Celebrations of English Apples and Cider
in the Marcle Ridge Parishes of Herefordshire
Aylton, Little Marcle,
Much Marcle, Munsley, Pixley, Putley and Woolhope
October 15th and 16th 2005
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, 10am 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
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The Venues
— open both days in Much MarcleHellens 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; perrymaking. Entry £1 (children free). 2 - 4.45pm.
Tour of the house at 3pm. (£5, concessions).
Much Marcle Memorial Hall (GR658330)
Apple teas - delicious! - in the newly refurbished hall. 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 5pm.
Westons Cider (GR648331)
Guided tours £4.00 (children £2.50) at 11am and 2.30pm. Open for tastings and sales. 10am — 4pm.
Awnells Farm (GR659319)
Open day for the Countryside Restoration Trust. Guided walks through the farm grassland and orchards. Donations welcome. 11am — 5pm.
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Special events
Saturday 15th October
Leominster Morris will dance at Westons (12 noon), Gregg's Pit (1pm), Lyne Down (2pm).
The Wildlife Value of Orchards - a talk by James Marsden of English Nature. Much Marcle Memorial Hall. 5.30pm. £3. Proceeds to Marcher Apple Network.
Think you know Herefordshire? Enjoy an evening of comedy as the Wye Theatre Company reveals some startlingly bizarre aspects of the life, language and lore of Herefordshire. In the Music Room at Hellens. 7.30pm. Tickets £5, from the Curator 01531 660504, or on the door. Proceeds to Marcher Apple Network.
Sunday 16th 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 the afternoon. Information from Bella Johnson (01531) 635432.
Ridge Walk to the Wonder David Walker will lead a 5 mile walk along the Marcle Ridge. Steep in places. Meet 9.30am at the Ridge Car Park (GR631346). Donations welcome.
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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 2006 will be on Sunday and Monday April 30th and May 1st.
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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.