Lower Green Holidays

National Trust properties in the vicinity include Croft Castle and Parkland (20 minutes’ drive) and Berrington Hall (25 minutes). The former is a crenellated structure with elegant interiors, a walled garden and woodland walks; the latter is an exquisite mansion with Capability Brown-designed parkland. You can educate yourself on the region’s thriving cider industry at the Museum of Cider in Hereford (half an hour). While in the city, admire the architecture of the 11th-century cathedral, which is home to the Mappa Mundi, a medieval map of the world featuring strange peoples and mythical creatures. If you’re keen on hiking, head to the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (45 minutes), with its landscape of gentle forested peaks, heathlands and streams. In addition to the Shropshire Way (with its range of circular walks), one of the most popular long-distance trails here is the Offa’s Dyke Path, with some well-preserved stretches of this 8th-century earthwork.