CONTENTS
EPPING FOREST OUTDOOR GROUP
The Group stayed at the Lower Wych Youth Hostel near Great Malvern on 27/28th May 2006. Walks on the Malvern hills - longer ones for those more able, shorter ones and cafe stops for those less so - gave a variety of opportunities on the first day of our weekend in the Malverns.
The Malvern Hills - 28th May 2006
An early morning attempt on Perseverance Hill was not only pre-breakfast, but a personal break-through for one member - recently recovered from a hip replacement operation. Another less-than-usual accomplishment was Fred getting his trousers muddied!
Fred's unusually muddied trousers 
Herefordshire - from Worcestershire 
Paul, having reached the top! 
The Malverns from the Worcestershire Beacon 
Little-people at the trig-point? 
The outskirts of Malvern below In the evening, after a good meal, we wended our way to Hollybush to stay in a bunk-house barn - to find that there had been a double booking. This led to a considerable amount of sharing, a tent and a night in the car. For the car-sleeper, another pre-breakfast walk as the sun rose incorporated Midsummer Hill - maybe a couple of weeks early but...nicely named.
A relaxed meal in the evening 
Discussing the double-booking
Steps - but it's a long, steep slope up to - 
Morning light near Midsummer Hill 
- woods of Bluebells - 
- and May blossom on Midsummer Hill The Group walk- after breakfast - was lead by Duncan and consisted of a figure-of-eight route in the southern Malverns. This was highlighted by pretty good weather until we reached the very top of an exposed hill - then a sudden dark cloud and rain-storm as we ate our sandwiches. Having negotiated the subsequent Malvern rain-forests on the way down - the walk continued in the sunshine.
Steve, Fred, Peter, Val, Ken and Duncan - with the others behind 
Coats are going on - Steve looking at the clouds - 
At the trig-point - in the rain - 
- followed by muddy and slippery slopes 
And finishing in the sunshine ...........................................
