HEREFORDSHIRE has plenty of reasons to celebrate English apples, orchards and cider and the annual Big Apple weekend offers a special opportunity to enjoy the autumn countryside on the Marcle Ridge, near Ledbury.

A spokesman said: “The event is based on eight venues and cider and perry making will be in full swing!

There will be plenty of opportunities to taste, buy and, in some cases, to try your hand. The Big Apple is not only about cider – a ‘Feast of Apples’ at Hellens will feature displays, tastings and sales of some of the less usual dessert and culinary apples, and Marcher Apple Network will be identifying apples throughout the weekend.

“Herefordshire Beekeepers Association pay a return visit with their Annual Honey Show.”

The programme features a number of special events. ‘Common Bond 2’ will see the bringing together of a collection of portraits of nearby cider and perry-makers, seen through the eyes of their mentor Jean Nowell. The event takes place on October 13 and October 14. For further details, go to bigapple.org.uk