Celebrations of English Apples and Cider
in the Marcle Ridge Parishes of Herefordshire
Aylton, Little Marcle,
Much Marcle, Munsley, Pixley, Putley and Woolhope
October 9th and 10th 2004
The Common Core
- available throughout the weekend.Apple sales:
Take home some quality English apples —- Reddingend, Much Marcle 9am-6pm.
- Little Verzons, Pixley (GR665395) 10am-6pm.
Cider tasting and sales in Much Marcle:
- Lyne Down Cider, 10am to dusk.
- Westons Cider, 10am to 5pm.
- Gregg’s Pit Perry and Cider, 10.30am to 5pm.
- Much Marcle Village Shop, Sat 8am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 12.30pm.
Coffee shop:
- Little Verzons Fruit Farm, Pixley. Coffee Shop/ Plant Centre open for morning coffee.
Lunches and Suppers:
Our local pubs and restaurants will be serving dishes using apple and cider recipes.
In Much Marcle:
- Royal Oak tel 01531 660300
- Scrumpy House tel 01531 660626
- Slip Tavern tel 01531 660246
- Walwyn Arms tel 01531 660644
Nearby:
- Butchers Arms tel 01432 860281
- Crown Inn tel 01432 860468
- Hopton Arms tel 01531 670520
- The Verzons tel 01531 670381
- Trumpet Inn tel 01531 670277
Return to the top of this page.
The Venues
— open both days in Much Marcle
Hellens Great Barn (GR661333)
A Feast of Apples — Displays of apples, including cider fruit and perry pears. Tastings of dessert and culinary fruit. Feast your eyes and your taste buds! Also Marcher Apple Network; ‘Jus’ apple juice; apples for sale; Tools for Self Reliance. 2 - 4.45pm. Entry: £1 (children free).
Much Marcle Memorial Hall (GR658330)
Apple teas - delicious! 2 - 5pm.
St Bartholomew‘s Church (GR657327)
Harvest church open 11am - 5pm, produce sale, tours of the bell tower.
Gregg's Pit (GR662323)
Open day — award winning, small scale craft perry and cider making in a traditional orchard, managed to organic standards. 10am to 5pm.
Lyne Down Cider (GR646312)
Open day — demonstrations of traditional cidermaking. Don‘t miss the pig roast — local pork from Orlham's Farm. 10am to 5.30pm.
Westons Cider (GR648331)
Guided tours £3.50 (children £2.50) at 11am and 2.30pm. Shire horse dray rides £2 (£1). Open for tastings and sales. 10am — 4pm.
Awnells Farm (GR659319)
Open day for the Countryside Restoration Trust. Guided walks at 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm through the farm grassland and orchards. Donations welcome.
Return to the top of this page.
Special events
Saturday 9th October
Leominster Morris will dance, with a guest side from Adlington, at Westons (12 noon), Gregg's Pit (1pm), Lyne Down (2pm).
Chor-al A-ppeal at Hellens The Hills Singers from Malvern present an evening‘s entertainment inspired by the Big Apple, in the Music Room at Hellens. Proceeds to Marcher Apple Network. Apple aperitifs in the Great Barn at 7pm. Concert starts 7.30pm. Tickets £5 from the Curator 01531 660504
Sunday 10th October
Big Apple Bike Ride Ride the Ledbury Cider Route. Meet at Market House, Ledbury at 10am for 10.30 departure. Follow quiet country lanes, stopping to visit cider producers and orchards. Plenty of time in Much Marcle to picnic (BYO) and explore Big Apple events, before returning to Ledbury in afternoon. Information from Bella Johnson (01531) 635432.
Perry Pears at the Hellens Charles Martell will lead a short walk and talk to look at the historical association of perry pears with the Hellens and neighbourhood. Meet at the Hellens Great Barn at 3pm. £1
Return to the top of this page.
Information
If you want to know more about this programme, then please phone Mrs Jackie Denman on (01531) 670544.
For details of accommodation available in the area, phone Ledbury Tourist Information Centre on (01531) 636147.
HOW TO FIND US
Much Marcle lies 5 miles from Ledbury on the A449 road to Ross-on-Wye, beyond the point where it crosses the road from Leominster to Newent at the Preston Cross roundabout. We are just 15 minutes from the M50 motorway, 2½ hours from London and 1¼ hours from South Wales and the West Midlands.
Dates for Next Year
Blossomtime in Putley for 2005 will be on Sunday and Monday May 2nd and 3rd.
Return to the top of this page.
MARCLE RIDGE COUNTRY
Another good reason to come to the Big Apple is simply to enjoy this wonderful stretch of countryside. Hopyards, pasture and soft fruit fields mix with the orchards and woodland to create a lovely farming patchwork. The slopes of the Marcle Ridge offer splendid views across to the Malvern Hills to the east, while Woolhope, to the west, is within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.