Apr 20, 2026
This special springtime opportunity to enjoy the local orchards, famed for their cider, dessert and culinary fruit, is taking place around Putley and Aylton on Sunday 3rd and Monday 4th May. This year sees a new venue join forces with Putley Parish Hall and Dragon Orchard. Two generations of the Skittery family, known across Herefordshire for their single variety apple juice and cider, will be welcoming visitors to their home farm, Birchley. They’re not new to Big Apple events – the previous generation were founder members in 1989.
Blossomtime 2026 sees community organisers the Big Apple Association bringing together three venues around Putley and Aylton, linked by a tractor and trailer service and each offering a collection of different experiences.
Putley Parish Hall will be the welcome hub, where visitors can park, buy their entrance ticket (£5 for adults, children under 16 free, valid for one day at all three venues), and start guided walks around the orchards. It is also the centre for Blossomtime lunches and teas, provided in turn by Aylton Church, Munsley WI, Ledbury Young Farmers and Putley WI.
At Birchley, the Skittery family will showcase their orchards and their machinery, offering walks and tastings of apple juice and cider and a family trail through the orchards. A programme of talks includes Geoff Newman, talking about traditional orchards, Bill Laws, sharing the history of the Herefordshire Pomona, Brian Robbins giving insights into his book ‘The Healing Orchard’ and Tim Keyes, talking about John Masefield’s Herefordshire Paradise as this former Poet Laureate is celebrated locally with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
At Dragon Orchard, tastings drawn from over 120 entries received to date for the 2026 Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials will be on offer. Artistraw, Gregg’s Pit, Palmer’s Upland, Redvers, Ross-on-Wye and Woodredding will be selling their cider and perry to take home – or to enjoy in the orchard along with musical entertainment.
Visitors are encouraged to walk between venues where they can – but for those who may need some assistance, a tractor and passenger trailer will be available. Full programme details are available at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime/
Apr 28, 2025
Blossomtime 2025 – Putley and Aylton join forces to celebrate their orchards, apples and cider
This special springtime opportunity to enjoy the local orchards, famed for their cider, dessert and culinary fruit, takes place over two days on Sunday 4th and Monday 5th May.
Blossomtime 2025 will see community organisers the Big Apple Association bring together four venues around Putley and Aylton. Starting with Putley Parish Hall, Court Farm Barn and Yew Tree Farm in Aylton and Putley’s Dragon Orchard will each offer a collection of different experiences.
Putley Parish Hall will be the welcome hub, where visitors can park, buy their entrance ticket (£5 for adults, children under 16 free, valid for one day at all four venues), and start guided walks around the orchards. It is also the centre for Blossomtime lunches and teas, provided in turn by Aylton Church, Munsley WI, Ledbury Young Farmers and Putley WI.
Court Farm Barn, Aylton will be the centre for arts, crafts, demonstrations, workshops and talks, including national and local speakers Steve Oram, Anna Stankiewicz, Jonathan Keyte and Will Masefield talking about the many reasons why orchards are so important to us and ways in which we can all support their future.
A stop at Yew Tree Farm will find local varieties of perry pears, and perry made from its own perry pears.
At Dragon Orchard, tastings drawn from over 140 entries to the 2025 Big Apple Cider and Perry Trials will be on offer, while seven different cider and perry makers will be selling their wares surrounded by music, poetry and entertainment in the orchard. Or just wander amongst the fruit trees, soaking up the sounds and scents of nature.
Visitors are encouraged to walk between the four venues – they are all within easy reach of each other – but for those who may need some assistance or just for the sheer fun of it, a tractor and passenger trailer will be available.
Full programme details are available at https://www.bigapple.org.uk/blossomtime/
Sep 1, 2021
The apples are ripening on the trees, the presses are standing by, and the time is fast approaching when the Big Apple has welcomed visitors to the Herefordshire parishes of the Marcle Ridge for thirty years. Having cancelled last year’s event, the community organisation behind the Big Apple has come up with a plan that will see all the usual venues in and around Much Marcle involved over the weekend of 9/10th October. “Within 24 hours of asking them, all nine venues had expressed their enthusiasm to go ahead”, said spokesman Jackie Denman. “When we cancelled last year, we had lots of messages of support telling us that we had made the right decision, but also telling us that we would be much missed. So now we’re busy behind the scenes working on our programme, which will go online on www.bigapple.org.uk on Monday 13th September. We can’t wait to get back!”
This annual opportunity to enjoy the orchards, to see, hear and smell cider being made and to taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices has become an established part of the calendar for many people. Familiar Big Apple venues will include Gregg’s Pit, Awnells Farm, Woodredding, Lyne Down, Pope’s Perry and Hellens, alongside regular attractions at Westons Cider.
