Blossomtime 2019 in Putley – A Springtime Celebration
This event has now taken place but come back next year on Sunday May 3rd and Monday May 4th for Blossomtime 2020! Here’s what happened this 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 and many of the trees are already in full blossom ready for the weekend.
Grand Cider Tasting and Teas
Putley Parish Hall, HR8 2QN
Sunday 5th May: 2pm to 6pm
Monday 6th May: 12noon to 5pm
Cider, perry and apple juice tasting
Sample many of the more than 175 ciders and perries entered into the 2019 Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials.
£2 for 6 tokens on the door
Leaflets available for self-guided orchard walks
Cider and Perry Sales from
Bartestree Cider
Gregg’s Pit Cider and Perry
Newton Court Cider
Pope’s Perry
Ragged Stone Cider
Woodredding Cider and Perry
Yew Tree Farm
Some pictures from this year’s Blossomtime
Also at Putley Parish Hall
Jus Apple Juice
Anne Crane with her bee-friendly plants and advice for making your garden a pollinator paradise
Paul Hand of ‘Bees and Trees’ with fruity activities
Pork and Two Veg (Sunday only) with locally reared pork sausages.
Special Events
Sunday 5th May
9.30am Natural history of orchards – guided walk to discover local wildlife with Putley Wildlife Group. No dogs please. 1¼ hours. Meet Putley Parish Hall
11am Cider in the Shire: exchanging ideas and experience in a global forum. Fresh from CiderCon 2019, local authors and cidermakers Susanna Forbes, Gabe Cook and Simon Day discuss whether Herefordshire has more to give to or learn from the rest of the world when it comes to cidermaking. £5 (children<16 free). At Dragon Orchard
10.30am – 3.30pm Yew Tree Farm Perry Pears. Sample four single-variety perry pear pressings under the very trees that grew the pears. Sales of farmhouse perry and ‘Aylton Sausages’ made from home-grown pork infused with our ‘Aylton Red’ Perry. At Yew Tree Farm
From 12.30pm Cheese ploughman’s lunch in restored Grade II* cruck barn. £5 (£3 for hot dog). 12.30–2.30pm Church open next door, florally decorated. Proceeds to Hope Support Services/Aylton Church. At Court Farm Aylton
From 2pm Apple teas will be served by Tarrington Brownies. At Putley Parish Hall
2.30pm Guided walk through the orchards and fields of Putley. £1.50 (children free). 1¼ hours. Meet Putley Parish Hall
3pm Tutored tasting with The Ciderologist, Gabe Cook. Over 18s only. Limited numbers – book on day. £2. At Putley Parish Hall
4pm Leominster Morris will dance at Putley Parish Hall. At Putley Parish Hall
5pm Tutored tasting with The Ciderologist, Gabe Cook. Over 18s only. Limited numbers – book on day. £2. At Putley Parish Hall
Monday 6th May
9.45am The secret life of Pixley Berries. A behind the scenes visit to this specialist ingredient supplier which offers a range of products to the craft cider maker and makes use of its technologies to undertake pressing of bittersweet apples. Numbers limited to 25 – strictly first-come, first-served. Free entry. At Pixley Berries.
10am Fitness walk – 2.5-3 miles (1 hr approx) on roads around Putley, including warm up and cool down stretches. No dogs. Apple juice on return to parish hall! Meet Putley Parish Hall.
10.30am – 3.30pm Yew Tree Farm Perry Pears. See Sunday.
11am The Overseer’s Tale. Join Norman Stanier as he muses over the life and times of his Great Grandfather Harry Taylor and his part in nurturing fruit growing on the Putley Court Estate almost one hundred and fifty years ago. Free entry. At Dragon Orchard.
From 12 noon Delicious lunches, proceeds to Parish Hall. At Putley Parish Hall.
1.30pm Guided walk through the orchards and fields of Putley. £1.50 (children free). 1¼ hours. Meet Putley Parish Hall.
From 2pm Apple teas will be served by Putley WI. At Putley Parish Hall.
From 2.30pm Fiddlers Two – folk trio performing wide range of traditional fiddle tunes from around the world, from gentle airs and waltzes to rip-roaring foot-stompers. Jigs, Reels and Fiddle Surreals! At Putley Parish Hall
3.30pm Guided walk through the orchards and fields of Putley. £1.50 (children free). 1¼ hours. Meet Putley Parish Hall
Locations
Putley Parish Hall HR8 2QN, GR651375
Court Farm, Aylton HR8 2RQ, GR658376
Dragon Orchard, Putley HR8 2RG, GR652381
Pixley Berries, Poolend, Pixley HR8 2RB, GR648392
Yew Tree Farm, Aylton HR8 2RQ, GR654380
CASH: many of our locations are NOT geared up for card payments, contact-less or otherwise. Please bring plenty of cash with you – the nearest cash dispensers are in Ledbury (Coop, Tesco and Barclays Bank).
Round and About
Trumpet Corner (HR8 2RA) Tea room offering light lunches alongside gallery showcasing work of guest artists (01531 670082). 10am – 4pm
The Nest, Relaxed family friendly café, local grocery store, picnic boxes for the orchard (01531 670816) – plus next door Newent Plant Centre (01531 670121). 9am – 5pm (10am – 4pm Sun)
Westons Cider, Much Marcle (HR8 2NQ). Guided mill tours (charge applies) at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm. Cider sales, Tea room, Children’s Play Area. 10am – 5pm
Nearby pubs: Trumpet Inn, Trumpet Crossroads A438-A417-A4172
Woolhope: Butchers Arms, Crown Inn
Much Marcle: Royal Oak, Scrumpy House, (daytime only), Slip Tavern, Walwyn Arms
Dogs
Dogs are generally welcome in the countryside. However, as Putley Parish Hall has sales tables selling drink and food, we ask that only Guide Dogs enter the hall. If taking a walk you should note that many of the fields have farm animals in them so please take the usual precautions. The 9.30am walk on Sunday is specifically to observe wildlife so no dogs on this walk please.
Accommodation
Our Accommodation page lists a number of options in the local area – hotels, B&Bs and campsites.
Page updated 30th April 2019