Pumpkin Picking at Wynford Farm Park

Rain is the thing that undoes an October farm visit, and Wynford is built for it. The pumpkin patch is outdoors, but a large soft play barn, an indoor animal barn and an indoor role play village all sit within a short walk of it, so bad weather changes the plan rather than ending it.

The Halloween Spooktacular runs for just over a fortnight in the middle of October, and the outdoor patch is where you pick your pumpkin. The rest of the park carries on as normal around it, which is the main reason to make the trip: this is a full farm park rather than a field with a gate on it.

The animals cover a lot of ground. Highland cattle, Aberdeen Angus, sheep and goats are out on the farm, guinea pigs, goats and pigs live in the indoor barn, and the Tropical Wee Beasties Shed houses parrots, meerkats and giant tortoises. Outside there are jumping pillows, a go-kart track, a digging zone with a sand pit and mini diggers, and a playground with pedal trikes, swings and slides.

Food comes from the farm itself. The cafe serves organic beef and pork reared on site, along with coffee and ice cream, and an outdoor kiosk opens when the weather is kind enough to use it.

The park advertises a discount for booking admission online rather than paying at the gate, so it is worth sorting tickets before you leave. Allow a good part of the day; there is more here than an hour or two will cover.