THE National Trust s Killerton estate, near Exeter, is inviting the public to its 50 acres of apple orchards for two Big Pick Up days to help harvest this year s crop.

THE National Trust's Killerton estate, near Exeter, is inviting the public to its 50 acres of apple orchards for two Big Pick Up days to help harvest this year's crop.

Between 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Sunday, September 27 and Sunday, October 4, the 98 varieties of apples grown on the estate will be picked, ready to be made into Killerton's famous cider.

Assistant Property Manager Denise Melhuish said: "This event is fun for all of the family and a chance to join in some of the work that goes on at the 10 square mile Killerton estate. Bring a picnic and enjoy spending time in the beautiful orchards, have a go and see how many rosy apples that you can pick!'

The Big Pick Up, along with Apple Day on Sunday, October 18, aims to raise awareness of the importance of traditional orchards, highlighting the need to conserve traditional apple varieties and protect orchards for their contribution to the character of local landscapes and their benefit to wildlife.

The underlying wild flower meadows of the Killerton cider orchards provide nectar for the resident bees and the surrounding hedges and grass margins provide a good habitat for birds such as finches, thrushes and woodpeckers and small mammals including bank and field voles.

Long eared bats also forage on the moths amongst the fruit trees at night.