- farm
- (20)
-
A working farm between Tiverton and Barnstaple - really lovely family site for relaxing. If you're a walker, it's a good spot for walking the moors or equally for local walks.
West Middlewick Farm, Nomansland, Tiverton Devon Ex16 8NP, www.westmiddlewick.co.uk , 01884 861235
Finkley is, well, a farm and a park! There are lots of animals that you can feed, like llamas, ducks, geese, goats and, if you dare, bulls. Then there are the large play areas: a pedal cart track, old tractors to climb all over, a bunch of trampolines, a very large slide, a climbing fort or two and an infants' play area.
At regular times through the day there are feedings and handling sessions, for example, to sit and hold bunnies, and to groom the horses. There is a large collection of gypsy wagons to see, too.
There is a cafe on site with both indoor and outdoor seating. Just watch out for the roaming peacocks who like to steal your chips! Admission is reasonably priced for such a lot of things to do.
Photos and a description of our trips there can be found on our website: www.reeves-hall.net/kids-outings/finkley-down-farm-park/
Pun Pun is an organic farm, seed-saving operation, and sustainable living and learning centre based about 50km North of Chiang Mai. It offers a variety of workshops and training courses, with in-depth, hands-on experience in organic gardening, earthen house building and community living, as well as sustainability study trips.
www.earthoria.com/podcast-pun-pun-sustainable-organic-farming.html
The air quality plummets to dangerous levels every March in Chiang Mai due to slash-and-burn farming in the surrounding countryside. You can check the daily pollution levels here before setting off, at earthoria.com.
www.earthoria.com/air-pollution-levels-in-chiang-mai-rising.html
This National Trust site has a manor house, with attached farm and gardens which can all be visited. The farm is especially popular with kids - petting areas, a playground with toy tractors, feeding time (hear the pigs oink and squeal as the food approaches) and all the usual farm animals are there - horses, cows, sheep, pigs, poultry, goats, with a few guinea pigs and rabbits thrown in. There are cafes and a restaurant too.
8km southwest of Cambridge, www.wimpole.org
We stopped for lunch at this little farm shop cafe (near Haslemere in Surrey), and had the best cup of coffee I have ever tasted - and I have tried a lot of coffees! I got talking to the owner, and he has looked for (and obviously found) a company that roasts the beans in some sort of special way (he explained, and it was interesting, but the details are a haze now). Then he has a machine that slices the beans in a way that doesn't release the (bitter) oils. After that, he'd researched the best water to use (de-ionised)... and so on. This guy is a real treasure.
Headley Road, Grayshott, Hants
01428 712777 (shop/restaurant)
www.applegarthfarm.co.uk/cafe/
For a restful break in stunning countryside, we can highly recommend Les Anes de Vassivière, just outside Peyrat-le-Château in the department of Haute-Vienne, in the Limousin region.
There's a website (see below) with a superb selection of moer than 5,000 other farms throughout France, offering a variety of services.
400 of these farms have camping of one sort or another.
Les Anes de Vassivière,
Champseau
87470 Peyrat-le-Château.
www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com
Lime Tree Farm, in the Blue Mountains and overlooking Lime Tree village, is a working coffee farm with 3 simple but luxurious cottages (huge bed, coffee machine, bathroom, view to die for). You eat (delicious and generous home-cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner) on the veranda (view to die for) with the farm's husband and wife team, Charlie and Suzie, whose relaxed, friendly and interesting stories will keep you entertained and ensure you'll feel right at home.
We saw birdlife galore (most often right outside our room), went for invigorating walks in the surrounding hills that were lush and in flower (and where the friendly residents of the village will point and often accompany you back on the right path should you get a tad disorientated).
Honestly, it was my third time to Jamaica and this was the best place i've been yet (including the beautiful beaches). Charlie or Leroy will take you on walks in the surrounding hills and mountains, or leave you to it, sort out day trips to the beach or to the botanic gardens and the whole family will just make you feel so relaxed you'll be sure to love it. And even the profits from the bar go to 2 local schools!
If you are looking for more from Jamaica than the usual all-inclusive, beach stuff and fancy relaxing among the hummingbirds with an occasional visit from Zulu (their huge but very friendly black dog) then make sure a stay at Lime Tree is included in your trip. Did I mention the view is to die for??? Oh, and the coffee, obviously!
The one essential reason to visit Kampong Cham is for the Rana Country Homestay - the most rewarding day of our entire trip to Cambodia. 80% of Cambodia’s population are still subsistence farmers, and this place is unique in giving an insider insight into the realities of peasant life.
The delightful and informative owner takes you on tours of the village and farmlands, in between making delicious home-cooked Cambodian meals (best Amok by miles), and in the evening people from the village come to talk to you about whatever you want.
We found it particularly insightful to have this perspective on the Pol Pot years – especially as most information comes from previously wealthy city dwellers dispossessed by the Khmer Rouge or the horrors of Toul Sleng and the killing fields. Strongly recommend you take the short detour required off the road from Phnom Penh – Siem Reap to visit!
It's a farm. There are loads of delicious creamy flavours. You can see the cows being milked. There's a wacky mailing list. They have little plastic spoons in all the colours of the rainbow and then some.
Drive from Helston on to the Lizard. Some way past the turn for Mullion you take a right then a sharp left. (Take a map with you : it's late at night right now .. & I'm in Amersham.)
Delicious crisp and crunchy chips - just as they should be. Served with a wide array of different choices of fish... choose from skate or sole rather than the usual cod. A splendid trip and while you're there, you'll probably find yourself just having to go into one of the best farm shops ever!
Topsham, Devon
The Ouseburn Valley is perhaps Newcastle's best-kept secret: family friendly, a stone's throw from the city centre and stuffed full of characterful pubs, music venues, art galleries and culture hubs. It's got Seven Stories - the Centre for Children's Books - next to 36 Lime Street; a rabbit warren of artists' studios next to the Round; a brand new theatre in the round specialising in theatre for young people which is next to the Cluny, Newcastle's famous live music venue.
Up the hill is the Stepney Bank Stables, the City Farm is over the road, there's the anarchist cinema The Star and Shadow nestling up to the ArtWorks Gallery and the Tanners pub.
The river itself winds through the valley, passing most of the sights - a wander along the path next to it is a relaxing way to get your bearings.
The whole area is bursting with fun and unusual activities for all ages. Highly recommended, whether you want to enjoy a nice beer on the Green or spend a whole day exploring the best of Newcastle's culture.
Lime Street is the heart of the regenerated Ouseburn, slap-bang underneath Byker Bridge. Nearest Metro stops are Manors and Byker. Nearest bus stop is St Dominics (cross the road to the Tanners and head down Stepney Bank towards the massive factory chimney). The Q2 Yellow Bus stops at St Anne's Steps, a 5 minute walk from the Ouseburn.
In July last year I visited the farm as part of a large group of 50 people and what an interesting place to visit. We got to see and feed the pet lambs, the baby pups and of course the sheep dog demonstration with Harry and Darkey the two main dogs. Then after the demonstration John gave a sheep shearing demonstration and we also got a chance to try the shearing of the sheep. This was a truly enjoyable experience and the best visit of our whole trip. It is not a tourist trap and is a place where you can see life on the farm as it happens. Can highly recommend this visit to John & Anneloes Kissane.
2km on the Killarney Side of Moll's Gap N71 Ring of Kerry Road.
The Kissane Sheep Farm is a farm, beautifully located next to the Killarney National Park. It's the best way to see a traditional sheep farmer at work, with shearing sheep and sheep dog trials and everything. John and Anneloes are very dedicated to and proud of their work and take lots of time to show visitors around. After the demonstrations you can take a couple of great hikes.
Bonane Heritage Park is well worth a visit with lots of well preserved sites including a ring fort stone circle and standing stone to name but a few. And the cup of tea and apple crumble with Stevie and Francies in Molly Gallivans Open Farm is a must.
I also found in Bonane the chocolate factory, Advanced videos studio that will record your trip or any occasions for you. The Weaver shop, and Nicks recording studio, what a wonderful community with so much to offer.
I have also joined friends of Bonane to suport the work they're doing in the Herritage Park (15 Euro a year - you can get information on www.bonane.com).
You should add Bonane to your holiday list - thanks to all that made me so welcome on my trip. I will be back.
When in Kenmare you follow the N71 to Glengariff. Bonane is about 10km this will also join the ring of Beara more information to be found at www.bonane.com.
Visitor Centre. We spent a lovely day at Molly Gallivan's, to experience Ireland in days gone by. A warm welcome, audio visual, lovely walk through Molly's traditional cottage & farm.
After words we enjoyed some of Frances excellent home baking in the tea rooms and picked up some locally made crafts in the gift shop. Not to be missed.
In Bonane, on the ring of Beara tourist route, N71 road half way between Kenmare & Glengarriff
Tel 353 (0) 64-40714 / 41455
E-mail: mollygallivan@eircom.net
Web www.mollygallivans.com
Opened April / October
Lush fields of coffee and banana plants, bamboo groves and heliconias - fantastically shaped tropical flowers - to be admired from slow moving rafts, horseback or from one of the Jeep Willys that provide the main form of transport in the region.
The coffee growing region of Colombia has become an important touristic region with many of the coffee farms or fincas opening their doors to guests. Because of its popularity with Colombian, and increasingly international tourists, there are better developed facilities than in many other parts of the country, with day trips to many of the sites and attractions easily organised through agencies or the farms themselves. Highly recommended.
Right in the heart of the city St Werburghs is a unique neighbourhood which down the years has attracted hippies, travellers and artists to live there. Entry to the farm is free. There is a range of livestock, a community garden, an adventure playground, a farm shop and a cafe which Gaudi appears to have been let loose on. Adjacent to the cafe is The Farm pub where on Sunday nights Dj Derek plays from his consummate reggae selection and chats away to the crowd in his Jamaican patois.
Watercress Rd,
St Werburghs BS2 9JY
0117 942 8241
www.stwerburghs.org
A working farm on the Yarra River in inner-city Collingwood. A beautiful space where you and your kids can get really close to nature and learn things in a friendly educational environment. Great cafe and weekend market, great way for kids to get their hands dirty.
Right on the river in Collingwood.
Working hilltop farm on the borders of Umbria and Tuscany, within striking distance of all Tuscany landmarks. Buildings have been renovated to a high standard by an Italo-American gay couple. Outdoor pool with views down the valley. Relaxing friendly atmosphere. Recommended.
www.priello.com
Roughly an hour by train from Arezzo.
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
Search Been there
