A Seasonal Celebration of English Apples and Cider in the Herefordshire Parishes of the Marcle Ridge

APRIL 30^th/ MAY 1^st 2006
BLOSSOMTIME IN PUTLEY - A SPRINGTIME CELEBRATION

As the flowers set for this year’s apples, the cider made from last autumn’s crop becomes ready to taste...

BLOSSOMTIME

A UNIQUE BLEND OF ORCHARDS IN BLOSSOM AND TRADITIONAL CIDER TASTING

Here is a special springtime opportunity to enjoy the lovely countryside and orchards of the Marcle Ridge area of Herefordshire, where local orchards are famous both for their cider fruit and their dessert and culinary fruit.

The events are based around a grand cider tasting in Putley Village Hall, where you will find an array of traditional ciders and perries from Herefordshire and surrounding counties, together with some of the cidermakers for you to meet.

Blossomtime is not just for cider enthusiasts, there are also apple juices to taste.

You can enjoy a walk through the orchards around Putley, with or without a guide, then refresh yourselves with excellent homemade food.

Visit Aylton Church to see the exhibition of the proposed restoration of the nearby medieval barn and hear a short talk on its original usage.

Further afield

Weston's Cider Makers, Much Marcle
Open all weekend, 10am to 4pm. Guided tours £4.00 per person, 11am, 2.30pm. Dray-rides. Visit the Bottle Museum and Garden. Light snacks served.

Lyne Down Cider, Much Marcle.
Open all weekend 10am to 6pm

Little Verzons Fruit Farm Coffee shop, farm shop and plants (A438 towards Ledbury) From 9.30am

Nearby pubs: Hopton Arms, The Verzon

Woolhope: Butchers Arms, Crown Inn

Much Marcle: Royal Oak, Scrumpy House, Slip Tavern, Walwyn Arms

10am to 5pm. In Ledbury:
Mrs Muffins Teashop, Church Lane, uses recipes from our Big Apple recipe book, from 10.00am to 5pm.
Café Sez will feature apple recipes, 9.30am to 5pm.

GRAND CIDER TASTING AND TEAS - Putley Village Hall

Sunday 30^th April 2pm to 6pm and Monday 1^st May 12noon to 5pm

Cider, perry and apple juice tasting £1.50 for 6 tokens on door.

Apple teas will be served in the hall.

Paul Hand of ‘Bees and Trees’ with fruity activities will be with us all weekend.

Aylton Church. Celebrations in flowers. A special medieval church on a site with roots in Saxon and Celtic times. Exhibition of work planned for the restoration of the nearby medieval barn.

Sunday April 30^th

10.00am to 1pm The Marcle Ridge and Orchards A walk from the Ridge down through orchards around Woolhope, led by David Walker. Meet at the Ridge Carpark (GR631346). No dogs. Donations welcome.

11.30am to 1pm A guided walk through the orchards and fields of Putley, leading to Aylton where lunch will be available (separate charge). Meet at Putley Village Hall. Charge £1.50 adult, children free.

1pm Ploughman’s lunches, Court Farm, Aylton. Proceeds to Aylton Church.

3pm Restoring a medieval barn. A short talk by Professor James Higgins on the neighbouring old medieval barn, its original usage and proposed restoration. Aylton Church.

Monday May 1^st

10.30am to 12 noon A guided walk through the orchards and fields of Putley. Meet at Putley Village Hall. Charge £1.50 adult, children free.

From 12noon Delicious lunches will be available at Putley Village Hall, proceeds to the village hall.

2pm Restoring a medieval barn, a talk by Professor James Higgins. Details as above. Aylton Church.

3pm Leominster Morris will dance at Putley Village Hall

For Further Information

If you want to know more about this programme then please telephone (01531) 670544.