks and whilst I don't mind paying to park the conservators cars parks are definitely not looking well set up for horseboxes and they seem to get very very busy. So I am looking for some local knowledge of places with reasonable horsebox parking. Does anyone have suggestions for places to park where it is reasonably safe to unload and there is good access to the hills? Later this year I'd like to take my newly backed youngster to hack there but for the first few times I can take my very reliable horse so as to get to know the routes and parking.

 

[spacefaer]

If you look back through the posts, there was a very similar one sometime ago. It should have some helpful info on it.

 

[Orangehorse]

Golden Valley and Castlemorton. I don't know the area and I haven't parked there, but there are many locals that do. I think there is a slight problem with Casltemorton in that trainers used to go and gallop their horses there, and trashed it which upset the Conservators, but someone looked into the situation on the Malverns and although there are bridlepaths you can in fact ride anywhere, except the newly installed Disabled tracks although obviously you need to be wary of the many visitors and their dogs!

 

[stimpy]

Golden Valley and Castlemorton. I don't know the area and I haven't parked there, but there are many locals that do. I think there is a slight problem with Casltemorton in that trainers used to go and gallop their horses there, and trashed it which upset the Conservators, but someone looked into the situation on the Malverns and although there are bridlepaths you can in fact ride anywhere, except the newly installed Disabled tracks although obviously you need to be wary of the many visitors and their dogs!

Thanks. I have heard Castlemorton mentioned a few times, trouble is that it's an absolute pig to get to from the north, those hills get in the way somewhat and most of the nearby roads are far from ideal for horseboxes. I'll have to see if there is a reasonable route and take a look, thanks again.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

My friend recently put an advert on her FB page asking for car parking in a particular area where she used to be stabled as the hacking is so much more varied than where she has moved to. She was wary of parking on a designated verge at the side of the lane and she would have to load/unload herself as she'd be on her own and of course if someone parks in front/behind you, you wouldn't be able to load back up after the ride, also she'd need to mount due to back problems, on her specially designed mounting block which she felt could be stolen as she'd not be able to put it back in the trailer once she was on the horse.She also emailed a pub in the area asking if she could park on their massive car park out of hours, i.e. 8am on a Saturday or Sunday morning but they never replied to her email. In the end she designed a poster, uploaded a photo of her towing outfit and offered to pay £5 if someone would let her park on their yard for a couple of hours whilst she went off hacking. She got a couple of replies and suggestions and she will be taking those up on their kind offers once her trailer is fixed.It might be worth doing similar and maybe advertise on your FB page or put the ad up in local feed merchants or vets reception area??

 

[Orangehorse]

The WBRA does this. If you are a member you get a list of parking places such as livery yards, farms and pubs. There is only one in the Malvern area though and this is at Castlemorton and is open for anyone.

When you say north, where are you coming from? There is parking just off the Hereford-Worcester road but that doesn't lead directly onto the hills obviously.

 

[stimpy]

The WBRA does this. If you are a member you get a list of parking places such as livery yards, farms and pubs. There is only one in the Malvern area though and this is at Castlemorton and is open for anyone.

Yes, I am a member

When you say north, where are you coming from? There is parking just off the Hereford-Worcester road but that doesn't lead directly onto the hills obviously.

Thanks Orangehorse. I'm in Storridge, so ideally looking for somewhere that will give me access to the northern end of the hills. It may be an intractable problem as I really don't fancy driving the horsebox through West Malvern, it's a complete nightmare in a car!

Where is the parking off the A4103? Or do you mean the WBRA parking spot in Storridge? I know that one well

 

[stimpy]

It might be worth doing similar and maybe advertise on your FB page or put the ad up in local feed merchants or vets reception area??

Thanks hopscotch bandit, some good ideas there.

 

[Orangehorse]

I do mean the Storridge parking place! Ask the host - she has ridden to the Malvern Hills and may well know some parking places as her OH used to trailer her horse out to various places and she would ride back. Or if she cannot help directly, then she may well know someone who can.

I completely agree that I would not like to take a horsebox/trailer through the roads of West Malvern - nightmare! The road from Storridge to West Malvern is also grotty.

 

[phizz4]

From the junction of the A449 and the B4232, at the Herefordshire Beacon end, if you follow the B4232 north for a short distance there is a large car park on the right. There is also one at the main road junction, and one just to the west of the Worcestershire Beacon.