Friendly Faces of Warwickshire

First-timers and regulars are welcome to admire the S T U N N I N G scenery of this magnificent location. A repeat of the first ever Friendly Faces group hike, which always puts huge smiles on faces.

What to expect...
Having done this hike many times - from experience I can honestly say that being at the top of the Malvern hills looking down is a truly amazing experience, and if I describe it its easy to imagine, so lets take a moment...
All you can hear is birds singing softly, and the faint sound of the odd motorbike engine riding through the country lanes far away. Maybe a light breeze brushes past, rustling the leaves of the trees.
The views from the top are absolutely breath-taking, and as you let your eyes relax into the distance and rest on the tiny houses below, you realise how therapeutic it is being away from the bright monitors and mobile-phone screens of daily life.
As you breath deeply and feel the fresh air in your lungs, you smile and feel satisfied at having reached the top and wonder why you dont get out to places like this more often.

So make this dreamy guided meditation into a reality and take an afternoon to drive out to the bottom of the hills on Sunday July 6th, and hike up and along the tops to take in this outstanding experience.

It's perhaps worth noting that this is not a hike for the weak or unfit. The initial ascent generates a lot of huffing and puffing, and when we reach the top - the route along the top is up and down smaller peaks for the duration. Please consider that unlike other easy walks/hikes you may have attended, this hike is for intermediate hikers.
Rest assured that the entire route consists purely of normal pathways (as per the one in the photo) that are well-trodden by families and people of all age-groups. It's 100% walking and no climbing with your hands is needed.
There are plenty of places to stop and sit down along the way so lots of opportunities to take a break for a while before continuing. The views get better the closer you get to the top, and upon reaching the top you'll agree it was worth the effort.

Depending on how we move as a group it shouldn't take us much more than 3 or 4 hours before we are back down at the bottom of the hills again.
As is customary when we reach the end of a Friendly Faces hiking route, we'll call in at a nearby pub (this time the very convenient local Wetherspoons) for a well-earned drink and a sit down / final chin-wag, before heading home.
Bear in mind that while dogs are allowed to attend this event, Wetherspoons pubs dont allow dogs anywhere on their premises.

Getting there...
If you aren't a driver and would like a lift to and from the starting point, leave a message here on the event page (as soon as you sign up) asking if anyone is kind enough to offer. Do that now, because leaving that question until the last few days before the event is too late.
Don't forget to offer a few pounds to your driver towards petrol money.
If you are a driver and can spare a seat or two in your car (perhaps in exchange for a few pounds in petrol money) you would undoubtedly attain instant hero status.
The meet-point is x miles away from...
Warwick 51; Leamington 52; Kenilworth 54; Coventry 54; Rugby 61; Central Birmingham 40.
We'll meet outside the Abbey Road Cafe which is near the bottom of the hills, grab a coffee / take a quick trip to the toilet, and then begin our ascent.

Oh and parking...
Aim for the Priory Road South carpark as its the biggest and best (and a bargain at £4 for 24 hours) but please bear in mind that there is a 15-minute walk from the carpark to the coffee shop meet point, so factor that into your planned arrival time.

Other things to note...
- Well-behaved dogs ARE allowed 🐶✔️ to attend this walk, but must be kept on a lead. Remember also that some people can be fearful of dogs and hide it well, so please be respectful of that and keep your dog under control at all times.
- Compared to other hiking routes in the huge Friendly Faces library of routes, the terrain for this one is very hilly. Ankle-protecting boots are always recommended for hiking distances like this, and for this event they are essential.
You'll hopefully be attending many more Friendly Faces hikes scheduled for the year ahead, so if you don't own proper walking boots then it will be a great investment.

Finally...
With this fantastic area of outstanding natural beauty only an hours drive away from Warwickshire, we dont need any flight bookings or suitcases or airport transfers - lets just get in the cars and take advantage of what this country has to offer for free!
So with your imagination excited at the prospect of a super afternoon out, hit the attend button now so you dont forget.

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions in the meantime.

EVENT SUMMARY / IMPORTANT POINTS

What better way to get out and meet more people... whether you're a first-timer or a regular, get your name down to join this mixed casual group-tour around downtown Warwick on a relaxed Friday evening, and we'll descend together upon its most popular bars one at a time, staying long enough for a drink or two before we all move on to the next one.