THE pandemic has put paid to a uniquely English tradition to 'awaken' the county's apple trees this year.
Here, we have put together a selection of wassail pictures from years gone-by to mark the occasion.
An eerie sight for those unfamiliar with the tradition, wassailing is held on the Twelfth Night after Christmas, with wassailers, morris dancers, and mummers taking to Herefordshire's orchards to awaken the apple trees from their winter slumber and ward off bad spirits.
And the tradition is not just carried out in the Herefordshire countryside, but also in the city.
In 2019, more than 70 people came together in Hunderton to "wake the apple trees and drive away evil spirits."
Accompanied by musician Aidan Sheehan, the Cacophany Choir and a traditional Mari Lwyd Horse from Brecon, a colourful procession made their way along Cagebrook Avenue to the decorated garden, guided by children with their handmade lanterns.
Led by the 'butler' dressed in rags and a top hat, the garden's Herefordshire Russet was sprinkled with cider to ensure a good crop of apples in the autumn, at the Hunderton Community Gardens Association's first wassail.
But this year, the coronavirus lockdown means the usual crowds were unable to perform the annual ceremony, which differs from town to village in ciderproducing counties.
In Herefordshire it involves placing a cider-soaked piece of toast on the branches of an apple tree and sprinkling cider around its roots, before lighting torches, dancing and singing the Wassail Song to ensure there is a good crop of cider apples for the year ahead.
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