The Hills and Commons are grazed by livestock all year round.  This grazing helps maintain the open aspect, the wonderful views and the special wildlife habitats too.

Grazing is undertaken through Malvern Hills Trust's projects, where livestock are fenced within temporary enclosures, and also by local people who hold commoners rights to graze their cattle and sheep across the landscape.  

Visitors to the Malvern Hills are welcome to explore the areas within the temporary enclosures, which can be accessed through pedestrian gates.  Please remember to keep you dog on a lead near livestock and under close control at all times as livestock may be found anywhere at any time.

Stockwatch provides information on the locations of livestock for the Malvern Hills Trust's projects where temporary electric-fenced enclosures are erected. 

As most of our land is Common Land, commoners do graze livestock freely across the Hills and Commons and members of the public should therefore be ready to encounter livestock anywhere and at anytime.  The locations of these livestock are not included in Stockwatch. 

Please remember that dogs must be kept under close control at all times.  If in doubt, put your dog on a lead.

Livestock within temporary electric-fenced enclosures can be found in the following locations:

Northern Hills

Cattle and sheep on West Worcestershire Beacon.  Sheep off the main Hills.  Sheep and lambs can be found in Joyner's Meadow above West Malvern Road.

Central Hills

Cattle on West Perseverance Hill.  Sheep off the Hills.

Southern Hills

Sheep from British Camp to Swinyard Hill.

Old Hills

Cattle no longer on the Old Hills.

Map of grazing compartments (PDF)

Cattle and sheep can be found throughout Castlemorton and Hollybed Commons at this time.

You can sign up to receive weekly updates to your email inbox here.  Stockwatch is also published in the Malvern Gazette every Friday.

Commoner's Rights

Of the land we care for, 90% is registered Common Land.  This means that local people have the traditional right to graze a set number of sheep or cattle on the Hills and Commons.  

Although the numbers of active commoners who are turning out livestock has decreased, rights still exist and at any time people could choose to put livestock back on the Hills.  This grazing would be outside of our grazing projects so would not be enclosed and therefore we are not able to provide information for visitors on their location through Stockwatch.

Please make sure that if you're visiting with your dog that you're prepared to meet livestock at any time.  MHT are not responsible for any animals not within the Trust's grazing projects.

Livestock worrying - Stock count

As we did in 2019, we will be keeping a running tally of dog attacks on livestock to highlight the frequency of these events on the Malvern Hills.

From the 1st January 2020
Number of attacks on livestock - 0
Number of livestock deaths - 1

Two weeks into the new year, a sheep has been severely injured by a dog on Broad Down near British Camp.  The sheep's injuries were so serious that it had to be shot.  The attack, on the 13th January, has been reported to the police and we urge anyone who saw anything to come forward and contact the office 01684 892002.

Dog attacks on sheep are distressing for everyone involved; the sheep, the dog, the grazier and the dog owner.

By following signage and putting your dog on a lead near livestock you can put an end to these incidents and remove the worry when walking your dog in this farmed landscape.  All breeds of dog could chase sheep and even well-trained dogs can become fixated on livestock, so please use the lead and don't put your pet in that position.

Thank you.

In 2019:
Number of attacks on livestock - 13
Number of livestock deaths - 6

The above figures do not include chasing incidents where a dog does not make contact with the livestock although this is still livestock worrying and a criminal offence.  Not all livestock worrying incidents are witnessed or reported so this tally is an underrepresentation of the actual number.

Updated 6th January 2020

Common Land

The Malvern Hills and Commons are registered Common Land. This means certain local people have legal rights to put livestock onto the land to graze without notice. Members of the public should therefore be ready to encounter livestock anywhere and at anytime.

Find out more about Common Land - Foundation for Common Land 

Each and every year, we receive reports from the public and from the graziers that sheep and cattle have been chased and attacked by dogs.  Livestock worrying is a criminal offence. To report livestock worrying by dogs, which includes chasing, on the Hills or Commons call the Police on 101.  Please also call the office on 01684 892002 so we can alert the grazier to attend.  The faster the animal can receive emergency veterinary treatment the better its chances of recovery.