Malvern Hills: The Needle in a Hillside Caper

The latest walking holiday in the Malvern Hills was based at the Wyche Inn, in a saddle of the hills midway along the north-south range. On the first day, the route headed to the northern reach of the Malverns with the intention of descending to the Nag’s Head pub for lunch. An essential parameter of walk planning was that Brian needed a bitter beer with lunch. Following a dotted trail on a hiking app, the real trail grew progressively steeper and more slippery. Tony lost balance and somersaulted about 10 meters down the hill, cutting the back of his left hand on a thorny bush. The hearing aids were later discovered missing and were presumed to have fallen off during the tumble. After lunch, Brian pressed for a return up the hillside to search. Against the odds, the right grassy area and thorny bush were found, and the hearing aids lay cushioned in the grass. A needle had been found on a hillside.

The Wyche Inn, Wyche Road, Malvern Hills, England