In reply to Peter Ditchfield: That's true, Worcestershire is a funny county. How good does Blackstone look from a distance!
I forgot that there has been some development in the Malverns. Bouldering behind the Clock Tower by some Worcester locals, the lads who work at Vertical Limit I think ,pretty hard (7b?) with a dody-ish top-out although that's second hand information on my part. There is also a Johnny Dawes problem in Broomhall quarry according to his book 'Full of myself'. Given the weather though the Malverns may be in poor nick, amazing ancient rock though.
Other local esoterica includes: High Rock at Bridgnorth (complete with old pegs and tat courtesy of unknown pioneers, maybe Cuthbertson I think I read somewhere) where you can make up a few decent problems and see the inscrutable green man carving: and Queen's Parlour where there is one piece of sandstone with a decent patina and a few short problems. Again I'd guess all these will be soaked and they are very much desperate locals' fare.
In my humble opinion Bewdley bypass bridge is worth a visit if you're in the vicinity, English 5c-6aish if I was forced to grade fart and good/bad on the fingers depending on how you look at it. Plus there is often a kingfisher that flies past, although probably not with the river so high.
When in doubt I and my friends find Newport wall is definitely worth the hour or so journey, the route setting is impeccable. There is a cool old DM converted squash court wall in Stourbridge, complete with inset real rock that I remember as slate and the best indoor slab I've ever climbed on, but sadly this was closed to the public due to an accident and a lack of common sense on the part of the Crystal Leisure Centre.
Anyway,
Merry Christmas all