Armagh Apple Orchards

Armagh is called the Orchard County, and apple growing here is documented from at least the medieval period, but the modern industry rests on the Bramley: cuttings were brought to Armagh in the 1880s and the variety took to the soil and climate so well that the county now grows a substantial share of the Bramleys in Ireland, across around six thousand acres. Armagh Bramley Apples were granted protected geographical indication in 2012, restricting the name to fruit grown in the county. The Bramley is a cooking apple, too sharp to eat raw, that collapses to a purée when cooked, which is why it dominates British and Irish baking. Blossom covers the orchards for around two weeks in early May, and the Armagh Food and Cider Festival marks the harvest in autumn.

What you actually see

• The May blossom - two weeks of flowering across thousands of acres.
• The Bramley - the cooking variety brought to Armagh in the 1880s.
• The protected name - designation granted to Armagh Bramleys in 2012.
• The autumn harvest - picking and pressing through September and October.

When to go

Early May for blossom, which lasts around a fortnight and shifts with the weather; September and October for harvest, cider pressing and the food festival. Orchards are on private farmland and roadside viewing is the norm.

Honest expectations

The orchards are working farms, not visitor attractions, and most are not open to walk through; blossom viewing is largely from the road. Blossom timing is unpredictable and easy to miss. There is no single orchard centre, so a car and a map are needed.

Nearby

Armagh city and its two cathedrals are close; Lough Neagh lies north.