Grow up there, or grow old there, just don't be there when you hit 20 (Hereford in General)

Member Name: Turkmenbashi

Product:	Hereford in General
Date:	25/07/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice and quiet. Beautiful countryside

Disadvantages: Not a hell of a lot to do as a young man/woman

Hereford is a town that is good to grow up in, and great to grow old in. But trust me, when you hit 18 you need to get the hell out. Having grown up there myself, and witnessed my parents grow old there, I feel I am qualified to make this distinction.

There is no doubt that Hereford is a very pretty city. The cathedral and surrounding area is stunning, as is the river Wye which winds its way through the centre of town. Taking a stroll along here on a nice summers evening is an experience that can match the best offered by most cities. There is also a fair amount of history to be seen, especially the Mappa Mundi, the first ever map of the world. The modern visitor centre set up to house this is definitely worth a visit. There are also various bits and bobs dotted around town, such as the Black and White house and associated museum in the city centre. In short, Hereford is a lovely place to spend a weekend's vacation.

But that is also where the problem lies. Because when the weekend is over, what the hell are you supposed to do then? The town centre itself has a fairly rag tag selection of shops including most of the big chains (boots, whsmith etc). But beyond that, options are very limited, unless of course you like supermarkets, because the place is replete with them. There were seven at the last count, big ones as well, which must be some sort of record for a town of only 50,000. In the evenings your choice of activity is largely limited to the one screen cinema or the American themed bowling ally near the train station. Although there are a lot of pubs to choose from, few are what you would describe as welcoming places. The less said about the choice of clubs the better.

But Hereford does have one saving grace - the countryside. Get out of the city and you will find yourself in some of the most stunning scenery in the country. Whether you like hills, forests, river valleys or parkland its all available here. It is also littered with history, with castles (especially the highly recommended Goodrich Castle) and stately homes dotting the fields and a great selection of activities (from canoeing, to rock climbing, to pony trekking) to take part in. I would also recommend a visit to one of the county's cider mills (Weston's is particularly good) to sample some of the region's most famous tipple. Although you could find yourself getting bored in Hereford city within a handful of days, you could spend months exploring all the things to do across the county. There can be few things better in life that finding a small country pub, and relaxing with a pint of Herefordshire cider after a hard days walking.

In short, as a visitor to the city, make sure you don't limit yourself to the town itself, although I have no doubt you could have a perfectly lovely long weekend just doing that. If you are planning to live there, its a great place to bring up a family, and I would imagine a great place to retire to. If you do live there now, I'd suggest you get out and see the world before you stay too long and grow sick of the place. You will appreciate it a whole lot more as a place to return to in order get away from the chaos of a big city.

Summary: Nice for a visit, not to spend you whole life in