Travel Information

Brampton Bryan is a picture postcard village which lies mid-way between leintwardine and Knighton on the A4113 road. Most of the village is owned by the Harley Estate who have controlled the area since the early fourteenth century. North of the church are the ruins of the castle which guarded an important route from Ludlow along the Teme Valley to Knighton and on into CentralWales. The castle is well worth a visit too. Robert Harley (1579-1656) left the estate and castle in the hands of his wife, Lady Brilliana Harley, who repulsed the Royalist forces in July 1643 after some weeks of siege during which all the buildings in the village were burned to the ground, cattle, sheep and horses were stolen or killed and the castle was attacked with cannon and shot. Lady Harley died at the end of that year. The Royalists then laid siege again in the spring of 1644 and the castle was surrendered after only three weeks. It was over run by the royalists who burned it down and took the Harley children to Shrewsbury. It is hard to imagine these scenes of destruction taking place in what has now become such a peaceful and idyllic country village! The cottages in the village are worthy of an appearance on biscuit tins or boxes of chocolates and the famous yew hedge must certainly be photographed. Make sure that you take cameras or mobile phones with a camera application, as this area gives plenty of opportunity for photography. The estate also has a café that sells refreshments if you want to eat away from your Herefordshire Motorhome Hire. Click the blue text below for more information.

Brampton Bryan
North Herefordshire
SY7 0DH
England

Garden lovers won’t be able to resist an opportunity to view one of the finest gardens in Herefordshire at Brobury House. This Victorian house is set in a garden that has been fully restored since 1972 and gives magnificent views of the Wye Valley. Do not miss the terrace garden and the woodland garden with its magnificent oak and victorian cedars and pines. This is all set within eight acres with a backdrop of mature trees. The river Wye provides riverside walks and paths lead through formal and natural planting to the watermeadow beside the historic Bredwardine Bridge. There are water features, a superb pergola (the young wisteria are growing fast)and a formal terrace  around the garden conservatory. A small artoretum is being currently planted. Half of the original greenhouses have been restored to their former glory. Keep a look out for an old mulberry tree which still graces the main terrace lawn. This is an excellent garden to view during your Herefordshire Motorhome Hire Holiday. The garden is open all year from 10am to 5pm or dusk if earlier. Admission in 2011 is, Adult £3.00, Child £1.00, but it is wise to check their website below for further information prior to traveling.

Brobury House
Brobury by Bredwardine
Hereford
Herefordshire
England
HR3 6BS

 Is this the best folk festival/cultural event in the Welsh Border area? A great many people think so! This festival features over 170 hours of entertainment in just one long weekend of traditional music, song and dance. This is a real family event to attend. Some of the most outstanding local, national and international traditional folk festival artists are performing in concert, ceilidhs and displays. Dancers include belly dancers and Morris men and everything folk in between! They have a main stage on the site, and many more venues scattered around the site and in the town, including the Falcon Mews (a wonderful accoustic concert hall), and sessions in most of the pubs. Camper van spaces are provided for camping pass holders (must have a weekend ticket also). There are no camping facilities for visitors who are not weekend ticket holders. The camp sites are within the festival site and adjacent to the Marquee venues and close to the town, so once parked you may be left on the site for the weekend. If you intend to take your  London Campervan Hire to the festival please let them know well in advance as there are restricted spaces for Campervans that need a level (not in the field). Remember, if your campervan is not level the fridge will not work effectively!  The camp site opens on the Thursday at 12 noon.  For Tickets and more information click on the blue text for Bromyard Folk Festival.

Bromyard Folk Festival
Bromyard
Herefordshire
HR7 4NT

Tel: 07772 831 860

Learn all about Cider at the Cider Museum.

Going up the hill and to the highest point possible in Goodrich Castle is well worth the effort for the spectacular views alone! Below you is the wooded hillside and the beautiful valley of in which the River Wye runs through. This castle was built in a location designed to control and withstand marauders. It was built in the 11th century and much of the original defences survive to this day. It still has one of the last complete set of medieval buildings inside a castle of this age. Few others survived the test of time over the centuries.  Lavish parties and celebrations have taken place here centuries ago. Wars were fought here and in the civil war it was captured and held by both sides successively. Keep a look out for ’Roaring Meg’ on your visit. I won’t tell you what it is because that would spoil the surprise! The only clue is that it has returned to the castle after 350 years. At the castle you will also find a rather modern and elegant visitor centre, inside, with interesting information and displays. The castle is currently owned and managed by English Heritage. If you visit the historic town of Ross on Wye on your London Motorhome Hire holiday, include a visit to Goodrich Castle in your journey. The castle is located just five miles South of Ross-on-Wye off the A40. For more details of admission prices and opening times, click the highlighted link below.

Goodrich Castle
Castle Lane
Goodrich
Ross on Wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6HY
England

Telephone: 01600 890538

With  11 acres of  gardens to view, this is a delightful place for garden lovers to stroll and view the different aspects of these gardens. The gardens date from Edwardian times and are high above the River Wye surrounded by the Forest of Dean and the Welsh Mountains.  There is so much to see here, including formal terraces with yew hedges, pools, statues and a traditional rose garden. Plus there are less formal plantings of mature trees and shrubs. Look out for the magnificent Italianate water garden which can be explored in the surrounding woodland. This is an excellent place to walk and enjoy both vegetation and scenery. The gardens are open daily from 10.00am till 5.00pm from mid March to mid October. Adequate parking and toilets are available. There are also tea rooms to take those much needed refreshment after all that walking! Be aware that the gardens and tea rooms are closed on some Saturdays due to weddings, so please telephone prior to setting out to check whether they are open. There is an admission charge of £4 for Adults and children are free. If you are in Herefordshire on your Motorhome Hire Holiday do not miss the chance to view this lovely place. For photographs and more information about the gardens, click the blue text below.

How Caple Court
How Caple
Herefordshire
HR1 4SX

Tel: 01989 740 611

Recapture your youth for an exhilarating experience. Berrington Hall is the venue for an exciting day of kite flying. All sizes, colours and shapes of kites will be flown including some shaped like animals etc. Flying kites is a great thing to do at any age and whether you are a party of adults or you are taking younger children then you are encouraged to take your own kite and join in. It’s a very informal event. The flying site will be on the lawns leading down to the lake.  There will be a separate arena at the far end of the flying field where you will be able to watch some of the best sport kite flyers compete. All events are subject to wind, so the programme will be flexible. Of course, the best windy weather conditions will result in a fantastic display held between 10am till 4pm over two days. The fly-in starts at 12.00 and runs until 5.00pm (ish). If you are a beginner with a kite, you’ll be able to get lessons from members of the local Airheads display team and others. Even if the weather is bad the day(no wind) will not be a total loss because there is so much to see at Berrington Hall itself. Berrington Hall is owned and run by the National Trust. The interiors include Biaggio Rebecca ceilings, fine period furniture and there are some pieces on display from the Wade Collection (on loan from Snowshill Manor). Travel with your holiday Motorhome Hire from Hereford, head north on the A49; Berrington Hall is 3ml north of Leominster on the west side of the A49.
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Berrington Hall
near Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 0DW

Telephone: 01568 615721

Step back into the past and return to Medieval times for a weekend of fun!  Men, Women and children will be depicting life in 1461 and enacting the Battle of Mortimers Cross. This is all happening at Croft Castle and Parkland, home of the Croft family for nearly 1,000 years. There will be archery displays, fire drills, canons and have a go archery and drills for the children to get involved with. The colour,excitement and range of activities is sure to be of interest whatever the weather. A picnic in the park whilst watching all the displays is bound to be a success with all the family provided the weather is good. It’s the 550th Anniversary of the battle of Mortimer’s Cross with the house of Sir John Savile. Croft Castle is worth visiting in its own right and  its an added bonus to visit in your midland motohome hire during medieval weekend. For further information click on the blue text for the National Trust and go to Croft Castle.

Croft Castle and Parkland
Yarpole
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 9PW

Telephone: 01568 780246

70 million specimens or items, gathered over 400 years. The collections cover virtually all groups of animals, plants, minerals and fossils from all across the world, and even the universe.

Natural History Museum at Tring
The Walter Rothschild building
Akeman Street
Tring
Hertfordshire
HP23 6AP

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7942 6171

The Ledbury Poetry Festival takes place over ten days each July. It is possibly one of the largest and best poetry festival in the UK, featuring poets from all over the world.  Ledbury has had a tradition of producing some local famous poets so it is apt that it is now the central location for the ten day festival. If you think you know what poetry is, travel there and surprise yourself! There are live readings, performances, workshops, open mics, music, exhibitions, films, family events, street events, a slam and much more. Now in its fifteenth year this is going to be a celebration of the spoken word. Sally Crabtree will be just one of the performers out on the streets of Ledbury with her own brand of poetic installations. Each day there is a whole programme of events in locations around Ledbury with workshops, talks and poerty readings. Alison Brumfitt is just one of the many artists performing. She is a peripatetic performance poet with a penchant for caravans will be doing performance poems from her Micro Pod caravan venue and also engaging young people in exploring their dreams with drawing and writing. Ledbury itself is a beautiful setting for these events with its black and white shops and hostelries, it’s a picture of Herefordshire life almost unchanged for centuries. There will also be festive food market stalls and shops abundant with local produce: rhubarb, early asparagus and strawberries, meat and cheese, cider and wine, bread and cakes, spring vegetables, and other seasonal treats. Make the festival a highlight of your Herefordshire Motorhome Hire trip by calling into the town and enjoying the Ledbury Poetry Festival experience.

Poetry Festival
Church Street
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 1DH

Tel: 0845 458 1743

Located at the top of Dinmore Hill, on the A49 between Hereford and Leominster, follow the brown and white signs at the top of Dinmore Hill to Queenswood Arboretum and Country Park.This is the only designated Country Park in Herefordshire, and has a tree collection ( in the arboretum) with over 1,200 rare and exotic trees from all over the world set in 67 acres. A further 103 acres of semi-natural ancient woodland is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve (LNR).  There is a family run licensed Cafe located on the edge of the wood. In partnership between Herefordshire Council and the National Trust a National Trust Shop and Information Hub for all the National Trust properties in the County has also opened here. It is also providing a small Tourist Information Point. There are a Choice of paths around the park which are either stone or woodchip surfaced paths. The trails are of varying length  and as the Country Park is naturally situated at the top of a hill all the trail routes include slopes however, all routes have benches situated at various points. This is an excellent Country Park to include in your tour of Herefordshire with your Midlands Motorhome Hire. For more information on the country park, click the blue text below.

Queenswood Country Park
Herefordshire Council Parks
Countrysideand Leisure Development Service
Dinmore Hill
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6 0PY

Telephone: 01432 260073

The Amazing Hedge Puzzle is one of three attractions that can be visited at the same site. Apart from the amazing Hedge Puzzle there is also the Butterfly Zoo and miniature golf. Separate admission tickets are required for each so you can pick and choose what you would like to see and do. Central to everything must be the amazing hedge maze. Its fun for all the family and was originally named the Jubilee Maze as it was created to celebrate the Queens Jubilee in 1977. Created by the owners, two brothers, their vision was for a Visitor Centre featuring the maze and a museum of mazes, a tropical indoor butterfly farm, garden centre, cafe, picnic site and more, and to encourage people to visit the local church. Today, the brothers operate the Amazing Hedge Puzzle, Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo, and Wye Valley Miniature Golf, and provide and maintain the common amenities. The whole venture became so popular that they expanded into the Old Court Nursery next door in 1984 to create a Visitor Centre. The maze is just the place for a stroll on a sunny afternoon and the children will love it. In the centre is a circular temple resting place. This is an old fashioned fun day out that has amused families over a number of years. The tea room is run separately and is the ideal place for a cream tea. The shop has lots of maze gifts and games and puzzle books. If you want to stock up with plenty of things for children to do whilst traveling in your Herefordshire Motorhome Hire, then this is the place to visit. Check The Amazing Hedge Puzzle website for opening times and admission prices prior to setting out.

The Amazing Hedge Puzzle
Symonds Yat West
Ross-on wye
Herefordshire
HR9 6DA

Tel: 01600 890360

Hire a motorhome for the 2010 Big Chill festival in scenic Herefordshire and enjoy the event in style.

The Big Chill promises to be a lively and cultured festival with a diverse range of musical acts, from jazz to in addition to a programme of art, film, poetry and cabaret. There is even plenty of gourmet food to try out, making The Big Chill a well-rounded festival for the whole family.

The festival runs from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th August 2010 and the site also offers four lakes, scenic woodland and Eastnor Castle to explore.

The Big Chill Festival 2010
Eastnor Castle
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 1RL

A working museum with a unique display of engines, pumps and equipment spanning the period from the Industrial Revolution to the close of the twentieth century.

The Waterworks Museum
Broomy Hill
Hereford
HR4 0JS
Herefordshire

Telephone: 01432 344062