Amazing Apple Afternoon at the Butterfly Park

Sunday 13th October was a warm October day - perfect weather for the second New Ferry Butterfly Park Apple Afternoon to celebrate locally grown apples.

Even more people came this year - thank you to everyone who visited and our volunteers who make it possible to hold such an event.

The first Apple Day was organised on 21st October 1990 by Common Ground to celebrate apples and orchards. Many traditional orchards were being dug up and the country became reliant on imported apples despite about 3,000 apple varieties having been grown in the UK. The aim was to bring the wide variety of local apples to the attention of the public.

At our event, John Bateman collected apples and manned the apple press so that visitors could taste freshly pressed juice. Many people took some juice away with them.

Mincing up the apples ready for juicing

John Bateman supervising the juice making

We had 28 varieties of apples picked from orchards at Brimstage, Upton Hall School and Ness Gardens. plus varieties from some of our volunteer’s gardens. What wonderful names these old varieties have - some dating back to the 17th century. Some like Lord Derby and Millicent Barnes are named after people. Catshead is named because of its shape. Red Love for the colour of its skin and flesh. A full list of the varieties we had for display and tasting is given below.

Local apple varieties on display at the Butterfly Park

Our apple peeling machine is always popular - who can create the longest piece of unbroken peel? This year the longest was 205cm. Common Ground used to run a national competition and one year someone from our Apple Day won the under 16 competition with a piece 269 cm long. No one has beaten this yet. Maybe at our 2025 Apple Afternoon?

Can you peel a whole apple without breaking the peel?

Wirral Wildlife has been holding Apple Days for many years and one little boy has always come to join in.

John, a fan of Wirral Wildlife's Apple Days,
taken at Eastham Country Park in 2016.

Over the years John has grown taller, although I have only grown older!

John at this year's Apple Afternoon!

Linda Higginbottom

New Ferry Butterfly Park Volunteer Coordinator

Apples on display:

Annie Elizabeth

Arthur Barnes

Blenheim Orange

Bramley

Catshead

Chiver’s Delight

Cox’s Orange Pippin

Crawley Beauty

Eccleston Pippin

Egremont Russett

Ellinson’s Orange

Fiesta

Golden Noble

Greensleeves

James Grieve

Jupiter

Lord Derby

Lord Lambourne

Malus Royalty

Millicent Barnes

Red Falstaff

Ribston Pippin

Peasgood’s Nonsuch

Red Love

Spartan

St Edmund’s Pippin

Tydesley Late

Withington Welter