HUNDREDS of visitors enjoyed harvest time when apples took centre stage in Much Marcle.

Big Apple venues welcomed visitors to the Marcle Ridge on Saturday and Sunday, October 12-13 to see the apple harvest.

Eight familiar Big Apple venues, including Woodredding, Lyne Down, Hellens, Gregg’s Pit and Awnells Farm, alongside Westons Cider with their new sales area and tasting room, welcomed visitors to enjoy the orchards, see, hear and smell cider being made and taste many different varieties of apples, local ciders, perries and apple juices.

This year’s highlights included giving a hand to press perry pears from the ancient avenue at Hellens Manor, wheeling along with the Big Apple Bike Ride and, at Woodredding, tasting ‘Five cheeses, four ciders and a perry’ hosted by Brian and Fran Robbins, with Dean Storey of Monkland Cheesemakers.

Sessions on practical aspects of planting and pruning apple trees led by orchardist Martin Hayes, the chance to buy refurbished garden tools from Tools for Self Reliance Cymru and a talk from agronomist Matt Greep describing the ‘Friends and foes of an apple orchard’ were a ‘must’ for those who like to do things for themselves.

Adam Wells talked about his recent book ‘Perry: a Drinker’s Guide’ alongside tastings of five Herefordshire perries, while Gregg’s Pit offered a tutored tasting of three vintages of their single variety Thorn champagne perry.

Tasty food offers and musical interludes including Ciderkin Session, Ross Folk Choir, Leominster Morris, Gidderskins and Blackthorn Ritualistic Folk were to be found in and around the different orchards.

Once again, a tractor and trailer service will run between Westons and Awnells Farm, and the Daffodil Line bus provided a regular connection between Much Marcle and Ledbury, Newent and Ross-on-Wye .

Jackie Denman, of the Big Apple said: "We were blessed with dry, sunny weather and over 1000 visitors headed to Much Marcle during the weekend to enjoy the range of venues and activities that we had on offer."