Blossomtime – A Spring Celebration

Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May 2024

This was a special springtime opportunity to enjoy the lovely countryside and orchards of the Marcle Ridge in Herefordshire, where local orchards are famous both for their cider fruit and their dessert and culinary fruit.  This is normally the peak of the blossom season so the trees can look spectacular.

This year Blossomtime expanded to three venues:

Putley Parish Hall (car parking, tickets, information, guided walks, refreshment and Sunday evening entertainment),

Court Farm Barn (crafts, talks and a variety of rural activities) and

Dragon Orchard (cider and perry tasting, sales and daytime entertainment).

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Our next event is Harvestime 12th & 13th October 2024. Sign up to our mailing list to receive information about this and our other events and activities.

Blossomtime Flyer
Blossomtime Flyer - click to view

Blossomtime Venues

First head for Putley Parish Hall where there is car parking.  Putley Parish Hall is the Information Hub where you can buy entrance tickets (£5 for adults, children under 16 free, valid for all three venues and activities for the day), pick up leaflets and start walks.  The Hall is also the centre for refreshments.

Car parking

We have the use of a large field for car parking behind Putley Parish Hall.  If you come by car please park here as car parking is not available at Dragon Orchard or Court Farm Barn, except for Blue Badge holders where there will be a few spaces.  Important note for car drivers:  the tractor and trailer service will be operating in an anti-clockwise direction between venues so we advise you also follow the same direction when arriving or leaving to avoid meeting it head-on in the narrow lanes – see map and follow signing on the day.

Tickets

These can be purchased at the hall from 10.45am on both days.  The tickets cost £5 for adults, accompanied children under 16 are free.  The ticket gives you access to all three venues for the day and includes all walks, cider and perry tasting at Dragon Orchard and talks and other activities at Court Farm Barn.  Cash is preferred as internet reception for our card machine can be erratic.

Getting between venues

All venues are within easy walking distance of each other (allow 15 minutes) but there is also a limited free tractor and passenger trailer service running between all three venues from 11am to 5pm – see map.

Blossomtime 2024 Map

Putley Parish Hall

Putley Parish Hall
The Information Hub, CAR PARKING, entrance tickets (£5 for adults, children under 16 free), Refreshments and toilets. Walks also start here.
Find out more

Court Farm Barn

Inside Court Farm Barn
Centre for arts, crafts, demonstrations, workshops and talks. Themes of regeneration, re-use, natural materials and nature.
Find out more

Dragon Orchard

Selling cider at Blossomtime
The popular Big Apple cider and perry tastings plus cider and perry makers’ stalls. Musical entertainment and orchard walks (with poetry!)
Find out more

Table of events happening at Blossomtime

For more details please visit the relevant venue pages.

Events on Monday 6th May

No Events

Round and about over the weekend

Yew Tree FarmYew Tree Farm (HR8 2RQ) located on the road between Court Farm Barn and Dragon Orchard. Stop off and enjoy their perry under the actual trees that produced the pears that made the perry and perry pear wine. ///brush.unimpeded.armrest

Trumpet Corner (HR8 2RA) Tea room offering light lunches and afternoons teas alongside gallery showcasing work of guest artists (01531 670082). 10am – 4pm  ///clouding.anchorman.school

The Nest, Little Verzons (HR8 2PZ) Relaxed family friendly café, local deli and much more (01531 670816) – plus next door Newent Plant Centre (01531 670121). 9am – 5pm (10am – 4pm Sun).  ///earpiece.celebrate.waters

Westons Cider Mill, Much Marcle (HR8 2NQ). Guided mill tours (charge applies) at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm. Cider Shop, Tea room, Children’s Play Area. 9am – 5pm (10am-5pm Sun)  ///carver.kiosk.tummy

Nearby pubs

Trumpet Crossroads

Trumpet Inn  ///porch.aimed.unhappily. 12noon to 4pm Sunday and Monday

Woolhope

Butchers Arms (daytime only Sun) ///employers.scooped.october
Crown Inn ///edits.kind.carbonate

Much Marcle

Royal Oak  ///baker.debut.lifters,
Walwyn Arms  ///tweed.majoring.sliders,
Scrumpy House Restaurant    ///carver.kiosk.tummy,
Slip Tavern (daytime only Sun) ///coverage.negotiators.homes.

Payments

While card readers have become much more common, we are still unable to take card payments at some locations. Cash is always acceptable. The nearest 24 hour ATMs are in Ledbury (Tesco and the Co-op).

Locations

For each location there is a What3Words link (prefixed ///).  Click on this to show you the entrance to the location from the public road.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in most places.  Sometimes a walk may be designated as a wildlife walk, in which case no dogs please as these disturb the wildlife.  Also, no dogs (except assistance dogs) will be allowed in Putley Parish Hall.