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Maintained by JTID © Marches Tours & Talks |
Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras
Audio Car Tours
Herefordshire’s
Hidden Extras – Looking for ideas for a day out?
An innovative and award-winning product is available for visitors in Herefordshire to use in their own cars. Called ‘Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras’, it is a series of five circular Audio Car Tours on CD or tape - each designed to offer a full day out.
The series is aimed at people who have arrived in Herefordshire by car, and would like to know more about the area, but who are not in a position to hire a private guide. The information you hear on the audio track combines the knowledge of local tour guides and local specialists, and aims to help visitors get off the beaten track.
Clear and detailed directions are given on the tape/CD. In addition, each tour pack comes complete with a MAP of the route, as well as a ‘By the Way’ information sheet giving details of nearby facilities and attractions.
Marches Tours & Talks – a small association of tour guides - has produced them, with funding from Tourism Enterprise and facilities support from BBC Hereford & Worcester.
Tapes/CDs are on sale directly from Marches Tours & Talks at £4.99
plus p&p. Locally, they can be purchased from Tourist Information
Centres and some accommodation providers.
email info@marchestourstalks.co.uk
You can listen to extracts from each tour by cliicking on the download links below:
The
Golden Valley & Beyond
This is the first in the series of Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras audio car tours, and takes the visitor through 45 miles of the beautiful Golden Valley and out to the the very edge of the Black Mountains near the Offa’s Dyke Path. Call in at Longtown Castle and then go on to the little border town of Hay on Wye, where you can browse in some of the 40 bookshops. Follow the route past Arthur’s Stone, and visit remote churches like the 12th. century Dore Abbey.
Download audio samples from the Golden Valley & Beyond:
Introduction | Longtown
Castle | Hay on Wye
| Arthurs Stone
The
Black & White Villages
This audio car tour, the second in the Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras series, follows the well-known Black & White Trail through north Herefordshire. The 45 mile route will take you through several of our picturesque, half-timbered villages including Weobley, Pembridge and Eardisland, as well as directing you to see the unique Romanesque font at Eardisley. Stop for a wander in the little border market town of Kington. Follow the route back to Leominster and take a look at the elaborate black and white market hall called the Grange and browse in the antique shops. On the way you can listen to local experts who tell you how the half-timbered buildings were constructed, as well as how modern companies still build with the same green oak.
Download audio samples from the Black & White Villages
Leominster | Weobley
| Eardisland
Mortimer
Country
You can now fit an English Civil War heroine into your car along with several modern-day residents of the area of north-west Herefordshire known as `Mortimer Country' - and it won't be a squeeze at all. This is the third in the series of Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras audio car tours. The 45-mile circular route begins and ends in Ludlow with its Norman Castle, and also takes in the Welsh border town of Presteigne, with its famous Judges Lodging Museum. The tour takes you to villages such as Wigmore with its castle ruins, Leintwardine on Watling Street and to Shobdon, with its Strawberry Hill Gothic church and the Romanesque Shobdon Arches.
We introduce you to current residents as well as some of the historical characters who played an important part in shaping the area. For instance Lady Brilliana Harley, who defended Brampton Bryan against the Royalists in the 17th Century, is just one of the people you will hear, and we tell you about the huge yew hedge around the churchyard.
See also website at www.mortimercountry.co.uk
Download audio samples from Mortimer Country
Downton | Aymestrey
to Wigmore | Whitcliffe
Common
Ledbury
& Bromyard
‘Booze and views’ is the unofficial title for the fourth audio car tour in the Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras series, designed to lead independent visitors and locals alike through the delights of east Herefordshire. The circular tour, which is just over fifty miles long, covers such topics as cider and wine production and divulges curious facts about hops as it guides you through some spectacular scenery. You are introduced to knight in Much Cowarne whose wife literally gave her hand in marriage and will discover the extraordinary link between Herefordshire and the Salt Lake Valley in Utah at Benbow Pool in Castle Frome.
The route includes the market town of Ledbury, with its cobbled street and half-timbered Market House, and ancient Bromyard, close to the Downs where you can walk and picnic. The route takes you through little villages such as Much Marcle, where you find Westons Cider Visitor Centre and Hellens, through Ashperton and then eventually to Stoke Lacy with its links to the Morgan Car Company and on to Bishops Frome with the Frome Valley Vineyard and Bosbury with its detached church tower and Templar history.
Download audio samples from Ledbury & Bromyard
The Wonder & Putley Common
| Much Cowarne Church
| Benbow Pool
Ross-on-Wye
& Beyond
This is the final audio car tour in the Herefordshire’s Hidden Extras series. The circular route takes you for 47 miles through the stunning scenery of the Lower Wye and Monnow Valleys. You are guided to Goodrich Castle, then up to Symonds Yat East to Yat Rock where you can look down the River Wye running through its deep gorge. From there you can discover the delights of the edge of the Forest of Dean and look down at Monmouth from the Kymin. Follow the route to the ruins of Skenfrith castle, and discover the remote church at Garway with its Templar foundations. Pass the only church in the country to be dedicated to St. Weonard, and discover the delights of Hentland and Hoarwithy with its Italianate church above the River Wye. Follow the river back to Ross-on-Wye where you can look down from the Prospect at the famous horse-shoe bend.
Download audio samples from Ross-on-Wye & Beyond
Ross-on-Wye | Hentland
| Monmouth
