Discover the best of Britain this autumn
In recent years, the rise of the staycation has gone from strength to strength. Bucking the trend for international travel, staycation breaks have been a great opportunity to discover the best of what Britain has to offer and explore the beautiful sites we have on our own shores. If you’re looking for a bit of staycation inspiration this autumn, here are our top picks and things to do in Herefordshire, the home of our vineyard.
Firstly, you’ll not be stuck for beautiful walks or countryside views. The River Wye, which proudly features on our Rosé bottle, offers stunning walks. You can also rent canoes in sunnier weather and explore Herefordshire by water. The Twin Valley Ley Line Trail is a longer distance trail, covering historical sites such as Neolithic sacred stones, for the more serious hikers.
If you’re keen to explore a little more of the historical background of the area, it’s worth a trip to Eastnor Castle, which sits at the foot of the Malvern Hills. Think Mediaeval tapestries, fairytale-esque turrets and a surrounding deer park. It’s also one of the few stately homes that welcomes dogs into the grounds and the house, if you’re travelling with your furry companion.
Herefordshire has long been known for its food and drink. Perhaps best recognised traditionally as cider country, now its reputation has expanded to encompass English wine, tasty crisps, delicious berries and world-famous cheese. Pensons restaurant is a must-visit if you’re coming to Herefordshire. With a Michelin-star to its name, Pensons’ ethos is rooted in showcasing local produce with surrounding kitchen gardens and farmland. We’re very happy to have our Solaris white and Rosé listed at Pensons, and recently welcomed the team to our vineyard to learn more about how we grow and what it means to be a vineyard in Herefordshire.
When it comes to accommodation, you’ll be spoilt for choice. From luxury inns to top of the range glamping, there’s something for everyone in Herefordshire. One of our favourite spots has to be Penrhos Court. With cosy cottages, you’ll stay with a view overlooking rolling fields, and be welcomed into the lovely Cattle Shed restaurant for breakfast. A truly historical site, in days gone by members of Queen and Monty Python stayed at Penrhos Court, before its recent renovation into unique holiday cottages nestled into the Herefordshire countryside.
During the autumn you may also be lucky enough to witness the harvest of Herefordshire apples. A large number of the orchards in Herefordshire are grown and cultivated for cider. Radlow Hundred is the sister company of Celtic Marches cider, and whilst our vineyard harvest takes place in the small space of 24 hours, our friends at Celtic Marches are working through the orchards for many weeks. A feat of British farming, it’s worth keeping an eye out for the harvest on your countryside ambles.
For more inspiration head to visitherefordshire.co.uk. We’re excited to be based in Herefordshire, as a relatively new wine-growing area, and hope in the future to be able to welcome visitors to our vineyard.