Councillor calls for signage to deter cyclists at historic landmark after being abused for pointing out no cycling zone to mountain bikers, amidst reports of anti-social behaviour and "existential threat" to site from damage caused by riding

Following reports of anti-social behaviour and abusive language towards visitors, including a councillor who felt that he was threatened after pointing out to three men they couldn't ride their bikes on British Camp in Malvern, calls to install clear signage to deter cyclists have been made, amidst concerns about damage caused by cyclists riding atop the historic site.

British Camp in the Malvern Hills, Herefordshire is an Iron Age Norman hill fort located at the top of Herefordshire Beacon and thought to have been first constructed in the second century BC. The areas surrounding the hill fort, which is designated as a scheduled monument, has beautiful cycling trails and is a popular flocking site for many mountain bikers, besides being host to the annual Malverns Classic Mountain Bike Festival.

However, after the reports of abusive and anti-social behaviour, cyclists have been told by the police that such actions will not be tolerated, and that all cyclists should familiarise themselves with the maps of the hills to learn where they can and cannot ride. West Mercia Police also said that they will be stepping up its patrols in the area as a result of the recent events.

One of the visitors allegedly abused by cyclists was Malvern Hills district councillor Paul Bennett. Last week, the Lib-Dem councillor told the Malvern Gazette that he was simply trying to tell three mountain bikers something he thought they might not have known, as there is no signage telling people they can't ride their bikes on British Camp. 

He said: "The men were very hostile, I felt threatened as they were swearing, being very abusive and kept saying 'Don't you have anything better to do?'

"I was polite but they were in no mood to talk and it was unwarranted hostility. I think if I had asked them if they wanted an ice cream I would have had the same reaction from them."

Following this incident, Bennet has raised a call for 'No Cycling' signs to be installed at the British Camp and help deter cyclists and prevent any further damage to it, reports Worcester News.

> Cyclists accused of causing “unlawful” damage to nature reserve by digging up “important habitat” to create mountain bike jumps

Although there is one bridleway that skirts the lower slopes of British Camp above the reservoir, cycling elsewhere on the monument is not permitted (Andrew Gustar on Flickr, licensed via CC BY-ND 2.0)

Malvern Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT) said it has also received reports of antisocial mountain bikers at British Camp. A spokesperson for Malvern SNT said: "This area of the Malvern Hills is one that we patrol on a regular basis and will not tolerate abusive and offensive language from other users of the Hills.

"We patrol on bikes most commonly, to allow us to cover a larger portion of the hills on a single patrol, but cover some areas on foot. Especially as some areas are not permitted for bikes.

"It is appreciated that cyclists occasionally accidentally stray from the approved areas for bikes, but we would encourage cyclists to familiarise themselves with the maps of the hills that are available for free from the Malvern Hills Trust.

"If asked to not cycle in an area, to appreciate that the Malvern Hills Trust staff are just doing their job and are enforcing the restrictions to keep the hills maintained and safe for everyone to enjoy."

> "Who the hell is going up there on a daily basis, unless they happen to be Chris Froome?": Councillor slams hilly cycle path plan and claims those who do use it will be "flying up and down" using it as "racetrack"

Cllr Bennett added: "British camp won't exist eventually as every time people go with bikes there is further damage. We all need to make sure it isn't damaged, as we're custodians of the future. It's important we preserve it when we can, as it's a focal point for tourism for the entire area."

In 2021, we reported that a barbed wire was strung across the Malvern Hills cycling trails, with the Trust saying that it was “gravely concerned” over the discovery of the trap for cyclists.

While tales of councillors celebrating thousands of pounds raked in by fining anti-social cyclists (such as the 82-year-old Barrie Enderby who famously told the council to "stick it up their a*se") riding in Grimsby and more recently, "rogue cowboy council wardens" lying in wait to jump cyclists in Colchester and issue them fines are well-known and widely reported on this website, in July, young cyclists were accused by conservationists of causing “serious” damage to a nature reserve by digging up parts of the earth to create mountain bike jumps.

According to the Wildlife Trust, a section of wildflower meadow at Cross Hill Quarry, a former quarry site and green space located just outside Clitheroe, has been dug up in recent weeks to create a number of small jumps, an act the Trust claims is “unlawful”.

“The quarry floor at Cross Hill Quarry is one of the most important areas on the site for wildflowers. In fact, just next to the damaged area an orchid was in flower, and countless other important species associated with these limestone grasslands may have been lost,” Kim Coverdale, East Lancashire’s Reserves Officer for the Trust, said in response to the ramps’ creation.

The news came  just days after a group of children in Wales were threatened by residents after they cleared a woodland of litter to create a cycle track, which the local housing association claimed was anti-social behaviour that was causing “severe damage” to the area.