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- Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the Wye Valley Holiday Cottages
Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the Wye Valley Holiday Cottages
A holiday cottage in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the Wye Valley is an ideal place for any range of holidaymakers. Whether you want to relax with the nature or take on adventure activities, you will find something for everyone with a holiday cottage in this area. The cottages vary immensely, so there is again, something for everyone.
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a county of unspoilt countryside, market towns with character and a varied landscapes from a historic City to fascinating villages.
In whatever season, there are over 2,000 miles of footpaths in Herefordshire, so plenty of walks on your day out from your Herefordshire holiday cottage.
There are many gardens - over 23 collections in the county, so garden lovers will not be short of places to visit on their day out from their Herefordshire holiday cottage.
There is no shortage of fresh air in Herefordshire, and if it's adventure activities you want on your cottage holiday in Herefordshire, you can include horse riding, canoeing, fishing, cycling, golfing or testing your skill on a mountain board.
A cottage holiday in Herefordshire would not be complete without tasting the local cider and there are many places where you can taste it, and from which you can take back some cider to enjoy in your holiday cottage in Herefordshire.
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is located in the Heart of England and offers an array of outstanding scenery and places to visit to suit all interests. Visitors can experience the Malvern Hills, the cathedral city of Worcester, woodlands of the Forest of Wyre, industrial heritage of Bromsgrove and Redditch, the market towns of Pershore, Droitwich Spa, Tenbury Wells and Evesham, the Severn, Teme and Avon valleys and the warmth of Broadway.
There are also much smaller scale events that take place throughout the year such as village fetes, beer festivals and the more quirky, such as the asparagus auction that takes place each May at the ancient Fleece Inn at Bretforton. The scarecrow event at Belbroughton is also very popular - villagers make scarecrows and display their handiwork outside their homes, with all proceeds going to charity.
A cottage holiday in Herefordshire would not be complete without tasting the local
Worcester Sauce, or 'Lea and Perrins', who ship the concentrate abroad to be bottled.
It is a widely used fermented liquid condiment, and is a flavouring used in many dishes, both cooked and uncooked. Worcester sauce is one of the many legacies of British contact with India. While some sources trace comparable fermented anchovy sauces in Europe to the 17th Century, this one became popular in the 1830's.
From open air theatre and music recitals to civil war re-enactments, there is always something going on in this varied county throughout the year.
The Wye Valley
Perhaps the most unspoilt major river in Britain, the Wye flows through breathtaking scenery rich in both Welsh and English history, straddling the borders of England and Wales. From the source at Plynlimon in the land of Mabinogion and Owain Glyndwr down to the Bristol Channel 130 miles below, the river passes many famous sites, including Symonds Yat, Kilvert country and Tintern Abbey. It also goes past many places of old crafts and industries and places involved in the Civil War.
The Wye Valley was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) just before Christmas in 1971. It surrounds a 72-mile stretch of the meandering River Wye from the rocky outcrop of Chepstow Castle to just south of the city of Hereford, straddling the borders between England and Wales, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire in the process.
The Wye Valley is a 'Valley for all Seasons.' In Spring you see swaths of bluebells in leafy glades, in Summer green and fertile landscapes, in Autumn the beautiful colours of woodland, and in Winter crisp snow-dusted hills. Whether it is simply to eat good food and sit in quiet village pubs or to follow the more active pursuits of walking, cycling and canoeing, you will find what you want in the Wye Valley.
Places to go
The Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival is in October, where you can discover tasty foods.
Eastnor Castle in Ledbury holds various special events, including in April an
Easter Family Treasure Hunt, in May an Arms & Armour Weekend, and a Steam and Woodland Country Fair, in August, The Big Chill Festival in the Deer Park, and many more events throughout the year.
The Three Counties Show is a Midlands based agricultural society, most commonly associated with livestock, horticulture & aboriculture, which is held annually on the Three Counties Showground in Malvern.
Every Christmas Worcester holds a four day Victorian themed street fayre, when the streets are lined with stalls selling traditional crafts, gifts and food.
Europe's oldest choral festival, the Three Choirs Festival, is held in Worcester every third year.
There are also much smaller scale events that take place throughout the year such as village fetes, beer festivals and the more quirky, such as the asparagus auction that takes place each May at the ancient Fleece Inn at Bretforton. The scarecrow event at Belbroughton is also very popular - villagers make scarecrows and display them outside their homes, with all proceeds going to charity.
In Worcester, there is the Commandary, which is a museum dedicated to the English Civil War, when Cromwell defeated the Scottish Army of King Charles II at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
The Worcester Potteries are a good place to visit from you holiday cottage in Worcestershire, where you can tour the factory and see rare items of the beautiful Worcester pottery in the museum.
Of course, there is Worcester Cathedral, situated right next to the pedestrian shopping precint.
Elgar's Birthplace Museum in Lower Broadheath is sited in the cottage where Elgar was born in 1857 and there is a museum, displays and a shop. You can also follow the Elgar trail, much of which is in and around Malvern.
From open air theatre and music recitals to civil war re-enactments, there is always something going on in Worcestershire throughout the year.
Historic Sights
In Hereford, there is Belmont Abbey, the home of a community of Benedictine monks, which is set in extensive gardens, and then there is, of course, the great Hereford Cathedral.
In Ross-on-Wye, the superb Goodrich Castle, high above the River Wye, is still largely intact and protected by wide and deep ditches cut into the rock. This magnificent red sandstone castle, with a 12th century 3 stories high keep and extensive remains from the 13th and 14th centuries. From here you can look across the beautiful Wye Valley to Symonds Yat. Here too, in April, they hold Easter egg trails for children.
Eastnor Castle in Ledbury is a fairytale Georgian Castle dramatically situated in the Malvern Hills. It is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty and surrounded by a deer park, arboretum and lake. Eastnor Castle is a great day out from your holiday cottage for both adults and children alike. For the adults there is the house and gardens, the lakeside and woodland walks, and for the little ones, there are children's funsheets, an adventure playground, an assault course, a Knight's maze and special events.
Worcester is a busy town with a cathedral, sited on the River Severn, linked by a stone bridge. The town is the county town or Worcestershire and has quaint half timbered buildings in among the more modern buildings, especially down Friar and New Street, and also see the Corn Exchange dated 1848.
So, whatever you are looking for from a UK holiday, you will be able to find it with a holiday cottage in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the Wye Valley.