Blossomtime 1st and 2nd May 2011 - our 23rd year!

For an afternoon, a day or a full weekend – the Big Apple is a special opportunity to enjoy the spring countryside in the Herefordshire parishes on the Marcle Ridge.  The local orchards are famous for their cider fruit and excellent eating apples. 

This is the twenty-third year that our award winning parish communities have put together a collection of small rural events to enable you to share with us in our tradition of apple growing and cider making.

New this year is a visit to Pixley Court, home of Pixley Berries on Sunday morning - see panel.

 

The Main Event - Putley Village Hall, HR8 2QN
Sun 1st May: 2pm to 6pm and Mon 2nd May: 12noon to 5pm

Cider, perry and apple juice tasting

Each Blossomtime The Big Apple runs a competition for the craft cider and perry makers of the region (and beyond) to compete for the title of Cider Maker of the Year and Perry Maker of the Year.

On the Sunday and Monday the public will be able to taste the entries and judge for themselves.

Some of the winning entries may be available for purchase - see below. (We don't know who will win so we cannot be sure about this but you can be certain that a number of fine craft ciders and perries will be on sale!)

Apple teas served in the village hall.

Cider and Perry Sales

Some of the cider, apple juice and perry makers will have stalls with their prize-winning products on sale in Putley Village Hall. We have confirmed bookings from Jus, Gregg's Pit, Raglan Cider Mill, Oliver's Cider and Perry, Palmers Upland Cyder, Munsley Cider, Pixley Berries (Sun only), Gwatkins Cider (Mon only) and Once Upon a Tree.

Other activities at Putley Village Hall

Master Composters www.letswasteless.com, and a Master Gardener http://mastergardeners.org.uk/ will be on hand both days with advice and information on how to grow your own veg and get the most out of your compost bins. You can also join in with Garden Organic's One Pot Pledge. http://www.onepotpledge.org

Tools for Self Reliance (Monday only)

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).

Walks

Leaflets available for self-guided orchard walks

Local Farm Shops selling Local Cider, Perry & Apple Juice

Roots at Little Verzons, HR8 2PZ. Coffee shop, farm shop and plants.
Dragon Orchard, HR8 2RG, Cider, perry & apple juice tastings and sales.

Round and About

Westons Cider, Much Marcle, HR8 2NQ

Open all weekend. Guided mill tours* at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm.  Cider sales, dray rides* (check availability), Farm Park re-opens 2nd May*, Self-guided Orchard Walk*, Tea Room, Courtyard Garden. (*charge applies) 10am to 4pm. Website: http://www.westons-cider.co.uk

Awnells Farm (HR8 2NW)

Open to visitors Sunday/Monday. Farm walks. 11am to 4pm. Website: http://www.livingcountryside.org.uk/awnells.htm

Lyne Down Cider (HR8 2NT)

Open to visitors Sunday/Monday. Refreshments available. 1.00-4.30pm. Website: http://www.lynedowncider.co.uk/

Roots at Little Verzons (HR8 2PZ)

Coffee shop, farm shop and plants, 10am -4pm. Website: http://www.rootsatlittleverzons.co.uk/Home.html

Dragon Orchard

(HR8 2RG) Cider, perry & apple juice tastings and sales, 10am – 3pm. Website: http://www.onceuponatree.co.uk/about-us/dragon-orchard.html

Pubs

Nearest pub: Trumpet Inn - A4172/A438 crossroads.
Woolhope: Butchers Arms, Crown Inn
Much Marcle: Royal Oak, Scrumpy House, Slip Tavern

Crown Inn Woolhope Cider and Beer Festival

Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May
Quality local ciders, perries and beers
Sunday 1st May only - live Swing and Jazz from 4.30pm, 'Stubby and the Undertakers' from 7.30pm

How to Find Us

Putley lies South of the A438 Ledbury to Hereford road. If you have Satellite Navigation, the post code of the village hall is HR8 2QN but see note below about SatNav.

The Google map accurately indicates the venue locations. (Use the control buttons top left to zoom in and move around).

View Larger Map

A key point is the Trumpet crossroads, where the A417, A4172 and A438 meet, with its garage and inn. We are just 15 minutes from the M50 motorway, 2.5 hours from London and 1.25 hours from South Wales and the West Midlands.

If you wish to come by public transport, Transport Direct can work out a route for you - just enter your details in the form on the right. Ledbury has a railway station served by London Midland and First Great Western.

Using SatNav?

Postcodes are provided for the main locations but please be aware that rural postcode areas can be quite large and you could be taken to a point some distance from the actual event - look out for the signs on the roadside.

Other attractions

As well as the the Big Apple events you can come simply to enjoy this wonderful stretch of countryside. Fields, orchards and woodland create a living farming patchwork. The slopes of the Marcle Ridge offer splendid views across to the Malvern Hills to the East and to the West, Woolhope is within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

We will have leaflets available for self-guided walks.

Local Information:

Pixley and District Website
The Cider Route
Visit Ledbury

Accommodation

Look on the Accommodation page for details of accommodation website and local camping and caravan sites.