|
|
|
|
Lots of lovely things to doWalking - There are several local walking festivals. From the cottage itself, there is a wonderful network of walks and bridleways. The line of Offa's Dyke (796 A.D.) passes within about 200 yards of The Crossing Cottage and remains are visible on Rushock Common, among other places. There are many scenic walks in the Kington area and there is a walking festival annually in September which includes guided walks. The section from Rhos-y-Meirch (2 miles south of Knighton) northwards is excellent for walking. (Strip maps from the Offa's Dyke Association, West Street, Knighton, Powys. LD7 1EN.) Mortimers Trail is also very close and is much shorter (30 miles). Glyndwr's Way National Trail starts in Knighton. There are also beautiful walks at Elan Valley near Rhayader, Powys (20 miles from the cottage).
Sections of the disused railway lines can be walked as can the disused tramway (c.1820-1860), which runs opposite The Cottage, but rights of way do not always apply. Kington has many interesting alleys between the shops and houses, some of which lead down to the river. The Kington tourist office has various walking leaflets. 18 walks are described on sheets in the Instructions file at The Cottage and routes may be selected from the ½", 2", 6" and 25" to the mile maps in the bookshelves. Golf - The 18 hole course on the top of Bradnor Hill, above Kington, is the highest in Britain (1,200 feet) and has superb views. Cycling - There are numerous excellent cycle routes around the area, for example, around Staunton on Arrow or Gladestry. Bicycles may be hired from Drover Holidays in Hay - who will deliver the bikes to you! You can also cycle into Wales and enjoy great views. Electric bicycles can be hired from The Tours de Presteigne (Tel: 01544 267 163) Horse Riding - Riding and or pony trekking facilities are available at Norton (2 miles North of Presteigne), Pembridge and Hamnish (on the Worcester road, out of Leominster). Bryngwynn Riding Stables and Underhill Stables have been enjoyed by past guests Horse Racing - Ludlow and Hereford have race-courses. Kington's race track on the top of Hergest Ridge has not been used since about 1900. Painting - The Stable Studio in Kington runs drawing and painting courses. Fishing - The Wye & Usk Foundation (tel: 01874 712 074, or [email protected]) offers beat fishing which you can rent by the day. Download their brochure with places to fish here, or search their website here - search on Wye-Arrow, Wye-Lugg, Wye-Main River, or wildstreams which will help you find the nicest spots near to here. The book Fly-fishing The Welsh Borderlands by Roger Smith, is also a wonderful thing to read to find nice places to fish. Note you will need 1) a permit from The Wye and Usk Foundation, and 2) a licence from the Environment Agency which you can get via the Wye and Usk Foundation, any post office or here. We'd suggest contacting the Wye and Usk Foundation directly first as they will help arrange it all for you (tel : 01874 712 074, or [email protected], Mon-Fri, 9-5pm). NOTE : there is strictly no fishing at the Cottage itself. Gardens - The grounds of Hergest Croft (in Kington, tel 01544 230160, postcode LD8 2PD), include a very fine arboretum which is open to the public in the Spring. It houses the National Rhododendron Collection and azaleas and magnolias - The NGS gardens at Broadheath House near Presteigne - Stocktonbury Gardens with its lovely restaurant (11am to 4.30pm) near Leominster - Hampton Court & Gardens near Leominster - Westonbury Mill Water Gardens near Pembridge - Welsh Lavender (tel: 01982 552467, postcode LD2 3HU) is a lovely 40 minute drive into the Welsh hills, to find a hillside haven growing lavender, and selling their Welsh lavender products. You can walk around the farm, and If you call or email in advance, they offer group talks and tours, including refreshments. Site-seeing ◦ You could join one of the tours led by The Rural Concierge ◦ The grounds of Hergest Croft (the other side of Kington), include a very fine arboretum which is open to the public in the Spring. It houses the National Rhododendron Collection and azaleas and magnolias ◦ The Judges Lodgings Museum in Presteigne has been voted 'Britains Local Museum of the Year' - and is well worth a visit. ◦ The Small Breeds farm with donkeys, owls, goats, rabbits and pigs is very popular with children ◦ The Spaceguard Centre and Observatory near Knighton provides education about the threat of asteroid and comet impacts, and the ways in which we can predict and deal with them. ◦ Kington Museum is well worth a visit and you can get a good cup of tea and a cake next door! ◦ St. Andrews Church, Presteigne, has a carillon dated 1726, with a wooden mechanism. ◦ Pembridge Church has a very old bell tower, constructed in the same way as the Scandinavian Stave churches. Pembridge is a very pretty village which The village pre-dates the Domesday book. A community has existed at this place for over 1000 years. ◦ Lyonshall Castle ruin, which is on private land, can be seen from the churchyard. There is a nice public footpath which passes Castle Weir Farm close to the castle where some of the original moat can be seen. ◦ Westonbury Mill water gardens on the road to Pembridge has pretty gardens and a cafe - it isn’t open in the winter. ◦ Hampton Court Castle near Leominster has spectacular gardens (and a very nice tea room). ◦ Hereford is a Cathedral city, with a riverside walk and a number of small parks. The Cathedral has a chained library and a map of the world (Mappa Mundi) dated 1290 A.D. ◦ Trust List of Properties and Pevsner's book on the architecture of the area, which are in The Cottage bookshelves. The Cyclists' Touring Club, also publish a list, of which a copy is in the Instruction folder. ◦ Other places worth a visit are listed in Homes and Gardens Open to the Public, The National ◦ The Herefordshire web site has a lot of different options for places to visit. ◦ The properties of the National Trust at Berrington Hall and Croft Castle are spectacular and have lovely tea rooms in the summer. Cwmmau farmhouse, near Kington, is open a few weekends in the year. Museums - There are excellent, intriguing museums with wonderful local stories in Kington, Presteigne, Builth Wells, Hereford, Clun and Ludlow. In Llandrindod there is the National Cycle Museum History - The Radnorshire Society & Kington History Society Kington History Society have periodic meetings, and the papers of the latter are in the bookshelves at the Cottage. Archaeology - The remains of ancient camps may be found on the tops of several nearby hills; one of the largest being Caer Caradoc, 3 miles north-east of Knighton. Bookshop visiting - the area is full of fabulous bookshops. In Brampton Bryan there is Aardvark Books, in Leominster there is a St Michael's Hospice Bookshop, full of treasures, in Hay there are myriad bookshops. Painting - The Stable Studio in Kington runs drawing and painting courses. The views from The Hymns & barns are beautiful and provide much material for the amateur and the established artist. Our artists in residence have been many and varied. You can see their work here. If you have painted here too - do share a photo of your work with us if you would like. Artists & crafts - can be found in the places to visit section above - the following are some of the local artists who may be open by appointment, and are generally open during Herefordshire Art Week (H.Art) in September each year. In nearby Evenjobb : Jane Keay paintings & prints, in Kington : James Burnett-Stuart pottery, Frostfire Pottery, Angela Soulier silver jewellery and ornaments, Leg of Mutton Ceramics, Peter Horrocks paintings, near Presteigne The Sidney Nolan Trust, in Pembridge : The Old Chapel Gallery Decorating Pottery - at Manic Ceramics in Hereford Industrial Archaeology - The remains of the railway station, iron foundry, water pumping station and stone water tower may be seen in Kington. At Bullock's Mill the remains of a lime kiln are visible on the bank to the south of The Cottage, but the site of the saw pit was covered when the Mill Barn was converted. The water mill at Mortimers Cross is open to the public on summer afternoons (with a video of the battle) Steam Railways - The least distant narrow gauge railways are at Devil's Bridge (50 miles), near Aberystwyth, and at Towyn. Alternative Technology - The Centre for Alternative Technology is at Machynlleth, Powys (60 miles). Pubs, Eating Out and Tea rooms - One may eat out or have a pint in Kington at the Tavern (Camra rated), Royal Oak in Gladestry, Stagg Inn in Titley, Knighton, Ludlow, Weobley, Old Radnor, New Radnor, Presteigne (once the smallest Assize town in Britain), Pembridge, Fownhope, Bromyard, Leominster etc. The Olde Tavern in Kington is an interesting pub (it is a listed building) - no food is served. The Bulls Head at Craswall is worth a visit after walking Hay Bluff. There are good tea rooms in Kington (Border Bean Cafe and Hergest Croft), Marstons Farm shop near Pembridge, Hampton Court, Eardisley and Eardisland. There is a local wine merchant (tel: 01544 230 534) who offers a good selection of fine wines. Lots of other good places to eat and drink can be found here Hampton Court, Eardisley and Eardisland. Others places to eat if you are out and about on day trips, include : - Local (2 to 10 miles) The Lion, Kington 01544 231002, The New Inn, Pembridge 01544 388427, The Cider Barn, Pembridge 01544 388161, Red Lion, Pembridge 01544 388007, Wild Thyme, Presteigne, Jules, Weobley 01544 318 206, The Riverside Inn, Aymestry 01568 708440, The Angel, Kingsland 01568 709195, The Tram, Eardisley 01544 327251 - Builth Wells (16 miles) The Drawing Room 01982 552493 - Ludlow (17 miles) La Bécasse (formerly Hibiscus) 01584 872325, Ludlow Kitchen 01584 856 020, Mr Underhills (Michelin star) 01584 874431, Bistro 7 of Ludlow 01584 877412, Pizza Ten 01584 879 450 - Hereford & surrounding area (18-25 miles) Castle House Hotel 01432 356321, La Madeleine 01432 265233, The Crown Inn at Woolhope 01432 860 468, The Green Man, Fownhope 01432 860243, Verzon House, Ledbury 01531 670381 - Hay on Wye & Surrounding Area (10-20 miles) The Boat Inn, Whitney on Wye 01497 83122, The River Cafe, Glasbury 01497 847007, The Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley 01981 510646, Three Tuns 01497 821855, The Granary 01497 820 790, The Old Black Lion 0844 288 0711, Kilvert's Inn 01497 821042, Llangoed Hall 01874 754525, the Griffin Felin Fach 01874 620111 - Abergavenny (30 miles) The Walnut Tree Inn (Michelin star) 01873 852797, The Hardwick 01873 854220, The Crown Pantygelli 01873 853314 Lots of other good places to eat and drink can be found here Food shopping - The Women's Institute Market in Bridge Street, Kington is on Friday. (10:00-Noon). There are wonderful farmers markets in Presteigne (first Saturday of the month, 9am-1pm) and in Knighton (2nd & 4th Saturday of the month, 9am-1pm) There are lovely local shops on the high streets in the pretty market towns of Kington & Presteigne. You can order in advance : meat (Mr Lewis Butchers 01544 230 527, 49-50 High Street, Kington), green grocery (Mr Peek, The Grapevine 01544 231 202, 31 High Street, or Morgans (flowers too) 01544 230 324, 47 High Street), cheese, bread, deli items (Number 25 Deli, 25 The High Street 01544 230330) And some charming antique and second hand shops. You can buy cider and perry from Dunkertons in Pembridge, or from Ralph’s Cider which is on the road from Kinnerton to New Radnor. Eggs are sold from the roadside between Kinnerton and New Radnor. A great tray of all types of eggs including duck eggs, bantom etc etc. There are wonderful farmshops in Pembridge (Townsends) and there's a lovely deli in the pub (The Bells Inn) in Almeley At the Cottage Cards,Dominoes,Chess and Draughts - Playing cards and a set of dominoes are in the side table drawer in the sitting-room and there is also a chess and draughts set in the trunk in the attic. Music - You are welcome to use the pianola in the sitting-room. Reading - Books concerning Herefordshire, and a selection of classics, are on the bookshelves. Nearby Hay on Wye is a centre for second hand books. There are also magazines and information from the Herefordshire Nature Trust. TV - There is no television at the cottage WIFI - There is complimentary wifi Litter picking - We are major supporters of the DIY sport of litter picking our countryside. Feel free to join in by taking one of our litter pickers for a walk with you (take a carrier bag too!) and seeing what litter bits you can pick up. The grab sticks are hooked up, waiting for your litter picking competition, in the bin store by the porch. Plastic is the biggest danger to our countryside, wildlife and, importantly, our rivers and fish, so if you're prioritising your impact, come back with all the bits of plastic you see. We, your fellow guests and future generations will be grateful to you. Thank you Local Events and Shows Music, Concerts, Arts & Walking Festivals - The Summer is a good time for festivals. In the Winter evenings, concerts are periodically held at New Radnor in the Village Hall Shows & Festivals - The magazine and website Broad Sheep lists many local concerts, courses and events, including Flics in the Sticks . You can find the magazine in most pubs & cafe's locally. - Click here for a list of most of the wonderful festivals in the area by month, so you can see which co-incide with your stay. The ones marked with an asterisk are nearby (within 10 to 25 mins drive) Kington has a site with whats on information which also has good information. In the Winter evenings, concerts are periodically held at New Radnor in the Village Hall Films - Presteigne Screen shows some wonderful films through the autumn & spring seasons. Other Local Events - there are lots of talks & concerts locally. In New Radnor they are often listed on the New Radnor community website here : concerts & gardening talks . On the first Thursday of every month there is a talk at 8pm in the Village Hall in Kinnerton (20 minute walk up the lane to the north). Talks are usually advertised at the end of the lane by the A44 on a blackboard. In Kington they are often listed on the Kington website or on Kington blackboard(everything from salsa to belly dancing classes to …) and in Presteigne Presteigne website .Details of events in the Assembly Rooms in Presteigne can be found on the Mid Border Artswebsite For local news and details of current events, see the following weekly papers : - Hereford Times : Holmer Road, Hereford, HR4 9UJ Brecon & Radnor Express : 11 The Bulwark, Brecon, LD3 7AE Mid Wales Journal : Chronicle House, Shrewsbury, SY Also see the monthly ‘Broad Sheep’ magazine which you will find in the tourist office and some pubs! Worship - There are C of E churches in Kington, Lyonshall, Shobdon, Kingsland etc. and a small Roman Catholic Chapel in Kington (Church Street). The Cathedral in Hereford has wonderful services. Tourist Information - A brief summary of the area is given inside the cover of Bartholomew's 1:100,000 Map No. 18, which is no longer in print, but further information may be obtained from Tourist Information Offices in Kington, Knighton, Hay, Hereford, Leominster etc. |
|