Herefordshire Walking Festival offers the chance to not only explore the county’s countryside but also enjoy tasting some of its best produce including ice cream, cider and real ale.
Four walks offer the chance to taste some of Herefordshire’s world famous cider – Cider Cellars and Orchard Walk, Cider with Rosie Lee, Broome Orchard Walk, and Dragons, Ridges and Scrumpy.
Cider Cellars and Orchard Walk is on Sunday, June 17 from 10.30am until 1.30pm at Broome Farm, near Peterstow. The Johnson family have farmed here for more than 70 years and walkers will be able to explore the orchard, taste (and buy) cider and enjoy a ploughman’s lunch.
Cider with Rosie Lee takes walkers to the same farm on Monday, June 18, from 2pm until 5pm when a classic cream tea rounds off a tour of orchards and cider tasting. At the same venue, the Broome Orchard walk is on Tuesday, June 19 from 2pm until 5pm and includes a tour of the orchards, cider tasting and a classic cream tea.
Dragons, Ridges and Scrumpy is a 12-mile walk on Thursday, June 21 from 9.30am until 4.30pm around Kynaston and Rushall with a stop at the Scrumpy House, Westons Cider Works, for lunch.
For people who prefer beer to cider, then the Hopping from Field to Glass walk on Sunday, June 24 from 9am until 4.30pm may appeal. This walk starts at a family-run hop farm near Risbury Camp. Walkers will then cross undulating countryside to the Wye Valley Brewery where they will have a ploughman’s lunch and tour of the brewery.
For foodies, the Ice Walk on Saturday June 16 from 9.20am until 4.50pm, at Eastnor includes a chance to sample ice cream at the Just Rachel Ice Cream factory.
The Flights of Fancy walk on Friday, June 22 from 10.30am until 12.30pm includes a tour around an organic farm at Ledbury where walkers can taste some of the produce at the included barbecue lunch.
Finally the Historical Brampton Bryan walk on Monday, June 18 from 11am until 3pm follows a route through an old deer park, ending with a cream tea.
Jane Lewis, Herefordshire Council’s cultural services manager, said: “These walks offer the perfect opportunity to enjoy two of the county’s major assets, being the countryside and local food and drink.
“I would advise people to book their tickets soon as these walks are a great way to build up an appetite to taste some of the county’s best produce,” she added.
For further details on these walks and to book a place log onto the website at http://www.visitherefordshire.co.uk/ or contact the Festival Booking Office on 01568 797842.
Herefordshire Walking Festival, which runs from June 16 to 24, is sponsored by M&M Sports.