We hosted the very successful Original Source Mountain Mayhem event again this year, and over 2650 competitors and even more supporters and spectators arrived in the Park for the weekend of 18/20th June. The event is now well established here, and if we can find enough routes to offer annual changes for the course, we hope it will stay. At other times, the Park is not open to mountain bikers, which helps to make Mountain Mayhem special.

The races are divided into a number of categories so almost everyone has a chance to compete. One year, I saw a man on a monocycle but never discovered if he was in a class of his own, though in one sense, of course, he was. The course snakes around the Park and nearby land, with a good mixture of hill work and some water crossings. The races are endurance tests and last 24 hours. This year it all went very well and was a credit to the organisers, and, to some extent, the dry weather, which made the going easier.

As boys, my brother and I used to ride our bikes in the Park too, but with unsprung Raleighs and Sturmey Archer Three Speed gears. Going to watch Mountain Mayhem and seeing all the trade stands reminds us how much off-road biking has developed. I still ride my 40 year old Raleigh, although I stick to the roads as much as possible, with only the occasional downhill run on the grass ……and no Lycra! JH-B

This is the rather surprising name of an old keeper’s cottage, which is up against the southern boundary of  New’s Wood , a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the edge of the Eastnor Park, close to the Worcestershire Way, Midsummer Hill and the Obelisk in the Park itself.  I am not sure what the origin of the name is, but the cottage was let to a number of tenants after the last keeper left it.  My father used to remark that any children who lived there and had to walk over a mile to Eastnor School had very good complexions.

After several years standing empty, the cottage has been converted into a three- bedroom, two-bathroom furnished holiday cottage. We have maintained the original exterior, but transformed the interior with a new kitchen with open dining area at the front of the house. There is a twin room downstairs and two doubles upstairs.  We fitted a second bathroom on the landing between the two upstairs rooms.  New heating and hot water systems, with a high level of insulation, guarantee comfort in all seasons. When the final touches have been applied, it will be Four-Star rated.

Peacock Villa has a fantastic location.  You wind up a steep road along the side of Midsummer Hill, the summit of which, the site of an Iron Age Camp, is owned by the National Trust, and then drop down towards the site of Gullet Quarry, before entering the Park, hugging the perimeter fence and finally arriving, a good half mile from the main road.  The cottage faces south and looks out across open parkland.  The occasional walker passes by, as do Land Rovers as they slowly emerge from one of their nearby test tracks. Otherwise it is haven of peace and quiet, and ideal as a base for exploring the footpaths of the Malvern Hills or attending one of our Park events.

For more information simply visit our website ….
Holiday Cottage Details
Cottage Photo Gallery
Cottage Tariff

Or call our office on 01531 633160

Come and try it ………………………     JH-B    23rd Dec 2009