Orcop

Orcop is a small hamlet in south Herefordshire, around eight and a half miles south of the city of Hereford, in the gently folded farmland that rises towards the Welsh border. It is a scatter of farms, cottages and a single celebrated church rather than a village with a high street, and that is very much the point of coming here: this is a corner of the county where sunken lanes, hedgerows and grazing land have changed little in centuries. The neighbouring settlement of Orcop Hill sits just to the south on higher ground, and together they give their name to the wider parish.

The area sits within a landscape of red sandstone soil and orchard country that has long supported cider-making and mixed farming, with the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty beginning a short drive to the south-east around Ross-on-Wye and Symonds Yat. Hereford itself, with its cathedral and river, is close enough for an easy day out, while the Golden Valley and the Black Mountains lie to the west. It is a base for people who want genuine rural quiet, with the market towns and river scenery of the Wye Valley within easy reach.

Top things to do near Orcop

Orcop itself is tiny, but it sits within comfortable reach of some of Herefordshire's best-known sights.

• St John the Baptist Church, Orcop — the hamlet's own landmark, a part-Norman and 13th-century church famous for its unusual weatherboarded oak bell tower, raised on four huge oak posts that were once living tree trunks. It is known locally as the "Poets' Church" as the poet Frances Horovitz is buried in the churchyard.
• Hereford Cathedral — the historic cathedral city is under half an hour away by car, home to the medieval Mappa Mundi and the chained library, plus a compact centre of shops, cafes and riverside walks along the Wye.
• Goodrich Castle — a well-preserved red sandstone medieval castle managed by English Heritage, dramatically sited above a bend in the River Wye to the south-east near Ross-on-Wye.
• Symonds Yat — a famous Wye Valley viewpoint and riverside village where the river loops beneath wooded limestone cliffs; popular for walking, canoeing and spotting peregrine falcons.
• Ross-on-Wye — a handsome market town above a horseshoe bend in the river, with independent shops, riverside gardens and The Prospect, an 18th-century viewpoint over the Wye.
• Herefordshire's orchard and cider country — the lanes around Orcop pass through classic Herefordshire orchard land, part of a county still known for traditional cider and perry production.

Getting to Orcop

Orcop lies off minor lanes between Hereford and Monmouth, most easily reached via the B4347 or connecting lanes from the A466 or A49. There is no rail station in the hamlet itself; the nearest mainline station is Hereford, on the line between Newport and Shrewsbury/Manchester, with onward travel by car or taxi. Hereford is roughly a 20-30 minute drive away, and Ross-on-Wye a similar distance to the south-east. Given the network of narrow, hedge-lined lanes typical of this part of Herefordshire, a car is by far the easiest way to explore the area.

Best time to visit Orcop

Late spring through early autumn suits Orcop best, when the surrounding hedgerows, orchards and farmland are at their greenest and the country lanes are easiest to navigate. May and June bring blossom and long evenings; high summer is good for exploring the Wye Valley's river and outdoor attractions further afield. Autumn brings russet colour to the orchards and woodland, and cooler, quieter conditions for walking. Winter is very peaceful, though minor roads can be affected by mud, standing water or occasional frost, so a robust vehicle and warm layers are sensible if visiting out of season.

Where to stay near Orcop

Orcop itself has no hotels, in keeping with its size, but Hereford and Ross-on-Wye, both within half an hour's drive, have a good range of hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts. The surrounding countryside also has farmhouse B&Bs and self-catering cottages that suit the quiet, rural character of this part of Herefordshire.

Food and drink near Orcop

There is no pub or shop in Orcop itself, so most food and drink is found in the surrounding towns. Ross-on-Wye and Hereford both have a good spread of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, and the wider area is known for traditional Herefordshire cider and perry, much of it still made on small local farms using orchard fruit grown in the fields around villages like Orcop.