Hereford is a cathedral city that sits on the River Wye, close to the border of Wales. It’s a city with a rich history, shown in its buildings, some of which are from the seventh century. The stunning Hereford Cathedral dates back to 1079 and is a prominent feature of the city. However, Hereford also has a contemporary character with much to explore and enjoy.
Transport
The city has excellent road links, making London and Manchester accessible in under three hours, and Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol are all just an hour’s drive away. Hereford train station is north of the city centre and has services to parts of Wales, Herefordshire and Manchester. There are also services to Worcester, which connect to Oxford, London and Birmingham.
Schools
Schools in the area are very good, at both primary and secondary levels, with many state and private schools achieving outstanding Ofsted ratings. Hereford Cathedral School is one of the oldest in the country and educates children from three years old up to 18 and has a nationwide reputation for excelling in music and sports.
Further education institutions include Hereford College of Arts, Herefordshire College of Technology (which includes the National School of Blacksmithing), and the recently opened NMITE, which is the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering. The University of Worcester is also nearby (approximately 25 miles away).
Local Amenities
The Independent Quarter of Hereford is on Church Street and East Street, which are both gorgeous cobbled areas. There’s a great selection of stores, including fashion boutiques, The Mouse Trap Cheese Shop, The Little Deli and Timothy Hawkins Gallery. The city also has many national chains, and Old Market (built on the site of the old livestock market) has shops like Waitrose, River Island, L’Occitane, Joules and many other big-name brands.
Locals have access to plenty of exciting, quality food and drink throughout Hereford, and the city is well known for its excellent cider. There are plenty of gastropubs celebrating seasonal food in rural settings, such as The Loughpool, a black and white timbered cottage. Enjoy fantastic city centre restaurants, such as The Bookshop, serving British Cuisine, Ponte Vecchio, serving Italian food, and Simply Thai Kitchen, among many more.
The livestock market is just outside Hereford on Roman Road, featuring regular auctions of the region’s famous livestock. Hereford is also renowned for its cider and has the Museum of Cider to preserve the history of cider making.
Healthcare is good here with Hereford County Hospital in the city centre, and plenty of GP practices and dental surgeries are available locally.
Herefordshire is a beautiful rural county set against the backdrop of the Black Mountains and Welsh Hills. The Malvern Hills are nearby, providing plenty of places for walkers to explore, and Hergest Ridge sweeps north towards the Shropshire borders with spectacular views.
Herefordshire has several bustling market towns with plenty of independent shops and galleries to explore. These include Ledbury, Leominster, Bromyard, Kington and Ross-on-Wye. There are also many attractive villages in the area, such as Fownhope, Weobley, Eardisland, Kingsland, Pembridge, Leintwardine, Wigmore, Pembridge, Dilwyn, Elyas Harold, Bodenham and Michaelchurch Escley to name but a few.
