The phrase “hidden gem” can be overused, but in the case of Herefordshire in the UK, it’s entirely apt.
The cathedral city of Hereford was once an important military centre. That was a few centuries ago but, today, Herefordshire is a real leader in other ways, from innovation and championing local products to the sheer friendliness of its people.
Here are 10 reasons to put Herefordshire on your travel list.
1. Start the day in style
As you’re in England, what better way to start the day than by sampling some of the county’s best produce, including a full English breakfast, perhaps?
There are a couple of spots well worth trying, including the lovely Castle House Hotel in Hereford, whose wholesome breakfast offering is open to both guests and non-guests. It also has an interesting Benelux connection, having once been owned by Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands.
Away from the county’s main city, you’ll find the terrific, multi-award-winning Lowe Farm B&B, set in the rolling Herefordshire countryside and celebrating its 30th anniversary next year.
The place is lovingly overseen by Juliet Williams, a larger-than-life character who serves up delicious and healthy breakfasts sourced almost entirely from local products and producers.
Juliet, who is nearing 70 but remains full of energy and enthusiasm for what she does, has welcomed a staggering 27,000 guests since opening, including the Spanish ambassador to the UK and coachloads of Japanese tourists. Some 60% are repeat visitors, a clear sign of the quality of service she provides.
Juliet and her husband Clive also boast a minor Belgian connection: the best man at their wedding was from Belgium. She takes great pride in sourcing her products locally and cooking with healthy ingredients, some sourced from the same local butcher used by famous TV chef James Martin.
2. Discover Hereford’s history
2026 marks the 1,350th anniversary of the Hereford diocese and the city oozes history.
One must-visit attraction is Hereford Cathedral, dating back to Saxon times, and its Mappa Mundi, one of the world’s unique medieval treasures. Constructed on a single sheet of vellum more than 700 years ago, the map shows how the world was interpreted by scholars at the time.
Look closely and you’ll spot Ghent on the map in the Europe section, curiously located in the bottom left of the world.
Close by is the equally wonderful Chained Library, home to some 229 medieval manuscripts and more than 1,200 early printed books. It is the largest library of its kind to survive with all its chains, rods and locks intact.
The magnificent cathedral is also home to impressive architecture, a mighty Willis organ, stained glass, including a tribute to the UK’s SAS, which is based locally, and numerous works of art. It is all brought to life by a 400-strong team of volunteers who are passionate about what they do.
A short walk away is Hereford’s historic Town Hall, home to the current Lady Mayor, something of a rarity as there have only been seven women mayors in the city’s entire history.
Tours are available, offering an insight into Hereford’s rich history and a reminder that its castle was once second only in size to Windsor.
The city boasts another proud record: along with the City of London, it has never been defeated in battle.
There is also another historical connection to Belgium. In the council chamber, where the mayor presides over meetings, a framed and unusual Union Jack hangs above one of the doors, featuring a central shield with a French inscription.
The inscription reads: “Expression of our gratitude to our benefactors Mr & Mrs GB Greenland and members of the Committee – Belgian refugees in Hereford, Nov 9th 1915.”
Following the German invasion of Belgium in August 1914, roughly 250,000 Belgian refugees fled to Britain. Hereford City Council holds the distinction of being the first British city to officially step forward and offer hospitality and sanctuary to displaced Belgian families.
On 9 November 1915, Belgian refugees living in Hereford presented a silk flag to Mayor G.B. Greenland as a permanent token of friendship and “immense gratitude” for the local community’s safe housing and kindness.
Tours of the Town Hall are overseen by the entertaining Scotsman John Marshall, the Mayor’s Officer. He is responsible for looking after some serious silverware, including the 349-year-old Civic Sword, mayoral robes, including one used in Queen Victoria’s coronation, and the mayoral golden chain, which dates from the 1800s.
There’s precious little that the very likeable John doesn’t know about Hereford and its rich history. Like so many others in the county, he genuinely loves his job, so much so that he is happy to extend his planned retirement to continue doing it.
3. Meet the local artisans
Whisky production in a traditional cider county? Well, yes, and very good it is too.
At least that is the case at Rosemaund Farm Distillery, which has recently been brought back under family ownership. Described as the “largest little distillery in Herefordshire”, the site, formerly home to Chase Distillery, is a real hive of activity and has just marked its latest release, “The Director’s Cut”.
The sprawling site even boasts a touch of Hollywood glitz, as world-famous film director Guy Ritchie is involved with his Wild Kitchen/Wild Table concept, an outdoor cooking and dining experience where a full meal can be enjoyed after a tour of the impressive whisky-making operation.
Criss-crossing some of the county’s marvellous, meandering country roads leads to another laudable local artisan: Monkland Cheese Dairy.
It was run for more than three decades by Mark and Karen Hindle, who now operate the adjacent café, while former chef Dean Storey owns the dairy, makes the cheeses and runs tours.
While the French may be world-renowned for their cheeses, here’s proof, if it were needed, that the Brits can do the job just as well.
Public tours offer the chance to see up close how its delicious cheeses are made, partly using an impressive Dutch Gouda vat capable of holding 1,000 litres of cow’s milk.
4. Enjoy a spot of lunch
Back in Hereford, the county’s entrepreneurial spirit is certainly alive and kicking at The Yard, a collective of small-scale eateries.
Overseeing things are two go-ahead brothers, Edwin and Dorian Kirk, who offer vital mentoring to would-be local start-ups.
Ed says: “We help people who are just starting out to build up their own business and become owners themselves. In a way, it is all about achieving their dreams, just as me and Dorian have managed to do.”
After trekking around all morning, it’s a great place for a filling, tasty but affordable light lunch, be it pizza, a burger or steak, accompanied by one of the local ales.
As with so many places here, it is all about cutting food miles and “buying local”, with much of the food sourced directly from local producers.
If you happen to visit in late October, the space transforms for Oktoberfest, complete with Bavarian beers and music.
5. Try your hand at pottery
One of the reasons this county is described as a hidden gem is its welcoming locals, including Jon Williams and Sarah Monk, who run Eastnor Pottery.
Having met at art school in Bath, the couple moved to “idyllic” Herefordshire, where they live and work on the Eastnor Castle estate, offering enjoyable potter’s wheel experiences alongside making their own ceramics.
It’s an opportunity to get hands-on with one of the county’s creative traditions and experience another side of rural Herefordshire.
6. Explore Eastnor Castle
After having fun on the potter’s wheel, make time to admire Eastnor Castle, home of the Hervey-Bathurst family, with lavish interiors containing medieval armour, fine art and yet another reminder of Belgium.
This comes in the shape of impressive Belgian tapestries, including three from Bruges in the Staircase Hall and more in the Gothic Dining Room.
James Hervey-Bathurst, the current owner, moved here with his family in 1989, but his family have been there since 1949 and have ancestral links to the original owners going back centuries.
He recalls: “We were presented with a wonderful but daunting challenge.”
That’s a reference to the rundown state of the property, which has since been restored to its former glory.
Before leaving, take a look in the grounds at something you might not expect to see in rural England: a segment of the Berlin Wall.
James bought the three-metre-high, 2.6-tonne section last year and had it shipped to the UK. He hopes its presence, close to the deer park, reminds visitors of how conflict can divide people and communities, a message as relevant today as ever.
7. Discover more of the countryside
You need to allow time to fully experience everything this county has to offer.
Time and energy permitting, there’s plenty more to keep visitors busy, including Black Mountain Adventure near Brecon, Canwood Gallery, a contemporary art space, and the many farm shops dotted across the landscape.
These include Oakchurch, just the place to stock up on some lovely local produce before heading home.
8. Taste the local food scene
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to sampling the county’s wonderful local produce, whether in the north, south, east or west.
In the south, at Woolhope, for instance, is The Crown, a terrific pub and restaurant run by another friendly Herefordian, Annalisa Slocombe.
The recently refurbished eatery serves a mix of pub classics, including good old fish and chips, along with local beers.
Located in a tiny village of around 200 residents, the menu is constantly evolving. But, as Annalisa explains, favourites such as steak remain “to avoid a customer revolt”. From the end of this month, she hopes to have eight en-suite rooms available too.
Cricket lovers will feel at home here, with plenty of memorabilia on the walls, including a bat used at the England v New Zealand Test in 1999 and a collection of Wisden books dating back to 1988.
Another great place, this time back in Hereford, is The Beefy Boys. Hereford was the first location in what has become a fast-growing chain, with its latest restaurant scheduled to open in Cambridge later this month.
The county is renowned worldwide for the quality of its beef and that, along with great service, is one reason why the burgers here stand out. The meat is sourced from a single local farm.
The Beefy Boys story started in Hereford and the venue has expanded in recent years to accommodate up to 250 people.
Assistant General Manager Kai says: “Even midweek it’s bustling here and we’re still growing.”
Not too far away, to the east, is L’Ecole des Amis, which serves refined French cuisine in a beautifully restored old schoolhouse.
At the helm are Cedric L’Herbier, who hails from Le Touquet in France, and Bruce Havard.
Cedric, who has more than 40 years’ experience in the restaurant trade in both the UK and France, recalls how the rundown building was badly in need of “some TLC” when they acquired it.
A rapid restoration, completed in just 12 months, has resulted in a lovely, informal place to enjoy top-class cuisine that Cedric describes as “unsophisticated and unpretentious”.
They change a couple of dishes every few weeks and there is also a brasserie-style lunch menu.
On opening night, an estimated 80% of customers travelled from where Cedric previously worked in another part of the county, about 18 miles away, and he and Bruce continue to command a loyal customer base.
It is largely down to the fresh food, cooked with real care, which makes one Frenchman glad that he took the plunge for “one last adventure” in his working life.
9. Stay in the Herefordshire countryside
If you enjoy peace and quiet, with a few animals for company, Pudleston Court could be the place for you.
Nestled in 50 acres of beautiful private parkland, it’s hard to imagine you are just a few kilometres from the busy town of Leominster.
It is home to seven holiday lets, five of which are original estate buildings, formerly used for everything from housing geese to a rifle range, and all have been carefully refurbished.
One, the delightful Meadow View, is a barn conversion sleeping up to six people with its own private pool. It boasts underfloor heating, three bedrooms, a log-burning stove and a delightful terrace.
Don’t be surprised if, on arrival, you are greeted by some curious “locals”: peacocks roam freely around the estate, while charming young alpacas can be found in a nearby field.
There is also another connection to the Heijn family, who formerly owned the property. The current owner is a Swiss woman who fell in love with it after reading an article about it in Country Life magazine.
She had always dreamed of owning her own English castle and this was her chance to do just that.
She has overseen a careful restoration that is still ongoing, with future plans including expansion into the corporate market through company stays, board meetings and training days.
Approached via those unique meandering roads, where the only hold-up is likely to be cattle crossing, this is a genuine oasis of peace and tranquillity in an increasingly hectic world.
And there’s yet another Belgian connection: Rhi Baines, the Chief Operating Officer, has fond memories of Belgium after celebrating her 21st birthday in Brussels.
10. Enjoy a road trip from mainland Europe
It could hardly be easier for people travelling by car from mainland Europe, including Belgium. Once off the ferry or shuttle, motorways cover much of the journey to Herefordshire.
After navigating the M25 around London, travellers can continue via the M40 and Gloucester or the M40 and Worcester.
There are no motorways in Herefordshire itself, however, so allow a little extra time for getting around.
It all adds up to a great getaway, whatever the time of year. Pay a visit and it’s easy to see why this pretty part of England is described as a “hidden gem”.
One excellent way of finding out more about this creative county is through Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, a leading independent destination marketing company.
It supports Herefordshire’s food and drink businesses, accommodation providers, activities, leisure venues and events, while also promoting the county’s craftspeople, creatives and artisans.
