Hereford (Welsh: Henffordd) is an historic cathedral city in England on the river Wye. The county town of Herefordshire, the city lies close to the English border with Wales. A small city (population 61,000 in 2018), Hereford nonetheless offers a great variety of attractions for the traveller.
Herefordshire is a rural county and this is reflected in its transport links to Hereford. Roads from Gloucester or other places tend to be slow and bus transport from neighbouring counties isn't exceptional.
There are daily National Express coaches from Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Gloucester, Swindon, Heathrow Airport and London Victoria.
Hereford has no civil airport but the city is accessible from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and London Heathrow.
The journey from London Heathrow Airport 📍 (IATA: LHR) to Hereford by car is and takes about 3 hr, depending on traffic. To reach Hereford by train, you'll need to travel via London Paddington; journey times are slightly less than 4 hr.
Birmingham Airport 📍 (IATA: BHX) is away with a driving time of about 1 hr 40 min. By train, a journey via Birmingham New Street takes just over 2 hr.
Cardiff Airport 📍 (IATA: CWL) is away with a driving time of 1 hr 20 min. By train, a journey via Cardiff Central takes around 2 hr.
Bristol Airport 📍 (IATA: BRS) is away with a driving time of 1 hr 40 min. Don't use Bristol if you're not hiring a car, as the journey by bus and train to Hereford takes 3 hr.
Confusingly, Hereford has three bus termini: one (urban routes) is behind the Tesco supermarket in Bewell Street; one on St Peter’s Square (rural routes); and one behind the former Odeon cinema in Commercial Road (inter-city). Weather protection is barely adequate (no heated waiting rooms). Some county lines depart from outside the Hereford railway station and also stop at the Country Bus Station. Other services depart from the "County Bus Station" (behind the cinema on Commercial Road - about 3 minutes walk from the station). City services start from the Shire Hall in St. Peter's Square or the "City Bus Station" at the rear of the Tesco supermarket in Bewell Street.
Cycling in Hereford is not easy, there is a substantial lack of cycling infrastructure.
In 2019, as part of its Sustainable Transport policy, the council launched its Beryl Bike initiative, providing nearly 200 card-operated bikes, available from 40 pick-up points across the city. These emerald green 3-speed pedal bikes are programmed not to go out of the city centre and users must be over 16. Beryl bikes, however, are poorly maintained.
With pedestrianised High Town its core, central Hereford is extremely compact and no more than 600 metres across, so walking is the best way to explore it. East of Cathedral Close is Castle Street, with some fine early Georgian town houses, ending at the Victorian Castle House Hotel. North of the Close narrow Church Street is lined with shops (30 indies and not a high street multiple in sight). At the bottom, cross East Street, passing through the pedestrian tunnel known as Cabbage Alley brings you into High Town, where you can check out — and grab a bite to eat or a coffee — in the Victorian Butter Market.
Hereford Cathedral, 5 College Cloisters, Cathedral Close, HR1 2NG, 52.0542°, -2.716°, +441432374200. The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin and St Ethelbert the King, established in 1079. Taking its cue from Coventry's blitzed and rebuilt cathedral, several modern artistic elements have been introduced into Hereford Cathedral's fabric. The most impressive of these is certainly Simon Beer's 1992 gilded elliptical corona, suspended above the Crossing. Also worth seeking out are Tom Denny's set of four stained glass lights (installed in 2007 in the Audley Chapel) inspired by the writings of the 17th-century cleric and metaphysical poet Thomas Traherne.
Remains of the Blackfriars Dominican Monastery, Widemarsh Street, 52.06°, -2.713°. It was founded in the Eign Gate suburb in 1246, and moved to Widemarsh in 1322. Its dissolution took place in 1538 and it was burnt down shortly thereafter. The ruins are surrounded by a rose garden established by the local community in 1964. 2020-10-07
Black and White House Museum (Old House), High Town, HR1 2AA, 52.05649°, -2.7149°, +441432260694. A remarkably well-preserved example of a 17th-century timber-framed building, built in 1621 and used for many purposes over the years, starting life as a butcher's shop and finishing its commercial life in the hands of Lloyds Bank in the late 1920s. Since 1929 it has been a museum.
The Cider Museum, Pomona Place, HR4 0EF, +441432354207. M-Sa 10AM- 4PM. Watch how apples are milled and pressed, and how the resulting juice is fermented to produce cider. A centuries-old tradition still alive and developing today. 2020-10-03
The Waterworks Museum, Broomy Hill, HR4 0LJ, 52.049897°, -2.735296°, +441432357236. Tu 11AM-4PM, some Sundays and banks holidays from noon. UK’s widest range of working pumps and engines, most of which are the last working examples of their type. Hands-on exhibits, Heritage Water Park, and a permanent exhibition to Hereford in World War II. Adult £7, senior £5, student 16+ £2, child under 16 free 2022-11-08
Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, Broad Street, HR4 9AU, +441432260692. Housed in a Victorian Neogothic building, open since 1874. The exterior of the building has changed very little, but the museum and gallery have kept up with the times. 2020-10-03
Hereford Museum Resource Centre, 58 Friars Street, HR4 0AS, 52.054432°, -2.721775°, +44 1432 383383. By appointment only. It houses the majority of the paintings and drawings of Brian Hatton. 2020-10-03
Belmont Abbey, Ruckhall Ln, HR2 9RZ, +441432374747. Su-Su 6AM-9PM. The Grade II*-listed Abbey Church was designed by E. W. Pugin, son of A. W. N. Pugin, and consecrated in 1860.
St Francis Xavier, 19 Broad Street, HR4 9AP, +441432273485. Roman Catholic church.
All Saints church, High St, HR4 9AA, 52.056422°, -2.717547°, +441432370414. A 14th-century church, unique in Britain for having an integral galleried cafeteria. There is a rare 17th-century bread shelf on one of its walls. Each Sunday, it provided seven free loaves to be taken by seven of the poorest people of the parish. It was extensively restored in 1996. 2020-10-03
Stirling Lines, Credenhill (5 mi northwest). The headquarters of the British Army's 22 Special Air Service regiment, named in 1984 after the regiment’s creator, Colonel David Stirling. 2020-10-03
Dore Abbey, School Ln, Abbey Dore, HR2 0AA (13 mi southwest), +441873860644. A 12th-century Cistercian abbey. Its name is an archaic spelling of the Welsh word for "water", dŵr.
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