The charity caring for the Malvern Hills and Commons is urging visitors leave no trace this weekend.
Beck Baker, Community and Conservation Officer, said ‘We are expecting lots of to the Malvern Hills and Commons over the Bank Holiday and we ask people to respect this very special landscape. Every decision we make when enjoying the countryside has an impact and we call on visitors be responsible and leave no trace in an effort to help care for the Hills and Commons that we all love."
The Trust has provided some top tips on how to care for the Hills and Commons this Bank Holiday:
Put your litter in a bin
Litter is harmful to wildlife and grazing livestock and it spoils the environment for others. If there are no bins available or the bins are full, please take your litter home with you. Do not leave litter alongside a full bin as it can blow away and cause more harm.
Pick up after your dog
Bag up your dog's poo and put it in a bin. If there is no bin available or the bin is full, please bag it and take it home. Dog poo can cause illness in people, wildlife and livestock and can have a negative impact on sensitive flora found in the landscape.
Keep your dog under effective control
Keeping your dog under effective control means keeping your dog in sight at all times, being confident it will return on command, or kept on a lead. The Hills and Commons are visited by walkers, horse riders and cyclists who may not want to be approached by your dog.
The Hills and Commons are grazed by cattle and sheep all year round. Always put your dog on a lead near livestock, including within the temporary grazing compartments, to keep the animals safe. The locations of the Trust's livestock grazing projects can be found using Stockwatch which is updated weekly.
Ground nesting birds can be found within the landscape and are particularly sensitive to disturbance by dogs. Where you see the ground nesting bird signs, always keep you and your dog to the path to keep the birds and their offspring safe.
Leave the BBQ at home
BBQ's and fires present a huge risk that puts wildlife, visitors and livestock in danger. They are not permitted anywhere on the Hills and Commons so please leave them at home. Risk of wildfires increases with warmer, drier weather but even with recent weather, damage can be caused to vegetation by heat.
Stay out of Gullet Quarry
Due to the risk of cold water shock, swimming in Gullet Quarry is not permitted. The shock can seriously affect your breathing and movements and can affect anyone, even strong swimmers. Police and wardens regularly patrol this area to keep people safe.
Leave the drone at home
Some of our most special wildlife can be easily disturbed. Drones can look like predators to some birds so to stop disturbance to wildlife, livestock and other visitors, drones are not permitted on the Hills and Commons. Please leave the drone at home.
Check your route before you visit
This landscape is bursting with wildlife and heritage. Some of the species are sensitive Footpaths and bridleways cross this landscape and provide access for different types of recreational activities and you can find out more checking public rights of way on Worcestershire County Council, Herefordshire County Council, Ordnance Survey maps or by getting one of our free maps and guides from the Malvern Tourist Information Centre or from one of our wardens.
Under our Acts which access across the landscape is granted to walkers (and those using mobility aids) and horse riders unless specifically signposted.
As in the wider countryside cyclists have access along bridleways and permissive cycle paths. Please stick to the bridleways and don't create your own cycling trails or follow those off bridleways.
Park in designated areas
The Trust's car parks provide safe, dedicated places for starting adventures on the Hills and Commons. Please park within these areas. Do not park on the verges which puts people at risk and also damages these wildflower-rich wildlife areas.
Thank you for helping to look after this special place and enjoy your visit!
