Cora & Bruce

Quick Sand - Friend or Foe?

A potentially dangerous problem when dealing with spring water is quicksand.  We have all no doubt seen movies where the hero or heroine is sucked into the seething morass only to be rescued at the last minute or alternatively to disappear for ever.  Quicksand is fine grained sand that has liquefied due to water saturation. As a result it is no longer able to take weight and a heavy object will sink. As it sinks the sand consolidates around the object or body and this makes it difficult to drag it or oneself out. Also if clothes are worn, these become heavier with saturation and in turn add to the weight of the body, which in turn brings about an increase in the likelihood of sinking further. 

For this action to work you need sand that has water being forced through it. For example spring water emerging from a deep cavity that has become filled with fine sand. Fortunately such conditions do not prevail in the Malvern Hills to the best of our knowledge but can occur not only on the surface but underground in mines and caves. The trick to getting out is to float out of the morass. This is easier said than done if you are up to your waist, weary and wet.

New Gateway to the Springs and Wells    

Plans for a new visitor centre 'Gateway to the Hills' took a giant leap forward during Civic Week.  On Friday 8th June a reception and presentation was held to launch the Gateway project. The event began with a conducted walk through Great Malvern, led by Cora who outlined the impressive heritage and visitor attractions of the town. Ending at the Mount Pleasant Hotel for afternoon tea and cakes, Bruce then presented the case for the new visitor centre Gateway to the Hills, to be created by transforming the Mount Pleasant Hotel and grounds in Great Malvern. 

Bruce said that although not formally named a National Park, the Malvern Hills are arguably Great Britain's original National Park. Established as a protected landscape by Act of Parliament in 1884, the Malvern Hills Conservators own and manage the landscape on behalf of the nation, thus conforming to the international definition of a National Park. There are now 15 formal British National Parks, all established since the Second World War and the Malvern Hills makes an unnamed 16th. One big difference however between the Malvern Hills and National Parks is that the Malvern Hills lacks a formal Visitor Centre, often the first stopping off place for tourists.

A further issue with Malvern is the link between the town and the hills. Many visitors can see the hills but do not know how to reach them. This is now being addressed by the 'Route to the Hills' scheme initiated by Malvern Hills District Council. The Mount Pleasant is ideally located as the link between the landscape of the Hills and the townscape and this is addressed through the aptly named Gateway project.

Following the presentation, the Gateway to the Hills project was launched with a champagne toast, when young Joshua Thiele skilfully rang a welcoming peal on an historic brass hand bell looked on by 'AJ' the manager and Bruce. Joshua, from North Staffordshire, was visiting Malvern with his family, and was one of a number of tourists and local people at the launch. Then Cora and Bruce together cut the ribbon at the entrance to the Mount Pleasant's new Malvern Tea Rooms, the first stage in the development of the extended facilities.

Following the launch the guests then explored the gardens. They saw the buildings and grounds that will be developed as the Gateway visitor centre. This will provide services including advice, accommodation and refreshments for visitors, whether they are travelling by car, bike or on foot. It will offer a range of specialist interpretation and information resources, including guided walks, books, maps and special events, complimenting those offered by Malvern Tourist Information Centre. There will also be heritage artefacts on display portraying the heritage of the town and hills. In addition it will be a new way of discovering the celebrated Springs and Wells through a passport scheme. The unique position of the Mount Pleasant means that it will be the re-creation of the vital link between the Hills and the townscape. It is adjacent to the historic 99 steps and processional way of the ancient Monks of Malvern Priory, as they once made their way to and from the hillside hermitage of St Werstan the Martyr, the founding monk of Malvern.