The place in England are you able to discover a map full of incredible 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 most important shock when exploring Herefordshire with youngsters is that we hadn’t visited earlier than.
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The truth is, it amazes me barely that in many years 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 one of the best issues? Firstly, the county is comparatively small so you’ll be able to pack loads in throughout a brief break or weekend in Herefordshire with youngsters. It’s additionally an excellent place to flee a number of the crowds, plus there’s an enormous quantity for households.
So if you’d like a bit of style of a number of the greatest issues to do in Herefordshire for households, right here’s how we crammed 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 intense yellow of rapeseed and pink blossom in spring, large previous bushes and a local weather which implies you get a powerful vary of flowers.
But when I’m blissful 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 full of details about every little thing 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, large 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 purple 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 straightforward wander, so it’s an excellent choice with youthful youngsters too, and there’ll be just a few AR bonuses coming quickly, similar to 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 a number of the element and understanding of what we had been taking a look at – the truth is, we’d in all probability not have realised we might even stroll right here. With the solar shining on us, it was the right begin to the weekend.
There are numerous different advised walks to strive within the county as nicely – the Roasts and Rambles information options ten round walks with pubs alongside the best way, or if you happen to go to in spring, the In The Pink information showcases one of the best blossom spots
Day 1 – Hereford
I’d anticipated historical past galore once 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 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 just a few hours over some meals – there are tables dotted round within the courtyard (with heaters!) and you’ll order from a number of totally different eating places plus a bar to your desk.
So if you happen to’re questioning the place to eat in Herefordshire with youngsters, that is superb – there was an excellent youngsters’ burger for my daughter, however I had the selection of Indian meals from the grill, some nice brunch choices like smashed avocado, tapas fashion 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 Avenue, which is full of the type of little retailers you wish to browse endlessly, together with cafes, delis and a superb cheese store known as the Mouse Entice.
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Not far-off is the market too, the place the stalls had every little thing 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 yow will discover incredible doughnuts behind the half-timbered facade, one among a string of black and white homes in Hereford, together with the Jacobean Black and White Home Museum within the market, the final one among a row left standing.
Hereford Cathedral with youngsters
One of many greatest highlights of our day in Hereford was exploring the cathedral – and if you happen to assume that doesn’t sound child-friendly, there are various sights which make it unmissable, together with the Chained Library and Mappa Mundi.
The cathedral itself is fantastic: relationship again virtually 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 virtually pinkish within the daylight.
As soon as inside, we had been instructed 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 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 (in all probability, it was a bit tough to see its face with a part of the nave roped off), the opposite propped up towards 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 ft are resting on a hog as nicely.
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 most recent in library improvements, designed to maintain the medieval books protected and safe – which can 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 form of pictorial encyclopaedia which mixes geography, delusion 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 can also make out Hereford.
And whilst you’ll discover a lot of specifics, proper all the way down to the labyrinth at Knossos on Crete, there’s a number of beneficiant licence about simply how shut some nations 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 delusion, drawn as in the event that they had been simply as actual because the island.
Elsewhere you’ll be able to see a basilisk (unexpectedly cuddly), a mandrake, manticore and minotaur, which opened my daughter’s eyes to the truth that these incredible beasts have been round loads longer than the Wizarding World.
There are just a few 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 superb swordfish, which has its sword neatly sheathed alongside the aspect of its physique by its fins. Typically 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 large lips to shade their heads or eyes of their chests for instance.
I might 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 yow will discover in a single small spot in England. The gorgeous manor home of Hellens could be value a go to regardless, with its beautiful previous rooms and beautiful grounds – however discovering a few of its secrets and techniques from by the centuries was simply one of the best 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 nicely – the offspring of Mary Boleyn and (virtually 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 resulting from 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 making an attempt to depict a rhino, the craftsmen behind this had virtually actually by no means truly seen one. They’d strive although.
However whereas the data go into element concerning 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 on account of all of the lavish renovations.
As a last twist, the room can be stated to be haunted by a seventeenth century priest who fell foul of the Roundheads, caught on his approach to a priest gap, along 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’ll be able to nonetheless see a message scratched into the glass of her window from her many years 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 skin, suggesting that he came around her whereas she was confined right here. The story even helped encourage a 2017 youngsters’s ebook, Evie’s Ghost.
Elsewhere inside you’ll be able to 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 nicely – there’s a restaurant right here however if you happen to 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
If you happen to’ve had a style of countryside, metropolis and a few of Herefordshire’s historic homes, the ultimate unmissable factor to do in Herefordshire with youngsters is head to the River Wye.
You possibly can stroll alongside the banks in Hereford itself, however much more enjoyable is getting out onto the water in a canoe.
There are numerous totally 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 towards the present (which having achieved simply that in Exeter, I’m blissful to keep away from!)
You possibly can rent canoes for a full day, however we went for a three-hour jaunt – which gave my arms 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 website at Lucksall, the place we had been briefed, proven a map and kitted up, together with a barrel to maintain our luggage in (though cleverly I’d forgotten to deliver the waterproof case for my cellphone as soon as once more).
You’ve got life-vests to put on, though once we went the river was so low that there was extra probability of beaching ourselves than submerging. Having proved we might 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 individual.
You possibly can spot kingfishers (though not with chatty small women 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 just a few little rapids to hurry over alongside the best way – it’s actually not white water (I stayed completely dry) however it received us all guffawing as we paddled at prime pace.
Day 3 – Eastnor Fortress
After a weekend of (principally) wonderful early Could sunshine, our climate luck ran out on the finish of our journey – so mixed with the truth that the interiors of Eastnor Fortress had been closed (since reopened, albeit restricted days) meant that we actually didn’t get to see it at its greatest.
Regardless of the relentless rain, we nonetheless managed to spend a few hours exploring the grounds and play areas, so that is someplace you can fortunately whereas the day away when the solar shines.
Not like a number of the different historic castles within the space, Eastnor Fortress 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 type of sprawling grounds you’d anticipate from a stately residence, with a lakeside and woodland stroll, in addition to common household actions, plus the spectacular interiors.
For our go to, it was all targeted on the outside. The maze was closed however Minnie set straight to work testing out the varied playgrounds with a go on the impediment course.
There’s additionally an journey playground, with some enjoyable static autos, slides, picket towers to climb on and a few nice internet tunnels resulting in a bit of treehouse.
And that’s not the top of the possibilities to play, with pure play areas out within the woods as nicely – we headed off across the lakeside stroll, which has some beautiful views again to the citadel itself.
And in direction of the top of the trail, previous a bit of stream that was shallow sufficient to splash in, or with stepping stones as an added bonus (and a dry route spherical if you happen to didn’t wish to threat soggy ft), there are a number of areas with tree stumps to hop between, logs to stability on and extra, plus added journey for my daughter on the slippery wooden.
Though you’ll be able to 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 citadel and a fast peek over the partitions to the grounds, earlier than ducking by just a few tunnels to the courtyard.
With common household exercise days, together with every little thing from animal encounters to birds of prey shows, residing historical past and a steam weekend, there’s normally loads of further enjoyable happening as nicely.
For extra nice household days out, take a look at my choose of one of the best UK castles with youngsters
Extra issues to do in Herefordshire with youngsters
Observe the black and white villages path
There are fairly just a few 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 possibly can theme a mini street 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 nicely.
You may simply staff just a few 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 Fortress
Considered one of our few earlier visits to Herefordshire, we explored Goodrich Fortress whereas exploring the Forest of Dean.
One of many many fortresses constructed alongside the border – Marcher nation – by the English to protect towards the Welsh and later to implement their rule, it’s partly ruined however there’s nonetheless heaps to find, from historic bathrooms to a dungeon and chapel.
It’s additionally residence to Roaring Meg, the mortar which did a lot of the harm to the citadel in the course of the English Civil Battle, loads of household exercise trails and incredible views out to the River Wye and Wales.
Stroll with llamas
One other nice approach 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’ll be able to 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 Fortress
This Nationwide Belief website is surrounded by 1,500 acres of parkland, so there’s loads of probability to get outdoors at Croft Fortress, with a string of walks across the grounds.
The citadel’s personal historical past dates again to the eleventh century: listed within the Domesday ebook, 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 good for any small followers of Narnia.
Because the title suggests, Arthur’s Stone has hyperlinks to the legendary king too, stated 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 if you happen to can see them…
The place to remain in Herefordshire with youngsters
We checked into Arboyne Home in Eardisley – one of many villages on the black and white path, there are two self-contained flats hooked up to the 18th century most important home.
And Holly Lodge, the place we stayed, is ideal with youngsters – there are three bedrooms, so it may well sleep as much as six, a correct kitchen for self-catering and also you’re in an excellent location to get round.
It appeared that we not often needed to drive greater than about half-hour to succeed in any of the locations I’ve talked about on my checklist for a protracted weekend in Herefordshire, plus there’s a four-poster mattress, massive gardens, a craft studio and a few significantly scrumptious tiffin bites.
Try my full assessment of Arboyne Home for a keep in Herefordshire with youngsters
*First revealed 2021, final up to date 2024*
Disclosure: My keep was courtesy of Go to Herefordshire, with entry free from the varied points of interest – all opinions on one of the best issues to do in Herefordshire with youngsters are my very own. This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
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