Our Insiders Guide

Our Insiders' Guide contains suggestions from members of staff, previous guests and local friends so all our guests will have the very best Herefordshire experience, again and again.  If you find something that you think should be included in our guide, please don't hesitate to let us know. 

George Watkins

Castle House’s City Walks

Explore the ancient city of Hereford with one of our two circular city walks.  Starting and finishing at the hotel, both have interesting historical information, detailed maps and take just under an hour. Please ask for a copy at reception. You can also download our High Town Walk or Riverside Walk here.

The Guild of Guides also conducts daily guided city walks from 1st April until 31st October. No booking is required, just turn up at the north porch of the Cathedral at 11.30am on weekdays and 2.30pm on Sundays.

Find out what else is going on in Herefordshire from the local tourism hubs Visit Herefordshire or Eat, Sleep and Live Herefordshire

Hereford City Map

This is a lovely and very useful little map of the city of Hereford produced by Hereford City Life whose website which is another great source of information for it is going on in the county. 

Hereford City Map - (design Jesse.illustration)

Hereford River Carnival 2023

Herefordshire Art Week

Herefordshire Art Week is a nine day art trail open to all.  

Artists, craftmakers and creative businesses open their private studios everyday from 11am - 5pm, at least. Galleries put on special events, whilst groups get together to put on one-off exhibitions, in a wonderful mix of interesting venues across the county.

Since 2002, this county wide art trail has taken place every year in the second week of September. h.Art has become part of Herefordshire's rich cultural calendar, with a huge variety of art and art forms on show in Open Studios, Group Exhibitions and Gallery Events.  

Abergavenny Food Festival 2023

The Festival was recently awarded 'Best Event in Wales' by the National Tourism Awards for Wales. Well worth a visit in September to discover the flavours and produce of this part of Wales. Follow this link to discover what is happening on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th this year.

A Night at the Opera at Hereford Cathedral

London Concertante presents a sensational evening at Hereford Cathedral on Saturday, 21st October 7.30pm with an array of the finest opera arias and overtures, including works from Puccini, Verdi, Rossini, and Mozart – some of the best from Madame Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Carmen and so much more. Presented by Candlelight, with some of the country’s greatest opera singers, this truly is an evening not to be missed. 

The UK based chamber orchestra, London Concertante, regularly performs more than one hundred concerts per year, making it the busiest ensemble of its kind in the country. Regularly selling out venues such as St. Martin-in-the-Fields and Southwark Cathedral, the ensemble performs in some of the most prestigious venues around Britain and abroad, with recent tours taking them to USA, Finland, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Spain and France. With numerous recordings reaching great critical acclaim, the ensemble is continually regarded as one of the finest groups in Europe since its founding in 1991.

Tickets available from London Concertante's website

Hereford Cathedral and Mappa Mundi

This magnificent Cathedral, which overlooks the river Wye, houses one of the most historic and fascinating maps in the world as well as a famous chained library. Find out more here

The Space Guard Centre

As featured in our Insiders Guide for guests, one of the more unusual and fascinating places to visit when staying with us is The Spaceguard Centre, just over the border in Knighton, Powys.

A working observatory, it is a main source of information about near Earth objects - NEOs - in the UK.  Open for conducted tours (approx. 90 mins) from May to September, Wednesday to Sunday at 10.30am, 2pm and 4pm, it's worth pre-booking if you're planning to visit. Details of special educational events for children may be found on the website.

Growing in the Border Garden Courses

Growing in the Border courses offer a hands-on approach to gardening. Covering different aspects of gardening including scientific, artistic and design topics, as well as gardening techniques, they take place at the Blackbrook Estate Garden from Autumn through to Spring - a great idea to do with friends.  

Blackbrook Garden is situated just over the border in Skenfrith, Wales which is about a 40 minute drive from Castle House - no passport required!. 

Stay at Castle House from £165 for a double room including full English Breakfast for two 

Shopping in Hereford

Book in to Castle House for the night, leave your car with us and explore the city.  There are any number of eclectic independent shops, boutiques, artisan jewellers and health food shops in the centre of the city, particularly in nearby Church Street and some of the little alleyways close to the Cathedral.  High Street names can be found in the centre of the city or in the new Old Market Shopping Centre.  Just ask if you're lost or need help, everyone is always so friendly. 

Some popular shops just a short drive from the city include Baileys Home Store and Ross Labels in Ross-on-Wye and Oakchurch Farm Shop in Staunton-on-Wye. Visit Eat Sleep Live's website for more shopping musts.

Bespoke Tours

Leave your car in the car park and have a driven tour of Hereford and the surrounding area. Sit back in the comfort of an executive vehicle while an expert guide shows you the sights.

Local travel expert Liz Hill's awarding-winning company Rural Concierge offers excellent sightseeing itineraries, tours and talks around Hereford and beyond.  A mine of information, you can find Liz in the Butter Market where she runs the local Tourist Information Centre.


Please book your tour when booking your accommodation to avoid disappointment.

Ledbury Poetry Festival

An annual celebration of the country's finest poets and poetry, this intimate and highly regarded festival takes place early July each year. Find out more here.

Borderlines Film Festival 2024

Borderlines is Herefordshire's annual film festival established in 2003.

The programme usually consists of over 60 feature films and events at 22 venues across Herefordshire, Shropshire and the Welsh Borders offering a great opportunity to see a wealth of world and independent cinema on the Big Screen. 

Castle House is a great base from which to go and view screenings and other events.

2024 - Friday, 1st March to Sunday, 17th March  

Baileys Home Store

Bailey's Home Store is an unique shopping experience. People travel from all over the world to visit this eclectic shop just outside the market town of Ross-on-Wye.

Housed in some ancient farm buildings, Mark and Sally Bailey describe their business as a general store, stocking an ever-changing collection of homewares, household hardware, stationery, cookware, food, clothing, lighting, antiques and textiles. A bit of lux flux!

Bestselling products range from their craftsman-made linen sofas, specialised recipe and literary books to soya wax candle jars and other artisan potions and foods. Established more than 22 years ago, the store was a natural progression from the couple's previous architectural antiques business, where they worked with brass and metal founders and spinners in the Midlands. Early pioneers of the rescue and reuse movement, they decided to change from Far East importing and mass production, to a well-made, considered and honest approach. 

A definite must-visit.

Berrington Hall

This handsome house, designed by Henry Holland, is owned by the National Trust and features Capability Brown's last landscape project. There is always a busy programme of events at the house. Find out more here.

Hereford Race Course

Hereford Racecourse is conveniently located a heartbeat away from the city centre and Castle House, and a stone's throw from the beautiful Herefordshire countryside.  Set against the backdrop of Hereford city and the Welsh mountains it is a very picturesque venue and accessible.  Go racing and stay at Castle House from £155 for two including full English Breakfast. Visit website for up to date fixtures.

Nature's Nest Glamping

Next door to our Ballingham Hall Farm is the wonderful Nature's Nest.  

Very much a home from home experience, their Safari Glamping Tents are canvas-wrapped three-bedroom rural hideaways that can host up to six people in complete comfort. The tents are equipped and furnished for practical day-to-day living with solid flooring throughout the spacious interior and a central wood burner. Outside there is decking and just beyond the wonderful River Wye within an easy walking distance. Boarding, wild swimming and walking are just some of the activities and dogs are very welcome too!

Queenswood Country Park and Aboretum

Queenswood Country Park and Aboretum is a fragment of the vast ancient oak wood that once stretched to the Welsh borders and beyond.  It offers a wonderful day out for everyone and a great woodland adventure for children with its famous Gruffalo Trail as well as those for badgers, foxes and deer.

The Arboretum at Queenswood contains an incredible collection of trees from around the globe. They grow within a naturalistic setting interwoven with paths where wildflowers thrive and wildlife abounds. Species include:

• a collection of Californian redwoods (which grow to over 100m tall in their native America)
• an avenue lined with 40 different species of oak
• an autumn garden with Japanese maples displaying spectacular coloured foliage in late October
• 148 Champion Trees - the largest trees of their species growing in the UK.

Queenswood Country Park and Bodenham Lake are managed by a partnership of two local organisations: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust & New Leaf. The Arboretum is supported by the Queenswood Coronation Fund. The Park is 9 miles from Hereford HR6 0PY and the 492 bus runs regularly. 

No entry fee just a small charge for parking your car!

Symonds Yat

Discover this lovely area with woodland that straddles the River Wye.  There is a traditional rope ferry to cross from one side of the river to the other. You can walk the path to the top of Symonds Yat Rock and catch the most magnificent view of the river snaking its way through the farm land below and maybe some Peregrine Falcons that regularly nest in the rocks opposite. Find out more here.

The Brecon Beacons

The Brecon Beacons are a beautiful stretch of mountain range within easy driving distance of Castle House. The scenery is amongst the most stunning in the UK, with a diversity of countryside, including valleys, waterfalls, caves and wildlife. Find out more here.

The Cider Museum

Explore the city's interesting cider museum, which was where the Bulmer family started, and discover the history of this famous local drink. Find out more here.

The Herefordshire Golf Club and Castle House

We have linked up with The Herefordshire Golf Club which would like to offer our guests a discounted green fee at its beautiful course in Wormsley, near Hereford. 

First established in 1896 and the oldest club in the county, The Herefordshire Golf Club, on the Raven's Causeway, was founded by the legendary James Braid.  With stunning views of the Shropshire Hills, the Brecon Beacons and Malvern Hills, the course provides 148 acres of magnificent tranquil countryside and is a testing ground.  Described as the 'Gleneagles of The Midlands' it suits golfers of all abilities and is a challenge right from the 1st tee to the 18th green. As a Castle House Guest, the member's guest green fee is available to take advantage of at all times of the year.

Stay at Castle House -  Single rooms £140 Doubles from £155 inclusive of Full English Breakfast. Please contact reception for more information. 

The Herefordshire Golf Club, Raven's Causeway, Wormsley, Herefordshire, HR4 8LY  01432 830219  www.herefordshiregolfclub.co.uk 

The Wye Valley

The Wye Valley is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, steeped in rich agricultural and industrial heritage and one of the most unspoiled parts of the UK. Explore the river, museums, castles and black and white villages. Walk, fish, canoe, drive the winding river road. Find out more here.

Tintern Abbey

This spectacular 12th century ruin, made famous by William Wordsworth, startles you in its beauty as you meander down the Wye Valley. The old Tintern Station is a great place to stop off and have afternoon tea in the former waiting room. Find out more here.

Weston's Cider Tours

Herefordshire and cider from the acres of orchards go together like apples and pears. Find out more about one of the county's best known companies, famous for its Stowford Press, and discover how traditional cider is made.  Stay at Castle House and book a tour.