Feast on the Harvest

If you're going to celebrate a harvest, you may as well do it with a banquet! Join in on the merriment at Hereford's AppleFest closing do, hosted in the city's historic Town Hall from 7pm on Saturday 12th October. With a delicious menu from Martin Carter, you'll get to sample local ingredients over three courses of pome-themed dishes - all paired with ciders, perries and apple brandy. Tom Oliver, a local farmer and cider maker, and Jane Peyton, the country's first accredited Pommelier, will be speaking at the event, too.

Book here

With a café, bar, restaurant and farm shop all on site, there's plenty to do over at Newton Court. Book a cider making tour and learn all about how the Stephens family make their award-winning organic ciders and perries as you explore the farm and orchards. A homemade ploughman's lunch and a tasting session are both included in the £25 tour ticket, so you won't go home hungry or thirsty afterwards! Check Newton Court's website for the tour dates, running until 5th October, making sure you book yours in advance.

Tucked away among the orchards and hop fields just outside Bromyard, you'll find Little Pomona Cider & Perry. Their tasting room and cider garden is open each Saturday until the end of September, where you can pop along to sample ciders and perries from dozens of apple and pear varieties. Phone ahead to reserve your spot and enjoy a sunny afternoon out in the orchard with a few drinks, and a tasty cheese and local meat or vegan platter if you get peckish. Little Pomona have three cider tours left between now and 8th September - spaces are limited, so make sure you book ahead if you're planning to visit.

Enchanting wildlife walks, shire horses, and a delicious, locally sourced menu all await you at the Scrumpy House. Part of Westons Cider Mill, the Scrumpy House is the perfect place to refresh yourself after rambling through the mill’s traditional orchards, or a wonderful starting point to your exploration of Herefordshire’s long cider-making history. Learn the making processes and traditions of this very British beverage, from harvest to packing, in a guided tour of the mill. And, because taking in the beautiful views of the Malvern Hills, spotting rare wildlife, and learning fermentation from maturation is such thirsty work, round off the visit with an expert-led tasting of Westons Cider.

The black-and-white Riverside at Aymestrey has been welcoming guests all the way back to the 1600s. Today, it's a luxurious, sustainable hotel, with the most fabulous restaurant for you to discover. Book your stay and look forward to having a table ready on your arrival. The Riverside's restaurant is proudly committed to ethical sourcing, so you'll be tucking into glorious dishes using local ingredients, some even from their own kitchen garden and smallholding.

Whether you need somewhere to stay or are simply looking for superb food and drink, the New Inn, a five-star-rated 'Restaurant with Rooms' and 'Good Food Guide Best Local Restaurant' nominee, is a reliable bet for both. Sample an ever-changing selection of refined yet homely food in a wonderfully cosy setting from Wednesday to Sunday, with various menus available on certain days. Try one of the chef-designed cocktails, or a local gin, on your arrival. Then, when you're nicely full and ready for bed, drift off to sleep in one of the inn's beautifully modernised rooms, complete with original beams and features dating back to the 16th century.