There’s an absolute corker of a medieval world map at Hereford Cathedral in Herefordshire’s county town. (Absolutely corking cider and beef are also around, but we’ll get to that in a sec.) Whether the kids like it or not, if you’re off on a Hereford camping trip you should be off to see the Mappa Mundi, a delightfully bonkers thirteenth century map showing how medieval scholars saw the world (flat, mainly). And if old docs in general do it for you, also venture to the cathedral’s chained library, the oldest still intact in Europe, to see over 200 old medieval manuscripts and the eighth century Hereford Gospels. Yes, we’re a bit geeky.
And now, cider. Hereford not only has a Cider Route but a cider museum to greedily drink in scenery, history and fizzy apple goodness; both Bulmers and award-winning Westons produce their cider in the city for carting back to a Hereford campsite. Cider will also go jolly well with a trip to Hereford Racecourse or a tramp around Herefordshire Beacon, and kids should be merry chasing the butterflies around the butterfly trails of Haugh Woods.
