Pumpkin Picking at Bowland Country Park

The pumpkins here are grown on site, in the park's own kitchen garden in the Forest of Bowland, and the sessions are run by Maz, who looks after that garden. It is a small, hands-on way to do pumpkin picking rather than a large ticketed field, and everything is arranged by the hour.

Picking sessions run on the weekend of Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at 10am, 11am and 12pm, with two more on Saturday 24 October at 10am and 11am. Halloween crafts and potion making follow at 2pm on both days of that first weekend, so a family can pick in the morning and come back for the craft session in the afternoon.

Two days are aimed at particular groups. Thursday 22 October is a Home Educators Day, with pumpkin picking, potion making and autumn crafts at 10am and 1pm. Thursday 29 October combines all three activities into single sessions at 10am, 12pm and 2pm, which suits families who would rather make one visit than two.

Everything must be booked in advance through the kitchen garden's booking page. This is not a turn up on the day event, and the park is clear that spaces for its seasonal activities are limited, so the popular weekend slots are the ones to sort early. Bowland Country Park itself sits at Chipping near Preston, so for most visitors the drive out through the Forest of Bowland is part of the day.