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The Black and White Trail gives visitors a closer look at the beautiful countryside and villages between Leominster and Kington in the north-west of Herefordshire. The trail, as the name suggests, is characterised by the large number of timbered and half-timbered houses in the area some dating from medieval times, others from more recent periods. 

The official Trail is a 40-mile journey around Herefordshire villages including award winning Eardisland, Weobley with an extraordinary variety of medieval buildings, Eardisley with its giant oak tree, Dilwyn with its village green surrounded by cottages and the two market towns of Kington and Leominster.

Each village is a treasure trove of cottages, inns and shops all constructed with timber framing so characteristic of this wood-rich area.   At the centre of each is a fascinating church, as varied as the ancient black and white buildings grouped around them. 

Many of the houses in Herefordshire date from the 16th and 17th century or earlier, when timbers were often left unpainted to weather naturally,while the panels were painted with pigmented lime wash.  The framework was built from green (unseasoned) oak and the panels are in-filled with lath woven strips of wood and plaster. The idea of decorating timber framed houses by painting the beams black and the panels white is a recent one.

Base yourself in Weobley at one of the self catering cottages offered at Mellington House.  The Hayloft has been converted into an attractive apartment that can sleep four.  The Coach House can sleep up to three people.

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