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The event, organised by the Common Ground organisation, has been running since 1990 and sees apple-related events and celebrations taking place across the country. But they took their inspiration from what was already happening in Much Marcle . . .

Leading a farm walk around Awnells, in preparation for the Big Apple are (from left): Tony Norman, chairman of the Herefordshire Support Group, Countryside Restoration Trust, Brian Butcher, volunteer, with the Awnells Group, Donald Davies, Awnells Group volunteer, Jackie Denman, John Buttery, Awnells Group volunteer, Liz Freeman, of the Countryside Restoration Trust, and James Crowden, the 'cider poet' whose poetry reading/story telling session at Hellens is on October 14.

IF you want to get to the core of Herefordshire's cider industry, where else would you go to but The Big Apple?

Not New York, that is, but the group of seven parishes around the Marcle Ridge which stage the Big Apple weekend every year, celebrating the area's rich tradition of apple growing and cider making.

The weekend of October 14 and 15 has been set aside for a host of walks, cider tastings, cider sales, apple tastings, apple teas, talks and much much more.

Although you can find the weekend listed as part of National Apple Day events nationwide, Herefordshire's festival pre-dates it by a good 12 months, as Jackie Denman is quick to point out.

"National Apple day was a sort of model on what we were doing," maintains the secretary of the Big Apple Association. "It was 1989 - British Food and Farming Year - I was looking around at what was happening for that. It was all very dominated by big corporate interests and didn't quite match with the sort of farming that was going on around me,"

Not a farmer herself - more an observer of farmers - she says, it occurred to her that there were lots of small and informal, very interesting sorts of things happening in the area, to do with apples, orchards and cider, which could be moulded together to make something quite special.

"So that's what we did. We started talking to people locally about what they could do and it went from there," she adds.

In 1990 Common Ground launched National Apple Day in Covent Garden - meanwhile in Herefordshire, The Big Apple organisers put their event forward for - and gained fourth prize in the European Tourism and Environment Prize.

"Until then it had been very informal, but once we got this award we set the whole thing up formally, were committed to doing it and have done it ever since, remaining true to apples and cider" Jackie explains.

There are now two events a year: In blossom time cider tastings are held, based on the ciders made the previous autumn, and then the autumn event itself.

Although it's based in Much Marcle, events are taking place across the area, such as cider making, orchard walks, apple displays, apple tastings, apple teas and all things apple-related.

And, despite its success, attracting not just locals and county folk but visitors from across the country, the festival has remained true to its - well roots, deliberately sticking with cider apples.

"In the particular parishes where we are cider apples are very strongly represented," Jackie insists.

"It's a very big fruit growing area with quite a cluster of cider makers as well as dessert and culinary fruit growers and it just makes the festival special - and it works.

"We tried very hard not to get distracted by going off at tangents and it serves to underline the county's association with cider.

"We've never gone out of our way to be a huge event - we get about 600 people each day and absorb them in to what are quite small venues and what is quite a friendly experience."

The Big Apple - in bite-sized chunks

Throughout the weekend.

Apple sales: Take home some quality English apples - Reddingend, Much Marcle, 9am to 6pm. Little Verzons, Pixley (GR665395), 10am to 6pm.

Cider tasting and sales in Much Marcle: Lyne Down Cider, 10am to 5pm. Westons Cider, 10am to 5pm. Gregg's Pit Perry and Cider, 10am to 5pm. Much Marcle Village Shop, Sat 8am to 6pm, Sun 9am to 12.30pm.

Coffee shop: Little Verzons Fruit Farm, Pixley. Coffee shop/plant centre open for morning coffee.

Lunches and suppers featuring apple and cider recipes.

In Much Marcle: Royal Oak, 01531 660300. Scrumpy House, 01531 660626. Slip Tavern, 01531 660246. Walwyn Arms, 01531 660644.

Nearby: Butchers Arms, 01432 860281. Crown Inn, 01432 860468, Hopton Arms, 01531 670520. The Verzons, 01531 670381.

The Venues - both days in Much Marcle

Hellens Great Barn (GR661333). A Feast of Apples. Displays of apples, including cider fruit, and perry pears. Tastings of dessert and culinary fruit. Also Marcher Apple Network; 'Jus' apple juice; perrymaking. Entry £1.50 (children free), from 2-4.45pm.

Tour of the house at 3.30pm (£5, concessions)

Much Marcle Memorial Hall (GR658330). Apple teas from 2-5pm

St Bartholomew's Church (GR657327). Harvest church open from 11am to 5pm, produce sale, tours of the bell tower.

Gregg's Pit (GR662323). Open day. Award-winning small-scale craft perry and cider making in a traditional orchard, managed to organic standards. From 10am to 5pm.

Lyne Down Cider (GR646312). Open day. Demonstrations of traditional cider making. Don't miss the pig roast - local pork from Orlham's Farm. From 10am to 5pm.

Westons Cider (GR648331). Guided tours £4 (children £2.50) at 11am and 2.30pm. Open for tastings and sales. 10am to 4pm

Awnells Farm (GR659319). Open day for Countryside Restoration Trust. Wildlife artist Jonathan Latimer. Guided walks through the farm grassland and orchards. Donations welcome. 11am to 5pm.

Special events - Saturday October 14.

Leominster Morris at Westons (noon), Gregg's Pit (1pm), Hellens (2.30pm).

Orchards Through the Eyes of an Artist. An illustrated talk by Jonathan Latimer. Much Marcle Memorial Hall, 5.30pm. £3. Proceeds to Countryside Restoration Trust.

Cider -- the forgotten miracle. An evening of readings and stories with James Crowden, author and poet. Hellens Small Barn, 7.30pm. Tickets £6.50, to include cheese and cider, from the curator, 01531 660504, or on the door.

Sunday, October 15.

Tree Care and Pruning demonstration. Given by Chris Fairs of Bulmers at Pixley House. 2pm and 3pm.

Big Apple Bike Ride. Ride the Ledbury Cider Route. Meet at Market House, Ledbury, at 10am for 10.30am departure. Follow quiet country lanes, visiting cider producers and orchards. Time in Much Marcle to picnic (BYO) and explore Big Apple, returning in the afternoon to Ledbury. Information from Bella Johnson, 01531 635432.

A Walk to the Wonder: David Walker leads a five-mile walk along the Marcle Ridge and through the orchards of Putley. Steep in places. Meet at 9.30am at the Ridge Car Park (GR631346). No dogs. Donations welcome.

For full programme details, visit www.marcherapple.net/bigapple

National Apple Day: Herefordshire

Sunday, October 21

Leominster Apple Fair - Lion Ballroom, Broad Street Leominster. Details from 01568 780886

Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22

Cider Museum, Ryelands Street, Hereford. Cidermaking Festival. Contact 01432 354207

Common Ground

Common Ground defines itself thus on its website: www.commonground.org.uk.

An internationally recognised organisation which plays a unique role in the arts and environmental fields, linking nature with culture, focusing upon the positive investment people can make in their own localities, championing popular democratic involvement and by inspiring celebration as a starting point for action to improve the quality of our everyday places.