Seasonal Celebrations of English Apples and Cider
in the Herefordshire Parishes of the Marcle Ridge
Aylton, Little Marcle, Much Marcle, Munsley, Pixley, Putley and Woolhope
October 11th and 12th 2008
The Google Map (right) shows the locations of events. Zoom in (click on +) to show more detail or zoom out (click on -) to show the more distant venues. Click on the placemarkers for information.
The Common Core
Available throughout the weekend.
Apple sales:
Take home some quality English apples
Reddingend, Much Marcle 9am to 6pm
Roots at Little Verzons, Munsley, HR8 2PZ (Grid ref SO665395) 9am to 5pm (Sat only)
Cider tasting and sales in Much Marcle:
Lyne Down Cider, 10am to 5pm
Westons Cider, 10am to 4pm
Greggs Pit Cider and Perry, 10.30am to 6pm
Much Marcle Village Shop,
Sat 8am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 12.30pm
Coffee shop:
Roots at Little Verzons, Munsley (Grid ref SO665395). 9am to 4pm (Sat only)
Bottle Museum Tea Room, Westons Cider 10am - 4pm
Lunches and suppers:
Our local pubs and restaurants served dishes using apple and cider recipes.
In Much Marcle:
The Royal Oak 01531 660300
Scrumpy House 01531 660626 (closed Sunday evening)
Slip Tavern 01531 660246
Walwyn Arms 01531 660758
Nearby:
Butchers Arms, Woolhope, 01432 860281
Crown Inn, Woolhope, 01432 860468
Hopton Arms, Ashperton, 01531 670520
Trumpet Inn, (A4172/A438/A417 crossroads) 01531 670277
In Ledbury, Mrs Muffins Teashop uses recipes from our Big Apple recipe book, 11am to 4.30pm.
The Venues
– open both days in Much Marcle
Hellens
(HR8 2LY, grid ref: SO661333)
A Feast of Apples – displays of apples, in the Great Barn, including cider fruit and perry pears; tastings of dessert and culinary fruit; ‘Jus’ apple juice; "Once Upon A Tree" award winning ciders and pure apple juice; apple identification (£2 a variety on the day, £6 if has to be taken away for further investigation; please bring a sample of 3 apples) by Marcher Apple Network; perry making. Entry £1.50 (children free). 2 to 4.45pm.
Apple market selling less usual varieties in the Haywain Barn (entry free). 2pm to 4.45pm.
this year we had more varieties than ever for sale and business was brisk.
Tours of Hellens house at 2.30pm (£5, concessions)
Tools for Self Reliance
Range of hand tools for sale from "Tools for Self Reliance", a group supplying refurbished hand tools to developing countries and to many satisfied customers in Herefordshire!
Much Marcle Memorial Hall
(Grid ref: SO658330)
Apple teas – delicious! 2 - 5pm
Exhibition of landscape and orchard paintings by local artist Eric Bottomley.
The Wye Theatre Company presents The Real Inspector Hound. Friday 10th & Sat 11th at 8pm. £5 on the door. Call 01531 670389 to reserve tickets. Saturday tickets will also be on sale at Hellens.
Gregg’s Pit
(HR8 2NL, grid ref: SO662323)
Open day – award winning, small scale craft perry and cider making in a traditional orchard, managed to organic standards. Ploughman’s lunches by Truffles Delicatessen. 10.30am - 6pm.
Westons Cider 10am - 4pm
(HR8 2NQ, grid ref: SO648331)
Guided tours (£5.00/£3.00) 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm. Self-guided orchard walk.
Shire horse dray rides (£2.50/£1.50).
Traditional apple pressing demonstration.
St Bartholomew’s Church
(Grid ref: SO657327)
Harvest - church open 11am to 5pm,
produce sale, tours of the bell tower (children must be accompanied by an adult).
Awnells Farm
(HR8 2NW, grid ref: SO659319).
Open Day for Countryside Restoration Trust. Guided walks through the farmgrassland and orchards. (Craft activities for accompanied children, 11am - 1pm) Donations welcome. 11am to 5pm.
Special events
Friday 10th and Saturday 11th October at 8pm
Much Marcle Hemorial Hall
The Wye Theatre Company presents The Real Inspector Hound, Tom Stoppard's classic comedy.
Ticket: £5 on the door. Call 01531 670389 to reserve tickets. (Saturday tickets will be on sale in The Great Barn at Hellens)
Saturday 11th October
Enthusiasts Day – hands on opportunity to learn to make cider with the Little Cider Press Company. Lunch provided; also apple juice and cider for fermenting.
10am to 4pm, £65.00. Details and booking (essential) 01531 670713.
Ciderland. James Crowden will be signing his latest book 'Ciderland', launched the day before at the Royal Society. Gregg's Pit. 11am to 4pm.
Leominster Morris at Westons (11.30am), Gregg’s Pit (12.30pm), Hellens (3pm).
Living with Mistletoe. One hour pruning demonstration by Chris Fairs of Bulmers and Jonathan Briggs of Mistletoe Matters, in young and old orchards at Pixley House (GR663383) 11.30am and again at 2pm. No charge.
Sunday 12th October
Climate Change – What’s in store for apples and cider? A talk by Liz Copas, orcharding advisor to National Association of Cider Makers. Putley Village Hall (GR653381) 11.30am, £2.50.
Big Apple Bike Ride. Market House, Ledbury at 10am, leave 10.30. Follow quiet country lanes, visiting cider producers and orchards. BYO picnic and explore Big Apple, returning pm to Ledbury. Information (01531) 635432.
Marcle Ridge Walk. 7 mile walk along the Marcle Ridge and through the orchards of Putley, led by David Walker. Steep in places. No dogs please. Donations welcome. Meet Ridge Car Park (Grid ref: SO631346), 9.30am.
Once Upon A Tree / Dragon Orchard, Putley HR8 2RG. (Grid ref: SO653381) will "be open to all" on Sunday 12th only, immediately after Liz Copas' talk (about 1pm) at the village hall, and remain open until 5pm. There will be cider apple crushing demonstrations & "meet the cider maker", tastings and sales of cider, apples and juice.