Visit the Orchard
A working cider apple orchard near Sidmouth, open during blossom and harvest. There are only a handful of days each year when the orchard is fully in blossom.
Bowhayes Orchards is a working cider apple orchard in East Devon, a few miles inland from Sidmouth in the Otter Valley. We grow Dabinett, Browns and Michelin —traditional bittersweet varieties that have shaped South West cider for generations. Visits are by arrangement. It's a working place, not a visitor attraction, and that's part of the point.
When to Come
Late April into mid May. The orchard is in full flower, the bees are working, and the East Devon hills are at their best. A handful of open days each spring — see the journal for current updates, and orchard seasons in Devon for how blossom timing tends to run.
September into October. Fruit coming in, tractor in the rows, press running. The busiest weeks of the year and the most honest time to see the orchard.
What to Expect
A real working orchard. Rows of trees, mown grass, machinery where it's needed, and quiet otherwise. No tasting room, no gift shop, no scripted tour.
If you're here at the right time you'll see blossom or harvest as it happens — the rest of the year, the orchard is mostly given over to the trees themselves.
Around Here
The orchard sits in the Otter Valley, with the Jurassic Coast a short drive south and the East Devon National Landscape (formerly AONB) on the doorstep. If you're making a few days of it, the Otter Valley Trail covers the wider valley, and there is self-catering accommodation at Bowhayes Farm.
- Sidmouth — Regency seafront and red cliffs, a few miles south.
- Ottery St Mary — home of the Tar Barrels each November.
- Whimple — old Whiteway's cider country and the winter Wassail.
- Sidmouth Folk Festival — first week of August.
Common Questions
When can you visit Bowhayes Orchards?
The orchard is open by arrangement during blossom (late April to mid May) and during harvest (September to October). Other times of year are by appointment.
When is blossom season in Devon?
Cider apple blossom in East Devon runs from late April into mid May, depending on the season. Dabinett is typically the latest of our varieties to flower.
Where is Bowhayes Orchards?
Bowhayes Farm, Venn Ottery, Ottery St Mary, Devon, EX11 1RY — a few miles inland from Sidmouth, in the Otter Valley.
What happens during harvest?
From September to October, fruit is shaken or gathered from the rows, brought in by tractor, and pressed within hours. Visitors during harvest see the orchard at its busiest.
Find Us
Bowhayes Farm, Venn Ottery, Ottery St Mary, Devon, EX11 1RY
01404 812229
hello@bowhayesorchards.co.uk
Find Us Elsewhere
- Google Business Profile