A protracted weekend in Herefordshire with children

The place in England are you able to discover a map filled with unbelievable beasts, a manor home with hyperlinks to a few kings (and a ghost), the positioning the place a Queen’s husband was executed, and ponds which date again to the Ice Age – sure, the largest shock when exploring Herefordshire with children is that we hadn’t visited earlier than.

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Actually, it amazes me barely that in a long time travelling within the UK, I’ve barely set foot in Herefordshire: we’ve visited the Forest of Dean to the south, Shropshire to the north, and ventured throughout the border into Wales. However from the cathedral metropolis of Hereford to the Wye Valley and countryside, our lengthy weekend felt like discovering someplace completely new.

And the most effective issues? Firstly, the county is comparatively small so you may pack rather a lot in throughout a brief break or weekend in Herefordshire with children. It’s additionally a terrific place to flee a number of the crowds, plus there’s an enormous quantity for households.

So if you need a little bit style of a number of the finest issues to do in Herefordshire for households, right here’s how we stuffed three days – plus some added tips about extra family-friendly issues to do.

Day 1 – Ice Age ponds

Herefordshire’s countryside is beautiful – mild rolling hills with the Black Mountains within the distance, the brilliant yellow of rapeseed and pink blossom in spring, enormous outdated bushes and a local weather which implies you get a formidable vary of flowers.

But when I’m comfortable to drink within the views and revel within the loveliness of the English countryside, my daughter wants a bit extra motivation.

Which is the place the brand new Ice Age Ponds path app from Herefordshire Wildlife Belief got here in useful.

There are 12 trails to select from (together with some by automotive if you wish to enterprise additional afield, others which you are able to do on a motorbike) they usually’re filled with details about all the pieces from the wildlife and vegetation you’ll discover to the geology.

As a result of whereas the rolling hills are mild sufficient for my daughter to dash fortunately up and down, they had been carved out way back by glaciers, enormous ice sheets that rolled in from Wales – though in geological phrases, it’s not that way back, with the Ice Age ponds created alongside the best way surviving for 12,000 years.

We headed out on the 90-minute Birches Farm Path, spying crimson kites circling over head, warblers warbling within the bushes and wildflowers galore, in addition to orchids starting to develop within the grass alongside the cowslips.

It’s a simple wander, so it’s a terrific choice with youthful children too, and there’ll be a number of AR bonuses coming quickly, resembling having a photograph with a digital mammoth (having tried one thing related in Norfolk, that was an enormous hit).

With out the app, I do know we’d have missed loads of the element and understanding of what we had been – in actual fact, we’d most likely not have realised we may even stroll right here. With the solar shining on us, it was the right begin to the weekend.

There are numerous different prompt walks to attempt within the county as properly – the Roasts and Rambles information options ten round walks with pubs alongside the best way, or should you go to in spring, the In The Pink information showcases the most effective blossom spots

Day 1 – Hereford

I’d anticipated historical past galore after we explored Hereford, however what I hadn’t realised beforehand was simply how nice it’s for foodies.

And as we’d labored up an urge for food strolling by way of the countryside that morning, we’d earned our lunch at The Yard earlier than exploring the cathedral and historic streets.

Iit’s a stunning spot to whereas away a number of hours over some meals – there are tables dotted round within the courtyard (with heaters!) and you’ll order from a number of completely different eating places plus a bar to your desk.

So should you’re questioning the place to eat in Herefordshire with children, that is very best – there was a terrific children’ burger for my daughter, however I had the selection of Indian meals from the grill, some nice brunch choices like smashed avocado, tapas type dishes together with lamb croquetas… even when I finally went for a truffle burger myself.

As you wander across the metropolis, don’t miss a stroll alongside Church Road, which is filled with the form of little retailers you need to browse endlessly, together with cafes, delis and a wonderful cheese store referred to as the Mouse Entice.

Try the Hereford treasure hunt from the Treasure Map Trails assortment, for an additional enjoyable option to discover Hereford with children – get 10% off utilizing code MUMMYTRAVELS

Not far-off is the market too, the place the stalls had all the pieces from dried fruit and olives to ice lotions – look between them and on the pavement, there’s a plaque commemorating Owen Tudor, husband of Henry V’s widow Queen Katherine, executed right here again in 1460.

Or seize some provisions on the Buttermarket, the place you’ll find unbelievable doughnuts behind the half-timbered facade, considered one of a string of black and white homes in Hereford, together with the Jacobean Black and White Home Museum within the market, the final considered one of a row left standing.

Hereford Cathedral with children

One of many largest highlights of our day in Hereford was exploring the cathedral – and should you suppose that doesn’t sound child-friendly, there are quite a lot of sights which make it unmissable, together with the Chained Library and Mappa Mundi.

The cathedral itself is great: courting again nearly 800 years, it’s value wandering across the outdoors earlier than you head in, to see the imposing entrance door (the doorway is at the moment to the aspect) and the stone, which appears to be like nearly pinkish within the daylight.

As soon as inside, we had been advised to look out for the tomb with pigs on – positively not one thing we’d ever come throughout in a cathedral earlier than – however barely received by way of the nave earlier than we discovered some extra intriguing sights.

There’s the tomb of the three-legged knight. Not an precise three-legged man, however the place the effigy’s legs have been changed and repaired over time till he’s left with three – two resting on a lion (most likely, it was a bit difficult to see its face with a part of the nave roped off), the opposite propped up in opposition to a pillar.

There’s additionally a tiled labyrinth on the ground, which Minnie proceeded to tempo round a number of occasions, and a brightly colored shrine of St Thomas Cantilupe, one of many cathedral’s two saints – the opposite is Ethelbert, king of the Angles, murdered within the eighth century by Offa of Mercia (the one with the dyke).

And across the nook, the pigs! A play on the title of the bishop buried there, a person named Swinfield, his personal toes are resting on a hog as properly.

However as an avid Harry Potter fan, my daughter was eager to get to the Chained Library, which sounds prefer it’s straight out of the restricted part at Hogwarts.

Set inside a brand new constructing, the books themselves are older than the cathedral – one dates again so far as the eighth century, and even the locks and chains attaching the books to the cabinets are the unique seventeenth century metallic.

On the time, this new system was the newest in library improvements, designed to maintain the medieval books protected and safe – which can also be why they face with their backbone in – they usually’re nonetheless consulted by researchers at this time.

The medieval Mappa Mundi in the meantime, was created round 1300 – a type of pictorial encyclopaedia which mixes geography, fable and a beneficiant serving to of legend.

At first look, it’s a map of the recognized world, besides on this model, it’s centered round Jerusalem – the British Isles are positively a little bit of an surprising form and Scotland appears to have floated off completely, though you may make out Hereford.

And when you’ll discover a lot of specifics, proper right down to the labyrinth at Knossos on Crete, there’s loads of beneficiant licence about simply how shut some international locations are to one another.

However what’s much more fascinating is the best way that fantasy is combined in with reality: subsequent to Crete, you’ll discover Scylla and Charybdis from Greek fable, drawn as in the event that they had been simply as actual because the island.

Elsewhere you may see a basilisk (unexpectedly cuddly), a mandrake, manticore and minotaur, which opened my daughter’s eyes to the truth that these unbelievable beasts have been round rather a lot longer than the Wizarding World.

There are a number of formidable makes an attempt to depict actual life creatures, which the creators of the map would by no means have seen – a rhino that’s distinctly skinny to fashionable eyes, and a wonderful swordfish, which has its sword neatly sheathed alongside the aspect of its physique by its fins. Generally reality is stranger than fiction.

Though not as unusual because the inhabitants of the map’s unknown worlds: Africa, which might have been one thing of a thriller to the artists, is peopled by distinctly surprising people, together with folks with enormous lips to shade their heads or eyes of their chests for instance.

I may have pored over it for hours: it’s completely mesmerising.

Entrance to the cathedral is free however there’s a cost to go to the Chained Library and Mappa Mundi.

Day 2 – Hellens Manor Home

It by no means ceases to amaze me simply how a lot historical past you’ll find in a single small spot in England. The attractive manor home of Hellens could be value a go to regardless, with its beautiful outdated rooms and beautiful grounds – however discovering a few of its secrets and techniques from by way of the centuries was simply the most effective half.

As soon as a part of King Harold Godwinsson’s lands – though it’s onerous to say if he ever visited earlier than the Conquest – the manor was later a protected haven for Roger Mortimer after he and Queen Isabella deposed Edward II, and right here that Edward III was given the royal seal.

There are later hyperlinks to the Boleyn household as properly – the offspring of Mary Boleyn and (nearly actually) Henry VIII, with a few of Anne Boleyn’s personal possessions to be seen in household portraits and on show.

For extra Tudor hyperlinks, there was even a room embellished for Mary I, who was as a result of keep there – it has since been restored, together with her emblems on the furnishings, however you too can see a number of the unique ornament and a reliquary on the mantelpiece.

Look as much as the ceiling for an ornamental pomegranate… though just like the medieval makers of the Mappa Mundi attempting to depict a rhino, the craftsmen behind this had nearly actually by no means truly seen one. That they had a very good attempt although.

However whereas the information go into element in regards to the work to organize for the Queen’s go to, there are not any paperwork speaking about her ever arriving in the long run. Though there’s a file of the proprietor going bankrupt, probably because of all of the lavish renovations.

As a remaining twist, the room can also be mentioned to be haunted by a seventeenth century priest who fell foul of the Roundheads, caught on his option to a priest gap, together with his ghost heard by individuals who’ve slept right here.

Elsewhere, a daughter of the home who eloped with a stablehand, spent 30 years locked up in her room on her return – you may nonetheless see a message scratched into the glass of her window from her a long time on this gilded cage (for punishment or her safety? You determine).

The twist right here is that her husband’s initials have been scratched on a unique pane – on the surface, suggesting that he came over her whereas she was confined right here. The story even helped encourage a 2017 kids’s e-book, Evie’s Ghost.

Elsewhere inside you may see artwork by everybody from Van Dyck and Goya to Tintoretto, a four-person chess board, a harpsichord, a Swedish crown worn by brides of the household, and portraits galore.

Outdoors, there’s simply as a lot to find within the grounds, together with a hedge labyrinth, a knot backyard, herb backyard (look out for the poisons part), wildflower meadow and woodland to discover. To not point out the ring of standing stones, engraved with poetry.

It’s one of many loveliest locations to see spring blossom as properly – there’s a restaurant right here however should you fancy a picnic, cease off at The Nest close by, a farm store with some spectacular Scotch eggs, an enormous array of scrumptious truffles and many extra tempting provisions.

Day 2 – Canoeing the River Wye

When you’ve had a style of countryside, metropolis and a few of Herefordshire’s historic homes, the ultimate unmissable factor to do in Herefordshire with children is head to the River Wye.

You’ll be able to stroll alongside the banks in Hereford itself, however much more enjoyable is getting out onto the water in a canoe.

There are numerous completely different choices from Hereford Canoe Rent to discover a number of the quietest stretches of the River Wye, cleverly designed so that you received’t be paddling in opposition to the present (which having finished simply that in Exeter, I’m comfortable to keep away from!)

You’ll be able to rent canoes for a full day, however we went for a three-hour jaunt – which gave my arms a very good exercise, however with two adults paddling, helped intermittently by an enthusiastic daughter, was positively doable.

Parking our automotive at a campsite close to Hoarwithy, we had been taken over to a different web site at Lucksall, the place we had been briefed, proven a map and kitted up, together with a barrel to maintain our baggage in (though cleverly I’d forgotten to carry the waterproof case for my telephone as soon as once more).

You could have life-vests to put on, though after we went the river was so low that there was extra likelihood of beaching ourselves than submerging. Having proved we may canoe in a circle, we set off downstream, the present serving to us alongside the best way.

And it was extremely peaceable – aside from birds and the sheep leaping nimbly alongside the banks, we hardly noticed or heard one other particular person.

You’ll be able to spot kingfishers (though not with chatty small ladies testing how loudly their voice carries throughout an in any other case tranquil river) in addition to numerous swans and herons, geese had been out with their ducklings and sand martins swooped alongside the banks.

For some added pleasure, there are a number of little rapids to hurry over alongside the best way – it’s actually not white water (I stayed completely dry) nevertheless it received us all guffawing as we paddled at prime velocity.

Day 3 – Eastnor Citadel

After a weekend of (largely) superb early Could sunshine, our climate luck ran out on the finish of our journey – so mixed with the truth that the interiors of Eastnor Citadel had been closed (since reopened, albeit restricted days) meant that we actually didn’t get to see it at its finest.

Regardless of the relentless rain, we nonetheless managed to spend a few hours exploring the grounds and play areas, so that is someplace you would fortunately whereas the day away when the solar shines.

In contrast to a number of the different historic castles within the space, Eastnor Citadel is virtually a newcomer, constructed within the nineteenth century, though that’s on the positioning of a earlier manor a number of centuries older.

And it has the form of sprawling grounds you’d anticipate from a stately house, with a lakeside and woodland stroll, in addition to common household actions, plus the spectacular interiors.

For our go to, it was all centered on the outside. The maze was closed however Minnie set straight to work testing out the assorted playgrounds with a go on the impediment course.

There’s additionally an journey playground, with some enjoyable static automobiles, slides, picket towers to climb on and a few nice web tunnels resulting in a little bit treehouse.

And that’s not the top of the possibilities to play, with pure play areas out within the woods as properly – we headed off across the lakeside stroll, which has some beautiful views again to the fortress itself.

And in direction of the top of the trail, previous a little bit stream that was shallow sufficient to splash in, or with stepping stones as an added bonus (and a dry route spherical should you didn’t need to threat soggy toes), there are a number of areas with tree stumps to hop between, logs to steadiness on and extra, plus added journey for my daughter on the slippery wooden.

Though you may simply do a single loop across the lake, there are many paths to wander among the many bushes, with our route finally taking us again to the rear of the fortress and a fast peek over the partitions to the grounds, earlier than ducking by way of a number of tunnels to the courtyard.

With common household exercise days, together with all the pieces from animal encounters to birds of prey shows, residing historical past and a steam weekend, there’s normally loads of additional enjoyable going down as properly.

For extra nice household days out, try my decide of the most effective UK castles with children

Extra issues to do in Herefordshire with children

Comply with the black and white villages path

There are fairly a number of contenders for prettiest locations in England, however Herefordshire has an additional ace up its sleeve in addition to the beautiful surroundings – its black and white villages.

You’ll be able to theme a mini highway journey round them too, with a 40-mile round route from Leominster which takes you to round a dozen stops alongside the best way.

Eardisland is meant to be the prettiest, whereas we stayed in beautiful Eardisley and managed to catch a glimpse of Weobley throughout our weekend in Herefordshire as properly.

You would simply crew a number of village stops with strolling within the countryside, in addition to trying out a number of the pub gardens within the villages alongside the best way.

Goodrich Citadel

Certainly one of our few earlier visits to Herefordshire, we explored Goodrich Citadel  whereas exploring the Forest of Dean.

One of many many fortresses constructed alongside the border – Marcher nation – by the English to protect in opposition to the Welsh and later to implement their rule, it’s partly ruined however there’s nonetheless heaps to find, from historic bogs to a dungeon and chapel.

It’s additionally house to Roaring Meg, the mortar which did a lot of the injury to the fortress in the course of the English Civil Battle, loads of household exercise trails and unbelievable views out to the River Wye and Wales.

Stroll with llamas

One other nice option to get out and strolling is alongside the Golden Valley llamas, at a farm within the foothill of the Herefordshire Black Mountains.

In addition to grooming them, you may head out on a 3 mile stroll with a lot of time to admire the views because the llamas cease for a nibble – and it’s child-friendly too, though these aged below 12 need to share a llama with an grownup.

Go to Croft Citadel

This Nationwide Belief web site is surrounded by 1,500 acres of parkland, so there’s loads of likelihood to get outdoors at Croft Citadel, with a string of walks across the grounds.

The fortress’s personal historical past dates again to the eleventh century: listed within the Domesday e-book, it has performed a component within the Wars of the Roses, been owned by a Queen’s favorite and misplaced because of unwise investments (earlier than being purchased again by the household as soon as once more).

See Arthur’s Stone

This Neolithic Burial Chamber is alleged to have impressed the stone desk in CS Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, so it’s excellent for any small followers of Narnia.

Because the title suggests, Arthur’s Stone has hyperlinks to the legendary king too, mentioned to be the place he slew a large – who left the impression of his elbows on one of many stones as he fell.

Free to go to, so it’s simple to cease by and see should you can see them…

The place to remain in Herefordshire with children

We checked into Arboyne Home in Eardisley – one of many villages on the black and white path, there are two self-contained flats connected to the 18th century fundamental home.

And Holly Lodge, the place we stayed, is ideal with children – there are three bedrooms, so it could possibly sleep as much as six, a correct kitchen for self-catering and also you’re in a terrific location to get round.

It appeared that we not often needed to drive greater than about half-hour to achieve any of the locations I’ve talked about on my record for an extended weekend in Herefordshire, plus there’s a four-poster mattress, huge gardens, a craft studio and a few significantly scrumptious tiffin bites.

Try my full assessment of Arboyne Home for a keep in Herefordshire with children

*First revealed 2021, final up to date 2024*

Disclosure: My keep was courtesy of Go to Herefordshire, with entry free from the assorted sights – all opinions on the most effective issues to do in Herefordshire with children are my very own. This publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee

Photographs copyright MummyTravels

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