CIDER lovers across the county will be able to wish good health to this year's apple crop at a number of wassailing events this month.

Steeped in history, wassailing is an ancient custom of visiting orchards in cider-producing regions of England, reciting incantation's and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year.

The annual ceremony differs from town to village in cider-producing counties.

In Somerset residents will be spoilt for choice with celebrations being held all over the county from January 11.

Here are some of the wassailing events planned for this month:

January 11

  • Wassail at the Glastonbury Abbey Orchard from 2pm to 3pm. Click here for more information.

January 15

  • Wassail Evening with the Mid-Somerset Show at North Wooton Village Hall in High Street from 6.30pm. Free to attend. Click here for more information.

January 17

  • Sheppy's Cider at Sheppy's Cider Farm Shop, Three Bridges, Bradford-on-Tone from 5pm to 9pm. Tickets cost £6 each or £10 for a ticket and a meal. Click here for details.
  • Bennetts Farm at Edithmead, Highbridge. Call 01278 785376 for more information.

January 18

  • Somerset Wassail Evening from 7.30pm to 10pm at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell St, Glastonbury. Entry costs £12 per adult and £8 per child (under-5s free.) For details call 01458 831197.
  • Avalon Orchard in Glastonbury from 1pm to 4pm. Entry costs £3 for adults and £1 for children Click here for details.
  • Frieze Hill Community Orchard in Taunton from 5pm to 7pm. Call 01823 352512 for more information.
  • Rich's Cider Farm in Highbridge from 7.30pm. Call 01278 783 651 for more information.
  • West Croft Cider Farm in Brent Knoll from 7pm. Call 07423 155313 for more information.

Taking your camera along to a wassail? Send your pictures to newsdesk@somersetcountygazette.co.uk