Autumn is a spectacular time to visit Herefordshire with lots of activities for all the family to enjoy.

Here is a look at some things to do during the season in the county, courtesy of tourism website Visit Herefordshire.

  • Autumn Walking

Ross-on-Wye Walking Festival is on over this weekend.

It features 24 guided walks that vary in length and difficulty so that they can be enjoyed by the widest of audiences, with all of them led by experienced local leaders.

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They range from fossil hunting to Wye Valley geology; steam trains to sculptures; flowers, orchards and water meadows; WW2 secrets and other hidden histories; and even an early morning riverside stroll to identify birds by sound and sight.

For an unplanned stroll, wooded areas such as Queenswood, near Leominster, and Haugh Woods, near Hereford, look spectacular at this time of year when the colours of the leaves start to change.

Autumn events including AppleFest and the Big Apple

A new festival to celebrate the 2022 apple harvest, AppleFest, takes place in the City of Hereford from October 1 until October 15.

Activities include live music, children’s activities, themed trails, guest speakers, visits with local artisan cider and apple juice producers, feasts and tastings.

Bookended by activities for all ages in the city’s High Town on October 1 and at Hereford’s Museum of Cider on October 15, the fortnight sees the internationally renowned Big Apple harvest festival taking place in Much Marcle near Ledbury, coupled with the inaugural Hereford AppleFest Banquet on Saturday October 8.

On the final weekend TV’s "Ciderologist", Gabe Cook is hosting two cider maker tours covering the north and the south/east corners of Herefordshire.

Other autumn events including hop garland and wreath making, pumpkin picking, wine tours and cheese making.

Cider Circuits – self guided cycling or driving cider tails

Exploring the spiritual home of cider and perry on two wheels is easy with Visit Herefordshire’s three mapped out Cider Circuits which can be enjoyed by bike or car.

The Newton Wonder runs through the north of the county taking in an undulating swathe of orchards studded with the ‘Black and White Villages’.

The Red Streak takes in the ancient apple and pear orchards of southern Herefordshire, some of them well over two centuries old while Porter’s Perfection, the west Circuit, is a rewarding 48.5mile double loop from Dorstone which takes in craft cider makers and historic pubs.

Cider sleepovers – sleep at the heart of the orchards

For those who fancy sleeping in the orchard of one of Herefordshire’s cider makers there are barns, cabins, converted railway carriages and yurts to choose from.

Sleep above a famous cider pub after a cider flight with your dinner at The Crown Inn at Woolhope or take a room at Michelin starred Penson’s where they produce their own cider with local makers Little Pomona.

Ancient and Fiery Trees – Croft Castle and Hergest Croft Gardens

For a fiery blaze of autumn head to the National Collection of Maples at Hergest Croft Gardens near Kington.

The Maple Grove, which has been created over 120 years by four generations of the Banks family, features many maples which cannot be found anywhere else in the UK.

The 70 acre gardens is located just below Hergest Ridge near Kington.

There’s a cafe for a locally sourced lunch and the annual Autumn Fair on October 16 is highly recommended for fans of unusual plants and crafts.

Also, on October 16 and just up the road at the National Trust’s Croft Castle there is the chance to join a ranger for an autumn ancient tree walk or take the kids to its amazing woodland playground or to hunt conkers and kick up leaves.