The Scrumpy User Guide - Scrumpy Suppliers Part 1

About a mile east of Dunsford, on the B3212, close to the junction with the B3193. From the centre of Dunsford, take the road eastwards through the hamlet of Reedy and continue along the fairly narrow road until you almost reach the junction with the B3193 at Farrant's Bridge. The cider farm entrance is on the left just before this. OS Ref: SX834895

Click on the images to see the full pictures

Well worth a visit to see the ancient cider-making equipment in the darkened heavily-beamed barn which dates back to Saxon times. On the way in you will see the massive hand-operated press (pictured) with its stone bed, still used today. Brimblecombe cider is made the old-fashioned way, with the pulp pressed through straw. The cider is dispensed straight from the oak barrels in the barn behind the press (see picture). The cider is available D/M/S and as "regular" or vintage.
Also available is their own cider vinegar, and other local products such as honey and beeswax, tea towels, etc.
Containers available (now metric) but they are happy to fill your containers (gallons, etc.). Open 10am - 6pm April - November. Please phone ahead at other times to check.

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Broadlands
Broadlands Fruit Farm, Box Road, Bathford, Bath, Somerset BA1 7LR

Easy to find - on the old A4 Bath - Chippenham Road. It's north of the road between Bathford and Box. Look for the prominent "Cider and Apple Juice" signs.
OS Ref: ST793673

Draught cider made on the premises from local apples (M/D). Also makes perry and Kingston Black (the apples for the latter are bought in). They also sell draught ciders from other makers - when I was there, Cheddar Valley and Thatcher's dry were available.
Farm shop also sells bottled ciders, apple juice and other drinks, as well as excellent local cheddar cheese, pickled eggs and onions, home-made marmalade, etc. Very friendly place - recommended to drop in if you're passing!
Note: draught cider and perry sold in quantities of 2 litres - the containers are free. They will fill your own containers (gallons etc.) if you prefer. Prices very reasonable.

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Broome Farm
Broome Farm, Peterstow, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QG

Off the A49 road between Ross and Hereford. Take the turning on the north side of the road at Peterstow, where you can see the Broome Farm Cider sign. Follow the lane along for about half a mile or so, past a few cottages and emerging between orchards. The fairly steep drive up the hill to the farm is on the right.
OS Ref: SO570250

Click on the images to see the full pictures

Beautifully located in this scenic Herefordshire valley with rolling hills of orchards all around it, Broome Farm proprietor Mike Johnson is a real enthusiast about his cider and perry - and the passion he puts into it pays off in the cider mug! He made us most welcome and spent the best part of an hour showing us round, plying us with samples and generally chatting about cider, perry, his orchards and other related matters.
Owing to the visit of a well-known cider distributor the previous day, he was fresh out of cider at the time of our visit - well, he managed to find us a gallon! - but no matter, for he had plentiful stocks of his excellent Gin and Brown Bess perries. Mike is happy to sell you containers or refill yours. He also sells bottled ciders and perries.

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Burrow Hill
Burrow Hill, nr Kingsbury Episcopi, Somerset TA12 6BU

A bit complicated, but it's north of the A303. Find the village of Kingsbury Episcopi, and head for Burrow Hill (a couple of miles outside the village). The mill is on the left before you get to Burrow Hill (which you can see in the distance if it isn't foggy). If you get lost, try asking in the Kingsbury Episcopi village post office (I did!)
OS Ref: ST412199

Check out the Burrow Hill Cider Brandy website - has details of products, orchards, apples, etc. with pictures.

Excellent quality stuff made only from traditional cider apples, available S/M/D. Julian Temperley is the proprietor - he also sells his own Somerset Royal cider brandy made locally (a bit like Calvados). Also available is Julian's bottle conditioned cider in a Champagne-like bottle - a bit more pricey than the draught cider but may be an idea for a special occasion. The farm is interesting and there are some stills etc you can look at - there was also a Vietnamese pot bellied pig there!
Will sell gallon containers or refill yours.

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Coombes'
Japonica Farm, Mark, Somerset TA9 4QD

Japonica Farm is on the northern side of the B3139 Wedmore - Highbridge road about half a mile west of Mark. It's relatively easy to spot.
OS Ref: ST363475

Coombes' Cider is a friendly operation making and selling good quality, tasty and good value cider (D/M/S) made from traditional varieties such as Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Brown Snout, among others. Also available is a very nice draught Kingston Black - but be warned: it's substantially more expensive than the scrumpy - check the price before ordering. Also on the farm is a small but interesting cider museum, including a small video presentation about the cider making process at Japonica Farm featuring the Wurzels' "I Am A Cider Drinker" on the soundtrack! You can refill your own containers or buy them here. The small shop also sells some bottled varieties of cider and other producers' products such as cider brandy and perry. Also on sale are various souvenirs and sweets, etc.

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Cornish Orchards
Westnorth Manor Farm, Duloe, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 4PW

From Liskeard (on the A38 and A390) take the B3254 towards Looe via St Keyne and Duloe (be sure to take this road and not the other road from Liskeard to Looe, the similarly numbered B3252! ) After passing through Duloe, follow the road round to the left and you should see the signs for Cornish Orchards on the left. Follow the driveway for a few hundred yards to the car park near the cider barn (all clearly signposted).
OS Ref: SX235580

Cornish Orchards is a relatively new cider maker, having only started selling cider a few years ago. They were already well known for their other products including a range of apple juices and soft drinks such as elderflower pressé. There is an attractive range of bottled ciders including a bottle fermented St Cuby cider, as well as the draught cider available as S/M/D. Containers can be supplied for the draught ciders, or they will fill your own (metric sizes preferred).

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Cowhill
Cowhill, nr Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire BS35 1QJ

CLOSED :(

A couple of miles west of Thornbury, reached via Kington; or about a mile south of Oldbury. Mill is on south side of the road. There's a sign by the gate entrance.
OS Ref: ST606914

Click on the images to see the full pictures

CLOSED - sadly, Cowhill Cider has ceased production

One of the most traditional cidermakers still producing real scrumpy, John Tymko (pictured left) takes a pride in using traditional methods and ingredients. The only concession he makes is to add a very small percentage of Bramleys to the otherwise pure quotient of cider apples, to adjust the sweetness where necessary. The cider is made using a mill powered by a tractor and pressed using an old hand operated twin-screw press (see picture), in his old sheds, then matured in oak barrels. Only one type of cider is regularly available, which is normally medium-dry, but varies year on year according to the amount of natural sugar in the apples used.
John will sell gallon containers or refill yours.

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Crossman's
Mayfield Farm, Hewish, nr Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset BS24 6RQ

Mayfield Farm is on the south side of the road (the A370) at Hewish, between Weston and Congresbury. Look for the small "CIDER" sign. Fairly easy to find compared to some others...
OS Ref: ST393633

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Ben Crossman is the fourth (or is it fifth? I can't remember for sure!) generation of Crossmans to make cider at Hewish. I was welcomed by the incumbent Ben Crossman and his dad (see picture) - the next generation had gone home for his dinner! The cider is excellent quality - well balanced and tasty, and made from traditional cider apples. The cider is available dry or sweet, but they'll be happy to mix it to any desired level of sweetness or dryness in between, according to your taste. The shop also sells fresh eggs.
Will sell gallon containers (or maybe they're metric ones now) or refill yours.

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Gray's
Halstow Farm, near Tedburn St Mary, Exeter, Devon EX6 6AN

Turn off the A30 at Tedburn St Mary and take the narrow road southwards towards Dunsford (warning: single track road - drive carefully and be prepared to negotiate if you meet a vehicle coming the other way). The driveway to Halstow Farm is on the right - there is a small "Cider" sign in the gateway but it's not very prominent and easy to miss if you drive too fast! Drive a couple of hundred yards down the drive to reach the farm.
OS Ref: SX823923

Click on the image to see the full picture

Long-established cidermaker (for over 300 years at Halstow). Cider is dispensed straight from the oak barrels in the large barn behind the farmhouse. Available S or D, or can be mixed in proportion to your taste. The Grays are very friendly folk, and the cider is reasonably priced. Will sell you containers (metric) or refill yours (metric or gallons). Warning: Not open Sundays! Otherwise open every day from 10am to 5pm.

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Hartland's
Tirley Villa, Tirley, Gloucestershire GL19 4HA

Tirley is a village almost on the River Severn, SW of Tewkesbury and north of Gloucester. Tirley Villa is west of Tirley, and stands on its own just south of the B4213. Look for the sign by the hedge alongside the main road. The house and cider barns are about 100 yards off the main road.
OS Ref: SO826290

Click on the images to see the full pictures

S/D cider made from traditional cider apples, or mixed to any required level of sweetness in between. Although I normally prefer dry cider, the sweet cider was very pleasant and had none of the aftertaste you get with some others. But the real star attraction is their award-winning perry (available dry only) - most highly recommended.
Very friendly place - we met Dave Hartland (pictured) who made us most welcome and chatted to us while we tasted samples and he filled up our containers.
Will sell gallon containers or refill yours. Also on sale are jams, chutneys, etc., ducks' eggs and other farm produce. Excellent - well worth a visit!

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Haye Farm
Haye Farm, St Veep, Lerryn, Lostwithiel, Cornwall PL22 0PB

Reached along the narrow Cornish lanes typical of the area - drive with caution! From the A390 at Lostwithiel, take the turning south towards the village of Lerryn (about 3 miles). Cross the bridge and turn right, taking the road south towards St Veep. Just before you reach St Veep, you should see the "cider" sign directing you to take a right hand turn. Follow the side road for about half a mile - it's steep, bendy and narrow - drive slowly in case you meet a tractor coming the other way! The farm is on the left. The cider sales are through the gate to the left of the farmhouse (not the other one!) - ring the bell for service.
OS Ref: SX132550

Colin Vincent was recovering from a tractor accident when I visited Haye Farm, but that didn't stop him from having a friendly chat over a sample or two of his excellent ciders. Made from many apple varieties from his own orchards, supplemented by other local apple supplies, Haye Farm cider is made the traditional way and is still pressed through straw. The cider is available D/M/S and in 1, 2 or 5 litre containers, or you can get your own containers refilled.

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Heck's
Middle Leigh, Street, Somerset BA16 0LB

Unusually, in the town rather than out in the wilds. From the High Street in Street town centre, turn up Vestry Road, cross over the first crossroads into Merryman Road, then over the next into Oriel Road (caution - give way at all crossings). Heck's is in a street called Middle Leigh on the corner where it intersects Oriel Road (which then becomes Ivythorn Road!)
OS Ref: ST481360

S/M/D all made from traditional cider apples, plus an excellent and reasonably priced draught Kingston Black. All Heck's excellent products are matured in wooden casks. Shop also sells vegetables, gifts, china, honey, apple juice, etc.
Gallon containers for sale, or bring your own for refills.

Update 21st July 2001: In addition to the normal ciders, Heck's now sell several single varietals - on my visit there were five including Dunkerton's Late Sweet, Yarlington Mill and Porter's Perfection. Well, I just had to try the lot - all very different and all superb! Also available was their award-winning Hendre Huffcap perry. They now sell the cider and perry in metric containers but will happily fill yours if you prefer. Friendly place - Chris Heck was happy to show me around in between dealing with the hordes of tourists from the Clark's Village shopping mall. He has some interesting old cider mills and showed me their 1950s press.

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Henry's
Tanpits Cider Farm, Dyers Lane, Bathpool, Nr. Taunton, Somerset TA2 8BZ

Not far from the M5 - leave at junction 25, and follow the dual carriageway towards Taunton. Go across the first large roundabout and continue along the dual carriageway, turning right onto the A38 towards Bridgwater at the Creech Castle inn. Bathpool is a short distance along the road (less than a quarter of a mile). Look for the "Caravan & Camping" signs and turn left into Dyers Lane. You'll see the campsite and cider farm on the left.
OS Ref: ST251264

An ideal place to spend a holiday - a campsite with its own cider mill - no need to go anywhere else, as everything you could possibly want is on hand! Dawn Pring's tasty farmhouse cider is very reasonably priced and available S or D, or can be mixed to your own taste. Lots of interesting old "scrumpiana" around the site - the place is a sort of informal farm museum! The campsite itself is very pleasantly laid out with trees scattered around, and has good sanitary facilities, in case you're interested! Containers available, or they will fill your own. Fresh farm eggs are also for sale, as well as cider jars and other souvenirs.

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Hunt's
Higher Yalberton Farm, Yalberton, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7PE

Less than a mile off the A385 Torbay - Totnes road. Coming from Paignton, turn left in the village of Collaton St Mary into Stoke Road, immediately before the Parkers Arms pub (towards Stoke Gabriel). Follow the slightly bendy road for about half a mile and where the main road bears right, take the second turning on the left towards Yalberton - you should see the "Cider" sign straight ahead at the junction. You'll see the farm's Cider sign on the right a few yards down the lane. Ring the bell at the window on the left of the farm entrance for service.
OS Ref: SX863591

Click on the image to see the full picture

The nearest scrumpy supplier to the Torbay resorts, now sadly the only one in the area since Churchward's closed a while back. A must if you're staying in Torquay, Paignton, etc. - the ideal place to keep stocked up during your holidays! Proper scrumpy made by traditional methods on this working dairy farm. Available S/M/D - all made from fruit from the farm's own orchards. Cider dispensed through serving window, straight from the barrels you can see inside. Friendly service.
Four-litre and two-litre containers for sale, or bring your own for refills - metric or imperial containers (gallons, etc.) all welcome. Open all year round - 9am-5pm in week, but note only open from noon-1pm Sundays.

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Kennford Cider
Lamacraft Farm, Kennford, Exeter, Devon EX6 7TS

Very close to the A38, just past the end of the M5 south-west of Exeter. Heading towards Plymouth, turn off the A38 at the Kennford services, and almost immediately turn left into Kennford village. A few hundred yards down the road you should see the Kennford Cider sign outside the farm on the left. You might find it easier to park your car in the road. Go into the farm and ring the bell for service, if no-one's around.
OS Ref: SX915863

Click on the images to see the full pictures

An ideal place to stock up en route for the resorts of Torbay and South Devon, being only just off the main road. S/M/D all made from traditional cider apples from orchards at nearby Chudleigh. Cider dispensed from oak barrels in the old cider barn. Friendly people - we were served by Kelly Baker. And don't mind the dogs - they bark a lot but don't bite!
While you're there, please sign the petition to help persuade the local authority to allow the Bakers to reinstate the sign alongside the A38 - for some reason it was felt that this was a distraction to drivers and it was removed. I wonder how many passing grockles are unaware of the excellent traditional scrumpy so close to hand as a result...? Gallon and half-gallon containers for sale, or bring your own for refills. Pure Devonshire Honey also for sale. Open 9am - 6pm daily, all year round.

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Minchew's
Rose Cottage, Aston Cross, near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 8HX

Note: Visitors welcome, but by appointment only - please call 01684 773427 to arrange visits and to ask for directions

Check out the Minchew's Real Cyder & Perry website for more details of products, history, etc.

Click on the image to see the full picture

Minchew's is definitely not a "run-of-the-cider-mill" sort of place! Kevin Minchew and Ric New are constantly experimenting with different ciders and perries, all made to the highest quality by traditional methods, using largely organic unsprayed traditional cider apple and perry pear varieties from local trees. In 1999 Kevin Minchew was awarded the APPLE Pomona award for his work in conserving rare old varieties of perry pears. Many of the fruits used are in very short supply, so only very small quantities of some perries and ciders can be made, but you can be sure that each one will be made to the highest possible quality. Kevin uses a scratter mill and stone-bed hand-operated twin-screw press, with the cider and perry being matured in oak barrels. Because of their methods, there's no guarantee what will be on offer at any time, but whatever they have for sale, it's certain to be excellent quality and worth every penny! On my last visit there was some excellent draught Stoke Red, and I tasted some mind-blowingly good Moorcroft perry. Many products are only available in bottles because of the small quantities available, otherwise Minchew's are happy to refill your containers of provide you with them.

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If you know of any cider producers not in any of the guides, I'd like to hear about them - please email me! Likewise please contact me if you discover any that have disappeared, have any other info - or just want to chat about scrumpy!

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