So, there’s a job vacancy come up in the Malverns area that looks quite tempting. From a biking point of view I expect it’s fairly good but having never really visited there I was hoping to get an idea of what living around the Hereford/Worcester area is like.

That is in terms of things to do (pubs, nightlife, gigs etc.), cost of living (obviously going to be much less than that London where I am currently but average 2 bed place prices – rent first, maybe buy later if I like it) and getting around the place and travelling further for holidays and things (i.e. road, train and airport links).

Think I might apply either way but would be good to have some background to help convince the OH should the time come…

Thanks in advance.

Nice part of the world. Some proper arses living there though.

where tossers go to die.

*fwap……crooooaakaakkkkkkk*

How you mean dd, middle class IT manager types?!

Far worse than that crankbreaker. Although you’ll never be stuck for help with excel.

Someone spotted a Saskwatch on a single speed there a few months back.

yar.
now enough wth the in jokes and lets try and help the poor chap shall we?

cranky – I live here. Lots to say about it. But since Blade III is on and others will pipe up with good info in a minute (ski, aracer, Alex others) Ill type something out and post it in a bit.

Yes, that’s enough.

Sorry to intrude on the thread OP. I was just taking the mick out of Stoner.

I’d expect no less from the STW massive, sounds like a good pair of binoculars would be worthwhile for spotting the wildlife!

Thanks Stoner, will be appreciated.

We moved here 8 yrs ago. No regrets.
Young family (now 7-16 yr olds).
Good quality of life tbh. Good schools, good riding (hours of the stuff just out of the back door), proper pubs.

Nightlife and gigs…Not so much in Malvern itself but Birmingham and Cardiff not too far away.

Been her all my life. It’s a really nice part of the world. I intend to die here 😉
Biking:
Obviously the hills, great tracks and some really good loops to put together.
FoD about 45 mins away for more DH type stuff.
Cannock about hour/half away
South Wales (Afan/CwmCarn) etc about 1-1.5hrs

Nightlife:
Pretty dull tbh but Worcester has a pretty good selection of pubs/clubs

Gigs:
NEC/NIA anout an hour away.

Cost of living:
Malvern is actually quite expensive to buy/rent depending on what you want. There’s good and bad areas to live, like anywhere else. Typical 3 bed house is about £750/m rent.

If you do end up this way drop me a message and I’ll show you round the hills…

That is in terms of things to do (pubs, nightlife, gigs etc.)

Malvern itself has some very good pubs. Worcester has some OK pubs, and there’s plenty of good quality country pubs in and around the area. But for nightlife? Forget it… Once in a blue moon you’ll get a half decent night organised in Worcester at somewhere like the Firefly, but mostly it’s just cheesy crap clubs full of orange TOWIE types. Birmingham’s not too far though, or Cheltenham in the other direction, both are much better for a night out.

cost of living (obviously going to be much less than that London where I am currently but average 2 bed place prices – rent first, maybe buy later if I like it)

Cheaper than London for sure, but Malvern isn’t cheap. Worcester’s relatively good VFM as cities go, but prices will vary wildly based on where you want to live. There’s good and bad parts of course, but if you’re going to be based in Malvern for work, I’d suggest either living in or around Malvern, as Worcestershire traffic ranks up there probably only behind central London and Oxford as the worst in the country at rush hour!

and getting around the place and travelling further for holidays and things (i.e. road, train and airport links).

Assuming you won’t be planning on getting around at rush hours when you’re on your travels, then very good! Worcester is right by the M5, Malvern only 20 mins away from it. Birmingham is just over 30 miles away, Birmingham Airport only about 35 miles, Bristol only 65 miles, even London is only about 120 miles so only a couple of hours in a car as long as traffic is good. There’s 2 Train Stations in Malvern, 2 in Worcester, and the trains are frequent and reasonably reliable.

Think I might apply either way but would be good to have some background to help convince the OH should the time come…

Nothing to lose have you by applying!

Brain dump:

I love Worcestershire, was brought up here (although admittedly on the other side of the river). After a spell at a poly the other side of the country and then 7 years in London I managed to get back here. Missed it so much. But Worcs north of Bromsgrove is Brum and to be avoided. You’re 15 minutes from the M5 for north and south, M50 for southern taffland. It’s never far from civilisation – even Bristol which is about 50 minutes away.

Eocnomically Malvern is surviving pretty well. Not too many vacant shops, some new jobs being created but quite a few lost over the last few years at Qinetic unfortunately.

Politically it’s an odd blend of Blue, UKIP and Green. Goes with the rural/demographic thing. As ever in a are of outstaning beauty there’s the perennial conflict of housing development and preservation of some bucolic perfection. If you avoid the local rag youd never know though 🙂

As for riding, the hills are wonderful things to have on your doorstep.
As tough or as cruisy as you want them to be. You can thrash up and down as much as you like or contour from end to end with little more than 600′ of climbing en route.
As a local though I confess I almost never ride at the weekend – I generally ride at night or wet weekdays. The trails are usually considered “all weather” but frankly the last couple of months have broken my will – theyve been awful 🙁
Sunny weekends the hills should really be avoided unless you go to the southern end on quieter trails because whilst most walkers are very reasonable, and in fact it’s quite rare to meet a grumpy bugger, it simply breaks up your ride too much to be sharing limited trails with so many walkers.

Pubs – god we are well endowed with great pubs and at least 4 or 5 local breweries producing fantastic beer. Not to mention ciders and perrys from across the hills hobbit land. 3 good pubs on the hills mid rides, another 3 or 4 off the hills.

Good bike shop of Paul’s at Back on Track Bikes on North Malvern Road.

crankbreaker – what is it that you do that means you can follow a job advert from London to Malvern out of interest?

Living on the “Shire” side of the hills is cheaper than the Worcs side.
Food & drink excellent, MHB, Wye Valley, Weston, Dunkertons.
Not the most lively place in the world but it depends on what YOU want out of life.
Echo Malvern Hills weekends.
South Shropshire not far either for a bit of variety

Nearly bought a 3 story property in Malvern with amazing views with a garden which backed onto the hill, my Mrs spotted the gate and tire marks in the garden which went straight onto the hill, as well as the smell of WD40 in the kitchen and said one word to me, ‘no’ 😉

It was also a nice free wheel down to the Nags Head

Deffo worth staying for a weekend to see if its for you, would be quite a change from London, but you would not be the first to leave the big city to come and move/ work here.

And you might get to see Bigfoot OP! 🙂

love the Malverns! Great water too. Does it still run out of the tap half way up the hill?

Cheers all, some good notes to ponder there, similar to what I expected being from Huddersfield myself and my parents living on the side of the Pennines the Malvern area sounds a bit like the cluster of towns/villages around there. Will be having a think and a chat with the OH to gauge her reaction. Bit more of an upheaval for her since she’s London born and bred…

Oh and Stoner, cheers for the thoughts, as for what I do I’m going to keep it under my hat for the moment since it’s a pretty specialised industry and would probably be easy to work out where I’m looking and where I’m from. I will keep developments posted though should there be good news!

Mrs Stoner is London Born & Bred too, but has settled into a feral life very easily.

A word of warning re house buying – we started out on the north-eastern corner of the hill, just up fromt he bike shop. 600′ up with amazing views and high trails starting from the front gate BUT being rammed against that face of the hill (and too a lesser extent rammed against any face of the hill) you lose a lot of direct sunlight. In our case nearly 2 months of the year you get no direct sunlight at all, only ambient. It takes it’s toll. But it was just above the Nags Head so not too terrible 🙂
(Nags Head = CAMRA pub of the year 200?)

Malvern water was bought by Coca Cola Schweppes some years ago and they closed down the bottling plant in colwall a couple of years back now. The site has no got planning permission for housing 🙁

All is not lost though, an enthusiast based at the Holy Well spring (eastern side of the hill) started bottling two years ago and is getting a following and is allowed to use the phase malvern spring water too. Look out for them. Still only bottling small quantiites though.
http://www.holywellspringwater.co.uk/

There are something like 20-30 natural springs around the hill. And some ranked higher for quality or minerals than others.

And this morning the hills look quite beautiful with snowy flanks in the early light.