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There are so many great pubs in Camberwell, it can be hard to choose between them, but the Hermit's Cave has something extra: cider!
The small, slightly cramped pub has on tap about a dozen ciders, still and sparkling, and several versions of scrumpy, cloudy and clear.
Many come from Somerset, home of the legendary apple juice and it's a great place for a refreshing drink after doing sport in the summer sun, after all, apples are part of the necessary five (fruit) a day.
28 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8QU
+44 207 703 3188
Open Mon-Sat 11.00, Sun 12.00-22.30
Google map: bit.ly/n2dPRO
Buses 12, 35. 36, 45, 68, 171, 345, 436, 468 to Camberwell Green
Think cider, and a bucolic scene of country life in Devon or Dorset may come to mind. But cross the border into Wales, and a surprise awaits. For a glass of scrumpy at its finest, make your way to The Plough & Harrow, a 12th century Welsh inn, 10 miles south of Bridgend. Having walked the spectacular Glamorgan Heritage Coast Path from Llantwit Major to Monknash - enjoying a dip in the Severn Estuary on the way - our day concluded by cradling a pint of award-winning farmhouse cider, sat in the Plough’s gorgeous cottage garden. Selling cider produced by Gwyent y Ddraig - a CAMRA gold medal winning set-up - Barnstormer, Haymaker and Orchard Gold are just three of the delicious traditional offerings currently available.
The Plough & Harrow, Monknash, South Glamorgan, CF71 7QQ
01656 890209
Google map: bit.ly/b7qdUq
www.theploughmonknash.com
Like your cider? This is the place for you then. Moored just along the Welsh Back, the Apple has a very small serving bar area but boasts a whole variety of ciders with special deals for students too. The Venue is usually packed during the summer months as they have an enormous seating area which always draws in the crowds. Service is quite quick and prices are reasonable.
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2469999047
Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 4SB
0117 925 3500
Google map: bit.ly/aoGhEc
There is a hidden corner of Somerset, a hamlet with an interesting name of 'Mudgley' where you will find real cider heaven!
Depending on which way you enter the farm you may see a sign in a field saying 'cider', depending on whether the cows have pushed it over.
Arriving at the farm, on a busy day you will see other cider fans unlocking the secret of finding the most authentic cider farm in England.
As soon as you arrive in the cider shed, you are asked "what you having?", answer dry, medium or sweet and you'll be alright. The first taste is a cool, refreshing, rich experience, which is Wilkin's cider.
You won't stop smiling as you find out all the quirks and eccentricities of the cider farm. As it's near the Clark's shoe factory, you will find lots of random shoes in a corner. A helicopter blade from a recent Air Force stag do..
Roger Wilkin's has been cider making since he was a boy, taught the skills of the ancient art by his grandfather.
The business was passed onto Roger through the family and now he produces around 15,000 gallons each year at his home at Landsend Farm.
You'll also be able to visit the orchards in the farm where I have been allowed to camp in the past. Rog is also happy to answer questions about cider making and what he thinks about the recent taxes threatened by the new government.
You can bring home a container of your favourite Wilkin's cider. It won't last long once your friends and family taste the experience too.
Surely any traditional cider enjoyed this way is England in a glass!
Wilkins Cider, Land’s End Farm, Mudgley, Wedmore. 01934 712385. www.real-cider.co.uk/cider-making-with-roger-wilkins/
Google map: bit.ly/9RpGt8
The Nordic answer to the orange festival in Seville. The last weekend of September an artwork of over 100 m2 using over 35,000 apples is built, festivities, cider drinking and free entry to the House of Apples at Kiviks Musteri apple juice and cider factory, including apple-experts and growers. A truly amazing event!
www.kiviks.se
www.appelmarknaden.se
Google map: bit.ly/9qx6oY
Broome is a guesthouse and working cider farm near Ross on Wye in Herefordshire. We rolled up for some cider tasting and stayed all afternoon. After being greeted by a small herd of friendly alpacas, our canadian cider-enthusiast host was more than welcoming and keen for us to try as many of the tens of ciders on offer as we wanted. We did just that and took a guided walk around the orchards while the effects wore off. We left with dizzy heads and a selection of bottles, as well as sausages made from pigs on the farm. The farm is a little gem - it was a relaxing, interesting, fun experience and I would advise anyone with even a passing interest in cider to give it a go.
www.broomefarmhouse.co.uk
Peterstow, near Ross on Wye.
Peterstow is situated off the A49 close to Ross-on-Wye. If coming from the roundabout on the A49 at Ross take the second turning on the right. Broome Farmhouse is signposted bearing left at the small green you first come to and is located a few hundred yards along the road, past the orchards to the right and round the bend.
Google map: tinyurl.com/38gp3pu
Spain may not be the first destination that springs to mind when looking for the ultimate cider experience, but head to the lush green lands of Asturias on the North West coast and that’s exactly what you’ll find. The natural “sidra” is an icon of the region, due partly to the distinctive style in which it is poured; from the bottle held high above the head onto the rim of the glass held sideways at the waist. This creates a momentary fizz and is why only a mouthful is poured at a time and relished in one gulp.
"Siderías" ancient and modern are the life blood of the tiniest villages and major cities, and there are cider festivals all year round. One of the best can be found in the seaside city of Gijón, where you can enjoy free tasting sessions in the town square or join thousands who gather annually on the sandy beach to break the world record for simultaneous cider-pouring (see pic in where to find it section).
Easyjet fly daily to Asturias from Stansted.
Gijon is 30 min drive from the airport.
Gijon info: www.spain.info/en_GB/ven/otros-destinos/gijon.html
Cider pouring world record: proyectos.elcomerciodigital.com/panorama/images/20090526085632_escanciandosidra.jpg
Google maps: tinyurl.com/2f9sctf
The Odd One Out is a fiercely independent public house and CAMRA's 2010 cider pub of the year for East Anglia. There are generally two or three ciders available on tap along with a range of bottled varieties. A constant stream of guest beers and ciders (with priority given to local independent producers) means there's always something new to try. But it's not just about the quality of your cider at the Oddy, it's the quality of your experience. This is an old-fashioned pub in the best possible sense. There are rules here. Use of mobile phones is restricted to the public bar and the sheltered haven of the beer garden. Swearing is not allowed: a first offense (or occasional forgetfulness) will earn you a polite reminder of this fact. Persist in your profanity and you will politely be asked to leave. The result is a most relaxed and convivial atmosphere and, if you're prone to the odd expletive and fond of cider, a surprising effect on the vocabulary. Speak to a stranger at the bar and you'll get a conversation, not a funny look. The art of conversation is taken seriously at the Oddy: there's no music, no television, and you're as likely to overhear a discussion of quantum theory or Hegel as you are the usual football banter. And best of all, it's okay to join in. If you're feeling conspiratorial, there's even a back room where plots can be hatched (or thickened, depending on how you like your metaphorical eggs). The landlord, Mr.John Parrick, is regarded with deep affection and respect by his regulars who don't tell him this as often as they should. So, if you're going to drink cider in Colchester, drink it at The Odd One Out and, along with a choice of proper, local ciders you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that the price of your pint makes a contribution to the survival of a unique and much loved establishment.
The Odd One Out, 28 Mersea Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7ET.
Nearest station - Colchester Town.
Middle Farm is one of my favourite places to visit any time of year. It lies just off the A27. Every year in Oct they hold an apple festival to celebrate all things appley, with an amazing selection of ciders. Grown ups can enjoy a cheeky pint and some great local music in two tents dotted with hay bales for a real country feel. For small ones there are play areas, a fun fair and animals galore. There is a proper hog roast to help fight off the hangover plus loads of other stalls selling food, locally made bits and bobs and other treats. If you can't make the festival the farm is open seven days a week and has an amazing shop where you can taste about a hundred different ciders. This is truly cider heaven.
It is situated on the main A27 Lewes to Eastbourne road, between the villages of Firle and Selmeston. The nearest stations are Glynde (2 miles) or Lewes (5 miles).
Middle Farm
Firle
LEWES
East Sussex
BN8 6LJ
United Kingdom
Telephone +44 (0)1323 811411
Fax +44 (0)1323 811622
Email info@middlefarm.com
www.middlefarm.com/02_whatson.htm
Google map: bit.ly/bVvBdv
In a quiet corner of Sussex is Hidden Spring Vinyard where they produce wine, cider (apple and pear) and fruit juice, all organic and all delicious. The family that run the farm are friendly and happy to provide tastings, the cider being the best!
There are also two fields to camp in which are family-friendly, secluded and peaceful, and you can even hire a yurt. The best bit is they allow fires in the provided fire pits. Very unusual for campsites but makes the evening special. They sell firewood too.
Easy access to the rest of Sussex make it a good base for a break, or easy to get to to buy the produce.
www.hiddenspring.co.uk/images/home/header.jpg
+44 (0)1435 812 640
Hidden Spring Vineyard
Vines Cross Road
Horam
TN21 0HG
Google map: www.inyurl.com/3axoftt
I want to be back in the land of Boomtown Fair, where drinking all day is encouraged, mechanical horses carry children through the crowds, the music is mad and the people are smiling. I've just come back to earth with a bang after a fabulous few days in a field in Buckinghamshire. Yesterday I woke up in a tent, worrying only about how many wasps were heading inside my mouth (three got in during the course of the festival, it must have been all the hot cider I was drinking). Toady's it's back to reality.
Boomtown Fair began life as a one day cider festival in a field in Bath, graduated to become Recydrate the West somewhere near Hay-on-Wye, and finally became a fully fledged festie with a new name last year, in the Forest of Dean. I have been there to witness all the changes, and I intend to keep up this tradition. I love Boomtown, because the music is mental, an incongruous but incredible mix of ska, reggae and gypsy-jazz, designed to keep you dancing. I love the people and what they wear, everything from flouncy, flowery dresses, stilts and superhero outfits, to nothing but body paint. I love any excuse to watch the Bristol based Invisible Circus. And I love drinking cider all day.
Boomtown may have grown up, but most of all, I love the fact that for three days straight, thousands of party goers can forget that they have too.
www.boomtownfair.co.uk/
Stowe Landscape Gardens, Bucks
tinyurl.com/34dkv25
Your average local - but with over 30 ciders on offer! It's a nice little place nestled down by the seafront, the kind of place filled with regulars at all hours. Divided into two sections - an old school style pub section and a 'games room' style area at the front - it's a lovely pub. Be fine for the family or for a sociable pint - it's not rowdy but it's not boring either. But the real appeal is the cider. You name it, they've got it. From local concoctions like the lovely Florence Somerset Scrumpy (the patron's beverage at bargain prices) to your Swedish perries and even a 15% perry, the menu keeps changing.
18-20 Florence Rd, Southsea,
Portsmouth, PO5 2NE
www.theflorencearms.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/3ypfq73
Eplet Hostel is set in the middle of a working orchard (complete with two pet sheep) overlooking Sognefjord, the second-longest fjord in the world. The views are jaw-dropping and the apple juice is to die for.
It's run like a home by the very hospitable Henrik. Family and private rooms are available within the house while a (cheaper) dormitory is located in the roof of a former barn within the grounds. Camping is possible. Facilities are basic but lovingly attended. In addition to the usual internet, television and kitchen/bathrooms there are hammocks, mini golf and free mountain bikes.
There's plenty to do nearby, including day trips to Urnes stave church (a Unesco world heritage site) and a waterfall, great bike routes, apple picking, juice making, and of course gazing at that gorgeous fjord view with a fresh glass of cider.
A lady in Bergen tourist office recommended this place to us and she really knew what she was talking about. It made our trip.
Eplet Bed and Apple
Solvorn
Western Norway
E-mail: trondhenrik@eplet.net
Tel: + 47 4164 9469
Website: www.eplet.net
You can reach Solvorn by public transport. Further details on the website.
Fish Nation serves the best fish and chips, pizzas and salads in Beijing. They also have English beers and ciders. What's more - it's on one of Beijing's oldest hutongs and their cute little roof terrace is perfect for eating good grub while viewing the old hutongs and soaking up the sun.
31, Nanluoguxiang
Near "Gulou"
Phone 6401-3249
Being a maritime city, what better way to travel than by boat?! Take one of the regular ferries from the centre (by the fountains) and see the new docks developments, The SS Great Britain and The Matthew before getting off at the Nova Scotia pub for a pint of proper cider (or whatever you want!).
www.bristolferryboat.co.uk;
www.ssgreatbritain.org;
www.novascotiahotel.co.uk
Traditional cider house and one of Bristol's oldest pubs. It's a small place with a fine selection of West-Country apple juice.
15 Cotham Road South, Cotham BS6 5TZ; tel: 0117 903 0689
www.cothamporterstores.co.uk
Pub of the moment. A traditional style boozer that mixes in the best of bar culture. Their Portuguese chef serves up her 'petiscos' and there are Pieminister pies bought in from just down the road. DJs subtly spin their records come the evening.
118 Cheltenham Rd, BS6 5RW;
tel: 0117 942 7711;
www.thepipeandslippers.com
Small underground club owned by Massive Attack. The artwork by Jamie Hewlett and Banksy doubles up as speakers, there's pear cider and food available plus Daddy G plays a monthly Thursday night set alongside Mr Benn and Queen Bee.
1 Unity St, BS1 5UH
If you're in the West Country you've got to have some scrumpy. 'The Corrie Tap' may be small inside but it's worth the fight past students and Bristol City supporters to the bar. The Exhibition cider is reputedly so strong that it can only be served up in half-pint glasses. Gert lush.
Sion Place, or back door entrance on Portland Street, Clifton Village
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