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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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.
Putley Parish Hall
Court Farm Barn
Dragon Orchard
Table of events happening at Blossomtime
For more details please visit the relevant venue pages.
Events on Monday 6th May
| Time | Event | Venue | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00am | Guided walk 3 | Putley Parish Hall | Nigel's Pride - about 1h 30min |
| 11:00am | Guided walk 1 | Putley Parish Hall | Norman's Gap about 1h 30m |
| 11:30am | Pruning demonstration | Dragon Orchard | David Pealing shows how to prune and restore apple trees. |
| 11:45am | Talk/demo by Rozanne Delamore | Court Farm Barn | Making a Wedding Button Hole using Local Flowers |
| 12:30pm | Music by Fantellada | Dragon Orchard | Acoustic string trio playing their own arrangements of folk tunes. |
| 12:45pm | Talk by Elisha Mason | Court Farm Barn | A spirit of innovation: the early history of Bulmers |
| 1:30pm | Pruning demonstration | Dragon Orchard | David Pealing shows how to prune and restore apple trees. |
| 1:30pm | Ross Folk Choir | Dragon Orchard | Expect well-known and lesser-known traditional songs as well as more contemporary ones. |
| 1:45pm | Talk by Megan Finn | Court Farm Barn | Severn Treescapes and Orchards |
| 2:30pm | Guided Walk 2 | Putley Parish Hall | Dorothy's Delight - about 1h 30min. |
| 2:30pm | Morris dancers | Dragon Orchard | Leominster Morris and Pinsley Mill |
| 2:45pm | Talk by Ian Jones | Court Farm Barn | Court Farm Barn - restoration story |
| 3:30pm | Music – Ciderkin | Dragon Orchard | Traditional folk session. A band of 10-12 musicians play a range of tunes |
| 4:00pm | Morris dancers | Putley Parish Hall | Leominster Morris and Pinsley Mill |
Round and about over the weekend
Yew 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.