Hi, can anyone recommend a campsite that's either on or very near a working farm, where my two children can get involved feeding the animals etc ?
Ideally looking in the South East for weekend getaways but will travel further in school holidays
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Norden Farm ticks one and a half of your boxes - I don't think they encourage visitors to feed the animals though!
This is from their website:
"Depending on the time of year you may see young lambs & calves and we also have a farmyard area, and this will give an insight to what a real farm yard is like (this is free of charge so it may not look the same to a petting farm where you would pay for the entry). We ask that all children be supervised when visiting these areas."
Been to Tollgate Farm & would love to go back. When we went you could hold the animals at 10am each morning. It is a brilliant campsite -just please don't book when I'd like to go!!
Unfortunately my boys think they're too old for this campsite/smallholding, or I'd be back like a shot! Check the reviews, we collected our scraps and fed them to the pigs, fed the lambs, and held tiny chicks and baby rabbits. The cream tea is out of this world.
You may find more of a range if you search for a petting zoo site. Commercial farms can be dangerous places for young children, and the owners dont always have the time, or indeed the extra public liability insurance required to run the place as a family attraction.
We too love to go on the Farm type CLs, and have a couple of favourites where we visit regularly. One is an Adult only site simply because they do Horse rescue, and have had incidents in the past of parents entering the paddocks and putting their child on the horses back, resulting in some nasty injuries to the child when the horse has thrown them off. Entirely the parents fault as the totally ignored the 'Keep Out' signs dispayed around the working yard of the site.
The second of our favourite CLs raises beef cattle for Tescos, again they have had people trespassing into the working farm yard and climbing on machinary that is quite dangerous unless you have been trained how to use it, and also that cattle are capable of inflicting serious injuries with just one kick or head butt.
Im not sure if they still run the Petting farm at Stowford Meadows site, but our children used to enjoy that when they where younger. We also live near to the Chatsworth House petting farm, which is very much set up to teach young children about the care of farm animals in a very safe purpose built unit, which is also a popular destination for local infant and junior school trips at the end of term. The area is also well served with a wide selection of campsites to suit all tastes and pockets.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets