Set amid the rolling countryside of Much Marcle, Herefordshire, Westons Cider offers visitors the chance to step behind the scenes of one of Britain’s best-known cider makers. The approach to the premises sets the tone. Much Marcle lies among orchards, farmland and gentle green hills, with winding lanes passing hedgerows and traditional country buildings. The landscape feels inseparable from the cider made here. Rows of apple trees stretch across the surrounding countryside, their character changing with the seasons, from spring blossom to branches heavy with autumn fruit.

The Hereford Guild of Mayor’s guides participated in one of the daily tours in October; luckily, it was during the pressing season. The smell of the press is rich and unmistakable: sharp, sweet apple juice mingled with the earthy scent of crushed fruit. It hangs in the air and brings the process vividly to life. The machinery, sounds and aromas create an immediate connection between the apples grown in the surrounding orchards and the cider that eventually reaches the glass.

As the tour continued, we discovered how the juice is fermented, matured and blended. The scale of the operation is impressive, but the story remains grounded in local orchards, patient craftsmanship and generations of experience.

A tasting provided a fitting conclusion, allowing us to appreciate the different flavours and styles discussed during the tour. With the guidance of the friendly staff, each sample becomes an opportunity to notice variations in sweetness, fruitiness and depth.

A tour of Westons Cider is therefore much more than a look around a working cider mill. It is a sensory journey through Herefordshire, from the scent of freshly pressed apples to the sight of orchards across the countryside.

For more details of the dates and times of the Mill Tours –  Tour | Westons Cider