This isn't the walk that was intended for this week - that was stymied at the last minute by a closed footpath, with no suitable alternative available. But perhaps that's not such a bad thing, as part of the planned route was by the river Severn, and right now it's raining again. So let's head for the Malvern Hills instead, where the ground can shrug off much of what the climate throws at it and path closures are not only practically unknown, but wouldn't matter anyway because there are so many others to choose from. And if it should be cold, wet and windy on those exposed hilltops, that's not such a disaster either, because you're never more than a few minutes from the sheltered, wooded paths on the lower slopes, while Great Malvern has plenty of cafés and pubs where you can quickly warm up.

The Malverns are famous for their water, of course, but what is not so well known is that this issues forth from an amazing 88 sources. If you'd like to know more about the subject it's worth looking for a book called Springs, Spouts, Fountains and Holy Wells of the Malvern Hills by Bruce Osborne and Cora Weaver. Also useful is Wells of Malvern, a map and guide published by Harvey Maps in association with the Malvern Spa Association.

You'll pass only a few of the Malvern water sources on this walk, but they do include some particularly interesting ones. First up are the Enigma Fountain and the Malvhina Spout on Belle Vue Island, at the top of Church Street, where water from three springs (Rushey Valley, Happy Valley and Ivy Scar) is now piped through two sculptures by Rose Garrard, who based her designs on themes suggested by local residents. Malvhina, completed in 1998, is a stone and bronze figure representing a legendary Celtic princess, while Enigma, unveiled in 2000, incorporates a waterfall and a statue of Sir Edward Elgar, who lived in Malvern from 1891 until 1904. You can't miss these two sculptures, but a third town-centre spout is less obvious, though more historic - this is the Bottling Works Spring, which you'll find just across the road, in a yard off Belle Vue Terrace. This is where Malvern water was bottled by John and William Burrow in the 1850s with such success that they were granted warrants to supply members of the royal family. Bottling continued on this site until the 1950s.

The Burrows piped their supply from St Ann's Well, which you'll pass soon after leaving Rose Bank Gardens. In the 19th century St Ann's was the most popular of all the Malvern wells, springs and spouts and it remains much visited today.

The water source itself is enclosed within a rectangular well-house built about 1814, to which an octagonal extension was added in the 1840s. This splendid building narrowly survived the threat of demolition in the 1960s and is now a popular café, with indoor and outdoor seating.

Less striking is Lower Wyche Spout, which you'll pass on Old Wyche Road. It's enclosed in a strange brick structure built in 1840 in grassland just beyond a house called Berry Brow. The water is channelled to a roadside trough, once used by the cattle which grazed Malvern Common and by the horses which hauled wagons up and down Old Wyche Road.

Right at the end of the walk, just before you return to Great Malvern, you'll pass Happy Valley Spout, formerly used by the donkeys which carried visitors up to Worcestershire Beacon from the early 19th century until the 1940s. This inconspicuous spout is in a brick and stone basin on the right of a small stream close to the junction of the footpath with a private driveway. A wooden shed nearby was originally a donkey stable.

DIRECTIONS1 Walk up Church Street to Belle Vue Terrace and turn left, then shortly right into Rose Bank Gardens. Climb the 99 steps, continue to a junction and turn second left. Climb to St Ann's Well, then turn left at a sign for Wyche Road. Walk through woodland, ignoring branching paths and eventually descending to the road. Cross over.

2 Turn right, then fork left past a SevernTrent treatment site towards Lower Wyche Road. Turn right and continue to a fork. Descend left through a field then turn right on Old Wyche Road. Keep straight on at all junctions, climbing steeply back up to Wyche Road and the Wyche cutting.

3 Take Beacon Road and head north along the knobbly spine of the hills to Worcestershire Beacon. It's a very gentle climb to the top, rewarded by panoramic views. Descend northwards to a saddle where numerous paths meet at a circular route indicator. Look for the arrow indicating Great Malvern and go steeply down towards Happy Valley and the town centre.

FACT FILEStart: Great Malvern, grid ref SO775459.

Length: 4 miles/6.5km.

Maps: OS Explorer 190; OS Landranger 150; Harvey's Superwalker Malvern Hills; Harvey's Wells of Malvern Map and Guide; Malvern Public Transport Guide (free from the tourist information centre, it shows most roads and footpaths and is based on OS mapping).

Terrain: Mostly open grassland on the hills, undulating but rarely very steep, with clear paths, some of them stony. There is also some woodland. Footpaths: Faultless.

Stiles: None.

Parking: Great Malvern (or at the Wyche if preferred).

Public transport: Numerous trains and buses (Astons 363/First 44); www.worcestershire.gov.uk/bustimetables or Worcestershire Hub 01905 765765 or www.nationalrail.co.uk or Rail Enquiries 08457 484950.

Refreshments: Great Malvern, St Ann's Well, the Wyche Inn.

NB: Please keep dogs on leads if you see sheep or cattle on the hills.

PLEASE NOTE This walk has been carefully checked and the directions are believed to be accurate at the time of publication.

No responsibility is accepted by either the author or publisher for errors or omissions, or for any loss, accident or injury, however caused.

JULIE ROYLE