MORE than 5,000 people thronged the Blackmoor Estate on Sunday for its annual Apple Tasting Day, which raised an estimated £10,000 for good causes in the area.

IT was the 46th year the event had been held and, as always, there was much to see and do at the Blackmoor Estate’s Apple Tasting Day on Sunday, which raised an estimated £10,000 for good causes in the area.

The emphasis was on apples and on families enjoying a fun day out.

Members of different organisations took it in turns volunteering to man tasting stalls, which offered new varieties such as Evelina and Opel along with old favourites like Cox’s Orange Pippin and Norfolk Royal Russet. There were several varieties of pears, all grown at the farm.

Apple manager William Wolmer said it had been one of the estate’s best years for the apple quality but not quantity as growth had not been helped by a wet spring. But he added, from the number of bags of apples being sold, sales were up.

With a queue stretching outside his tent, Gerry Edwards was kept busy identifying apples of all shapes, sizes and colours which had been puzzling their owners.

By the end of the day he had named around 100 varieties, some of which are almost extinct. He was also a “gardening doctor” helping with “apple ailments”.

A display of pumpkins greeted visitors as they arrived, having been grown by Howard Coles, from Blackmoor. They were sold by his 19-year-old nephew Nathan.

Inside the farm yard a warehouse was filled with stalls for groups like: Blackmoor Village Hall, the Blackmoor Bell Ringers, Blackmoor Bling, the Alton Lifeboat Society, the Amphibian Reptile Conservation Trust, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Conservation Trust, Bordon’s Phoenix Theatre, the Oakhanger Angling Association, Petersfield Bee Keepers, Bordon’s TLC, the Greatham Village Allotment Association, Hollywater Hens, Help for Heroes (run by Gloria Harrison from Whitehill) and the South Down’s National Park.

There were tours of the St Matthew’s Church tower and horse and cart rides, drawn by Suffolk Punches Leo and Otis. The Alton Morris dancers were one of the highlights of the day.

Among the stalls, a blacksmith demonstrated his skills with iron and there was a whole avenue of food and drink, from champagne to vintage cider. The Blackmoor and Whitehill Scouts and Cubs ran a barbecue as well as their own stall.

Because there was so much to see and do, and because it was such glorious weather, the crowds lingered well into late afternoon - and it had proved to be one of the most successful Apple Tasting Days ever.

The estate estimated that, when all collections were tallied, the event would raise £10,000 for the local organisations which ran the stalls and events. The Lions collected donations at the gates.