From Viking games to cider farms, a staycation in Herefordshire is perfect for all ages

The Sun

17-05-2025

I'M suddenly nervous. 'Is this definitely safe?' I stutter, as I grip the axe behind my head, before flinging it through the air.
When it digs into the wooden target board, the fear is replaced by exhilaration, plus stomach muscles I didn't know I had.
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It's going to hurt tomorrow, but right now I'm embracing the Viking Games and Battlelands offerings.
My 15-year-old daughter Freya and I spend the next hour hurling axes in the Herefordshire countryside, £20 per person, to the delight of her younger brothers who are busy totting up how many years they have to wait until they can join in.
Next, owner Kevin leads us on a timber trail of Nordic games for the whole family, explaining the history, play and rules, while keeping the score and, all-importantly, the peace.
It helps that we each have our own wins during the hour's session.
Nine-year-old Nate's a cool aim at Finnish skittles, Freya and I nail the bullrings, my husband Marko steals the show in Viking chess game Kubb, and even Dylan, four, is beyond thrilled when he manages to hook the bolas – two balls on a string – on the top rung of the stige ladder.
Nordic game sessions cost £10 per person, free for under-eights (Thevikinggames.co.uk).
Don't Stop Me Now!
After a 40-minute drive through lush countryside, we arrive at historic Penrhos Court, our base for the trip, close to the market town of Kington.
Owner Mark is soon regaling us with its colourful history – the kids' interest is piqued by a murder in the 1500s, while we're captivated by rock 'n' roll tales of Queen rehearsing Bohemian Rhapsody in the '70s and musician Mike Oldfield playing guitar by the fireplace.
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Monty Python's Terry Jones also launched one of the first microbreweries in the old cattle byre, which is now restored into a medieval-style pub called The Python's Arms, with dried hops hanging from the ceiling, oil burners on the tables and nods to its history all around.
Next door, The Cattle Shed's timber-beamed roof, flagstone flooring and inglenook fireplace makes for a romantic restaurant come evening but during the day we tuck into brioche burgers with bacon, cheese, onion rings and cornichon relish, plus real-ale-battered basa, £13.50 each, and sausage and chips for the kids, £6.50.
The curse of the Herefordshire Hoard - £12m of Viking gold
Just across the way, the Threshing Barn is home to seven self-catering cottages.
Ours is No.7, with three en-suite bedrooms – a mix of super-king, king and two singles – as well as a large upstairs living area serving up pretty countryside vistas.
The space is beautifully layered with panelling and murals, reclaimed furniture and floorboards, jute rugs, industrial bare-bulb lighting and warm, neutral tones.
The high life
The next day, we stop by Oakchurch Farm Shop to pick up hearty pork pies, £5.75, and giant Scotch eggs, £2.99, for our walk to Hergest Ridge (Oakchurch.net).
Heading on foot along Offa's Dyke Path, the start is steep, but it soon plateaus to reveal incredible views across Wales' Black Mountains and Herefordshire's Malvern Hills.
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Dylan runs along a hoof trail trying to spot the wild ponies, before we reach a circular gathering of tall monkey-puzzle trees, which make for a magical picnic spot.
Back down in Kington, we reward ourselves with home-made brownies and zingy lemon drizzle, £3.50 each, plus coffee at homely Border Bean (@Borderbeankington) before delving into a treasure trove of gifts at Bopsoms Emporium.
Dylan didn't get to spy the wild ponies on the ridge, but stroking a miniature horse at the nearby Small Breeds Farm Park makes up for it.
Here, there are rabbits and guinea pigs to cuddle, as well as sheep, alpacas, micro pigs and goats with their kids in tow.
Our highlight is the 33 species of owl – Nate's overjoyed to find a Hedwig lookalike and Dylan's pretty sure the tawny he's spotted is Old Mr Brown. Entry costs £13 for adults, £9 for over-twos (Owlcentre.com).
Herefordshire is famous for cider, so another afternoon we join a tour through Newton Court's orchard, learning how the apples are picked, squeezed, fermented and filtered before we sample the goods, from the light, refreshing Little Owl to the amber-hued Gasping Goose.
My fave is the River Cottage Elderflower Cider, a collab with celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Cider tours cost from £25 per adult, £15 per child, including a cider or apple juice tasting and a ploughman's lunch (Newtoncourtcider.com).
Story time
A half-hour drive into Hereford city centre, we visit the Cathedral's Chained Library – the largest of its kind in the world, with chains linking around 1,500 books, including 227 handwritten manuscripts.
There's also the Mappa Mundi here, one of the earliest – and the biggest – complete world maps from medieval times and we marvel over the ancient illustrations. Entry is £7.50 for over-16s, £2 for over-eights (Themappamundi.co.uk).
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We stop at arty restaurant The Bookshop, where brunch – served until 3pm most days – is a must.
I'm not usually a black-pudding fan, but delicately crumbled over hollandaise-drenched poached eggs with bubble and squeak, £11, it's a game-changer, and a breakfast martini, £9, seals the deal.
Meanwhile, Marko wolfs down grass-fed rump steak, fried eggs and skin-on chips, £18.50, and the kids tuck into buttermilk pancakes with smoked bacon and maple syrup, £9.50 (Thebookshophereford.com).
Continuing the theme, Hay-on-Wye – much-loved for its bookshops – is less than half-an-hour from Penhros.
We explore all three floors of Richard Booth's Bookshop (Boothbooks.co.uk), before stopping at The Old Electric Shop for delicious pistachio and raspberry cake, £4, locally roasted Coleman Coffee, and a rifle through its curated books, gifts and homeware (Oldelectric.co.uk).
It's the last of many stories we've picked up in Herefordshire, and as we head home, we're already planning the sequel…