Geopark Way Visitor Centre at the Malvern Hills GeoCentre

The Malvern Hills GeoCentre, situated on the western slopes of the Malvern Hills about a hundred meters from the Wyche Cutting is half way along the Geopark Way long distance walking trail.  As the trail descends from the Hills at the Cutting, it passes along Walwyn Road towards Colwall, and the Malvern Hills GeoCentre is located on the right hand side as one makes the initial descent.  From the car park, there is often a stunning view across Herefordshire towards Hay Bluff and the Black Mountains on the Welsh border.

The GeoCentre is part of the Wyche Innovation Centre, a business and technology facility serving entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Malvern area.  The GeoCentre was officially opened in June 2013 by Chris Darmon as part of GeoFest and is the official visitor information centre for the Geopark Way.

The Centre makes use of modern technology to disseminate a wealth of information about the Malvern Hills, the associated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the enlarged area of the Geopark.  Information is available on iPads housed in bespoke wooden ‘Apple trees’.  The content includes information on the local history, geology, hydrology, flora and fauna, and technology heritage.  The information is arranged in a web-based format, enabling new information to be added with ease, and allowing the curators to research which pages are of most interest to visitors and hence optimise the content for the future.

In addition to the iPads, a large video wall projects images, videos and information about the Geopark and local area.  These include a set of stunning images compiled by Mike Brooks (BrooksDesigns) that were taken to populate his geological-focused walking tour applications along the Geopark Way.  There are also plans to further enhance the content on these screens with information about the local events, and news, making use of state-of-the-art digital signage software.

 The wall maps at the Centre include QR Codes and Near Field Communication (NFC) chips to enable smart phone users to obtain more information about the maps on their own device.  This means less information has to be printed on the wall displays, and updating the information by digital means is quicker and less costly.  The information is also integrated with the iPad content, so both mediums can be used.

Despite the limited space, the Centre has some traditional exhibits of rocks and fossils from the local region.  These help to bring the local geology to life, as charts and digital content are not ideal for this in all situations.  For those wanting more information, a range of printed guides, books, and leaflets are also on sale, including those from the range of Geopark Way publications offered by the Earth Heritage Trust.

 Finally, the Centre offers refreshments from Café H₂O; light meals, hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks.  Many of the items on the menu are sourced locally, such as the fruit juices, crisps and ice-creams, and the sandwiches, salads and cakes are all prepared by the café operators Team Jamboree.  This venture is also unusual, as Team Jamboree are a co-operative of adults each with a learning difficulty, managed by Kate Harding and Debbie Probert.  The café provides an opportunity for the individuals to plan activities, prepare food, and serve customers.  As a result, the cooperative members share in the profits and success of the social enterprise as well.