Shobdon Berrington Hall Croft Castle North Leominster 8 Pembridge 7 Eardisland Herefordshire 9 Monkland 6 Cider Circuit 5 The Newton Wonder 11 Bromyard Dilwyn 10 TOTAL DISTANCE - 49 MILES North of the city of Hereford stretches an undulating swathe of farmland, orchards and forested hills, studded with renowned ‘Black-and-White Villages’ – settlements whose streets are lined with the traditional 4 Weobley timber-framed houses so typical of the region. Complete Bodenham a 49-mile loop from Hereford to visit a succession of alluring hamlets, historic sites and passionate producers creating fine ciders, perries and juices to refresh thirsty Canon Pyon cyclists. 1 The Apple Tree 9 Monkland Cheese Dairy (Herefordshire Cathedral) Orgasmic Cider Burley Gate Marden 10 Newton Court Cider 2 Bulmers & Yazor Brook 11 Butford Organic Cider & Perry 3 Tillington and around 12 The Black and White 3 4 Weobley House Museum Tillington River Lugg 5 Luntley Court 6 Dunkertons Cider Mill River Wye Credenhill & The Cider Barn 7 Pembridge 8 Eardisland 2 Bartestree 1 12 Hereford A Visit Herefordshire Cycle Route. Herefordshire’s Northern Cider Circuit The Newton Wonder 1 - The Apple Tree Paul’s Church. Pause to admire the wonderful from the previous century; stairs opposite lead 11 - Butford Organic Cider & Perry carved wooden porch of the Old Grammar School to the medieval St Mary’s Church and its curious, Start and end your apple odyssey in the centre (1660), then take a stroll around the village centre even older octagonal freestanding belltower. The presence of a 300-year-old cider mill at of the old city at The Apple Tree, an inspiring – Broad Street and Portland Street, either side of Butford (butfordorganics.co.uk) is a constant mosaic set into the pavement in front of Hereford the Rose Garden, are lined with cafés, restaurants 8 - Eardisland reminder of the region’s rich heritage, so it’s no Cathedral’s West Front. Comprising 100 pieces and pubs. surprise that tradition is key in the creation of this of naturally coloured British stone, the image is Small but perfectly formed, Eardisland is, if producer’s pure-juice – including single-variety – encircled by inspiring lyrics from an 18th-century 5 - Luntley Court anything, even prettier than Pembridge, straddling organic ciders and perries, a range now extending carol, a nod to the spiritual and natural heart of the River Arrow as it meanders east towards its to a novel cider brandy. Call ahead to book a the county: “The tree of life my soul hath seen, Narrow lanes wind north of the A4112 to Luntley confluence with the Lugg. The Community Shop tasting or tour – and, naturally, to meet that Laden with fruit and always green; The trees of Court, a cluster of historic houses (now mostly (01544 388984), housed in a 17th-century brick- venerable cider mill. nature fruitless be, Compared with Christ the self-catering accommodation) set around the built dovecote, is the place to pick up local treats, Apple Tree.” eponymous 17th-century manor. Standing alone while The White Swan (thewhiteswaneardisland. www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/discover/butford- in a field is a picturesquely leaning, timber-framed com) serves more substantial fare. Venture south organics 2 - Bulmers & Yazor Brook dovecote dating from 1673 and restored last along the main street to admire the array of century; step inside to admire the most desirable architectural styles before heading east towards 12 - The Black and White House Museum As you cycle west from the city centre along the dove accommodation in the county. your next stop. busy A438, look for the vast Bulmers site to the Explore a compact but fascinating museum (herefordshire.gov.uk/history-lives/hereford- right – the company, founded in 1887 and now 6 - Dunkertons Cider Mill 9 - Monkland owned by Heineken, is the UK’s largest cider museums-art-gallery) housed in a remarkably & The Cider Barn producer. Just before the Bulmers site, a cycle path The highlight of this little village, scattered across well-preserved example of the classic Herefordshire timber-framed building, dating to the left leads through the Yazor Widemarsh and Susie and Ivor Dunkerton started making organic an attractive common, is the Monkland Cheese from 1621, in the heart of the city. With rooms Eign Brook Restoration Area, a peaceful meadow cider and perry from the apples and pears Dairy (monklandcheesedairy.co.uk) – outwardly furnished in period Jacobean style, including where you might spot pied wagtails, herons and in their orchards near Pembridge in 1980. Four unremarkable, within a little brick cottage lies an an internationally important collection of English diverse butterflies. decades later, though production has shifted to Aladdin’s cave of cheese. Some half-dozen artisan oak furniture, from autumn 2020 new displays Gloucestershire, you can still pick up their award- cheeses are produced on site, there’s a well-laden of cider-making artefacts showcase the county’s 3 - Tillington and around winning tipples from the Tudor-style barn (open deli counter offering many other local and regional long history of apple and pear fermenting. Friday and Saturday only; dunkertonscider.co.uk). varieties, and the cute tearoom serves excellent Emerging from Hereford’s outskirts, the road The old Cider Barn alongside the Dunkertons coffee and ploughman’s lunches featuring thick- www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/discover/black-and- to Tillington snakes through a broad, orchard- shop is now a sophisticated but friendly café- cut Herefordshire ham and of course the house white-house-museum speckled valley, with glorious views ahead to tree- bar and restaurant (the-cider-barn.co.uk) with a cheeses – an essential stop. clad hills. Tillington itself has a handy village store wonderfully warm ambience. Don’t miss close by: selling cold drinks, fruit and ice creams – stock up 10 - Newton Court Cider before the long ascent that’s about to begin. The www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/discover/cider-barn The Orgasmic Cider Company climb peaks near Wormsley at the Herefordshire Passion for traditional craft methods overflows at NT Croft Castle & Parkland Golf Club (herefordshiregolfclub.co.uk), whose 7 - Pembridge this artisan producer (newtoncourtcider.com) south NT Berrington Hall restaurant – open to non-members – is a of Leominster, where Paul Stephens has been tempting option for Sunday lunch, and which The epicentre of north Herefordshire’s black-and- creating full-juice ‘no-codswallop’ cider and perry boasts spectacular views north and east across white villages is Pembridge, a photographer’s for two decades. Call at the tasting room and shop the verdant countryside towards Leominster. delight – and a cyclist’s: among the timber- – “Honk for cider”, proclaims the sign – or call framed buildings lining High Street and East Street ahead to join Paul on a tour of the orchards for the 4 - Weobley are several spots to top up caffeine and calories. lowdown on how their fruits are used to ferment The King’s House (kingshouseinn.co.uk) is a more fine cider and perry. A blessed descent, with splendid vistas ahead upscale affair, while Ye Olde Steppes Tearoom and to the right, brings you to the first and most (01544 388506) offers sandwiches, locally baked www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/discover/newton- substantial of the black-and-white villages on treats and sensational cakes; there’s also a court-cider this route. Weobley’s winding streets are studded small shop. Alongside, the Old Chapel Gallery with dozens of timber-framed buildings, some (oldchapelgallery.co.uk) hosts regularly changing of them over 500 years old, overlooked by the exhibitions of contemporary art and crafts. Behind slender russet spire of medieval St Peter and St the 17th-century New Inn is the Market Hall, dating A Visit Herefordshire Cycle Route..