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11<br />
I would organise them a guided walk<br />
around Hereford city with a member of<br />
the local Guild of Guides – that’s<br />
fascinating, you really must do it!<br />
Hampton Court Castle and Eastnor<br />
Castle are musts too.<br />
What if the friends had children with them?<br />
Where would you go locally to “blow the<br />
cobwebs away”?<br />
I love nature so I would go for a walk<br />
at Queenswood Country Park, Haugh<br />
Woods, by the river at Caplor or on Lugg<br />
Meadows, to see the wildlife.<br />
What leisure pursuits do you enjoy?<br />
I like doing anything that’s arty or<br />
crafty really - like going on a breadmaking<br />
course at Peter Cooks Bread<br />
or making pottery at Eastnor Pottery.<br />
There’s such a wealth of artisans around<br />
the county to inspire my creativity. I am<br />
also lucky that my work enables me to<br />
experience many of the leisure activities<br />
the county has to offer. I’ve just had a<br />
fabulous day in the Golden Valley where<br />
I went laser shooting in the morning at<br />
Laser Clayz, Ewyas Harold; then I went<br />
tasting ice cream at Rowlestone Court<br />
Farm and I spent the afternoon llama<br />
trekking with Golden Valley Llamas.<br />
If you were going to splash out on a smart<br />
new outfit, where would shop for it?<br />
I’d head for Church Street in Hereford.<br />
Where would you shop for a dinner party?<br />
Oakchurch Farm Shop – they have<br />
meat and a great range of vegetables<br />
there and everything I would need.<br />
Where do you shop for day-to-day groceries?<br />
I generally shop wherever I happen<br />
to be in the county on business – so if I<br />
am in Bromyard I make sure to call in at<br />
Legges and I often stop at The Nest for<br />
bread and other provisions on my way<br />
back and forth on the A438. You can’t get<br />
meat there, so for that I go to Neil Powell<br />
in Hereford.<br />
What’s the social life like in Bartestree –<br />
what’s the most fun you have had at a local<br />
event?<br />
We tend to make our own social life,<br />
like going to and hosting dinner parties.<br />
But we always enjoy the annual Bartestree<br />
Beer and Cider Festival – it’s handy that<br />
we can walk there from our house!<br />
Tell me about your last ‘great day out’ in<br />
the area…<br />
That would be a visit to Kentchurch<br />
Court with a group of Japanese visitors.<br />
The deer from the deer park came right<br />
up close to the gardens where we were –<br />
it was amazing.<br />
How would you advise someone new into the<br />
area to get to know the locals?<br />
Go to your local pub, get a dog – dog<br />
walkers often stop for a chat – or join a<br />
volunteer group.<br />
In what ways are you involved in your local<br />
community?<br />
I am a Vice President for the British<br />
Red Cross in Herefordshire, Shropshire<br />
and Worcestershire and, of course, I<br />
run Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire, the<br />
independent tourism company that<br />
promotes and celebrates the county. I<br />
am really excited that we have just heard<br />
we are Midlands regional finalists in the<br />
Countryside Alliance awards for Best<br />
Rural Enterprise!<br />
If adult friends were staying with you for a<br />
week, where would you take them to visit?<br />
I’d take them to Hereford Cathedral,<br />
because it is so significant to the city, the<br />
community, the county and the world!<br />
Hereford Waterworks Museum –<br />
when it is in steam it is quite spectacular.<br />
There’s also a really great educational and<br />
interactive heritage water park there. I’d<br />
also definitely take them llama trekking<br />
and we’d have a nice easy walk down by<br />
the River Wye in Hereford’s King George<br />
V Playing Fields, where there’s a play area<br />
and a labyrinth. I might also take them<br />
to Oakerwood, where there are acres of<br />
outdoor activities.<br />
What’s the most exciting initiative that’s<br />
about to happen in the area?<br />
Personally, I am really excited that<br />
this spring ESL Herefordshire will be<br />
launching the West Midlands Pass, a<br />
destination pass which will enable<br />
families to get out and about in the area<br />
and to enjoy discounts on attractions,<br />
activities, restaurants and accommodation.<br />
There will soon be a website with more<br />
details at westmidlandspass.com.<br />
Tell me one fascinating fact about<br />
Herefordshire that you don’t think is<br />
generally widely known.<br />
I’m fascinated by the local tales of<br />
mythical creatures – the Dragon of<br />
Mordiford; the black dog of Hergest<br />
Court; there’s even a Beast of Bartestree<br />
– periodic sightings of a large black<br />
panther-like creature that roams the woods<br />
and farmland of the village to this day.<br />
Facts and Figures<br />
For more information about this beautiful county visit: www.eatsleepliveherefordshire.co.uk/about-herefordshire/<br />
Photos by Eat Sleep Live Herefordshire and Gabriella Karney Photography www.capturedbygabi.com.<br />
Eastnor Castle courtesy of Eastnor Castle. Eastnor Pottery courtesy of Eastnor Pottery.<br />
Sharon Chilcott
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