Where to pick your own pumpkins this autumn
Katy Salter
There’s something special about picking your own pumpkin on a crisp autumn day. Pumpkin patches have become hugely popular. Farms across the country are planting a wide variety of squashes, gourds and traditional orange pumpkins. Some pumpkin patches are small – a field or two on a working farm. Others offer a full day out, offering carving stations, spooky mazes and tractor rides, plus photo backdrops (did you even pick that decorative gourd if you didn’t Instagram it?)
Here is a directory of some of the best ‘pick your own pumpkin’ locations across the UK. Many are bookable in advance. Grab your wellies and make a visit to a pumpkin patch near you this autumn.
The best pumpkin patches in Scotland
Craigies Farm, South Queensferry, Edinburgh
What’s on offer: Seven varieties of squash and pumpkins in different colours, including Crown Prince, Snowman and Polar Bear. Buy an online entry voucher ahead of your visit, which includes entry to the farm’s Spooky Tunnels attraction.
Open: From 14th October, 9.30am-4.30pm
Also has: Kids’ adventure fun park, café and shop
0131 319 1048
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Cairnie Fruit Farm, Cupar, Fife
What’s on offer: The fields will be full of 12,000 pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. There’s also a Halloween torch-light maze. Pre-book a morning or afternoon pumpkin picking slot online.
Open: From 6th October, 10am-5pm
Also has: Kids’ fun yard, café and shop
01334 655610
Kilduff Farm, North Berwick, East Lothian
What’s on offer: Choose from an array of pumpkins, including culinary pumpkins grown specially for cooking with. There are also photo opportunities, games and a bale maze.
Open: Set days from 13th to 29th October; book a two-hour slot in advance
Also has: Farm produce for sale
07793 600 289
The best pumpkin patches in the North East of England
Spilmans, Sessay, North Yorkshire
What’s on offer: 125,000 pumpkins, squashes and gourds in different colours. Activities include a Halloween live show, hay bale mountain, carving barn, fairground rides, tractor rides and pumpkin sling shot.
Open: Weekends from 2nd Oct, everyday 23rd-31st Oct, 9am-3.30pm. Advance booking essential.
Also has: Shop and café
07754 857284
East Grange Farm, Durham
What’s on offer: Plenty of pumpkin varieties for picking on an 8-acre farm. Pumpkin patch cafe, photo ops and face painting.
Open: Hours still TBC. Check the farm’s Facebook page for updates.
0191 3842718
The best pumpkin patches in the North West of England
Kenyon Hall, Croft, Warrington
What’s on offer: Large pumpkin patch with more than 15,000 pumpkins. Pumpkin-themed photo backdrops.
Open: Pumpkin Festival running from 23rd Sept-31st Oct, 9.15am-4pm
Also has: Shop, café, plant centre and play area
01925 765531
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Windmill Animal Farm, Burscough, Lancashire
What’s on offer: 20,000 pumpkins ready for picking. Tickets for the 2023 Pumpkin Adventure also include admission into the animal farm.
Open: Pumpkin picking running from 7th-29th October, 10am-5pm
Also has: Playground, animal farm, café, farm train, indoor play and picnic area
01704 892282
The best pumpkin patches in the East of England and Midlands
Pumpkins R Us, Southam, Warwickshire
What’s on offer: Thousands of ready-picked pumpkins and squash in different colours. ‘After dark’ ‘pumpkin picking events on selected evenings. Wheelchair-friendly indoor area.
Open: everyday, 10am-5pm, evening events from 7pm
Also has: Café and Halloween shop
Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Staffordshire
What’s on offer: More than 80,000 pumpkins spread out over 12 acres of fields. There’s also a pumpkin carving barn,trailer rides, spooky photo booths and pick-your-own potatoes, sweetcorn and carrots. Book tickets online.
Open: Weekends from 30th Sept-8th October, then everyday from 14th-31st October, opening hours vary
Also has: Kids’ adventure farm with indoor and outdoor play areas, food stalls.
01785 907440
Mr Pumpkin, Morley, Derbyshire
What’s on offer: 90,000 pumpkins of various shapes, sizes and colours. There are 40 varieties to choose from. There’s also a pumpkin trail, mini fairground and bouncy castle. Book tickets online.
Open: 1st October, 7th-8th October, 14th-15th October then daily from 20th-31st October. Opening hours vary.
Also has: Food and drink stalls.
07967 362215
The best pumpkin patches in London and the South East of England
Pumpkin Moon, Maidstone, Rainham and Bapchild, Kent
What’s on offer: Two farms with 100 different pumpkin and gourd varieties. Book online.
Open: 7th-8th October (Rainham only), 14th-15th October, 20th-29thOctober, 10am-3.30pm
Also has: Street food and drink stalls
07860 756147
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Tulley’s Farm, Cupar, West Sussex
What’s on offer: Acres of fields, with a whopping 1 million pumpkins, squashes and gourds. Book online.
Open: Weekends from 23rd September to 15th October, then daily from 18th-31st October, opening hours vary.
Also has: Themed photo backdrops, street food and drink stalls, bar, ‘Pumpkin Nights’ evening sessions.
01342 718472
The best pumpkin patches in Eastern England
Foxes Farm, Basildon and Colchester, Essex
What’s on offer: Two pumpkin patches in Essex.
Open: Weekends from 30th September to 8th October, everyday from 14th-29th October, 9am-4pm
Also has: Themed photo backdrops, food stall, corn maze and children’s activities
01206 481983
Pumpkin Jim’s, Ickleton, Cambridgeshire
What’s on offer: Various types of pumpkins and squash on a family-run farm. Prebook your time slot online.
Open: 21st-29th October, 10am-3pm
Also has: Children’s play area, food trucks
The best pumpkin patches in the South West of England
Trevaskis Farm, Hayle, Cornwall
What’s on offer: Popular pick-your-own farm, which has fields of pumpkins to pick in October, as well as other seasonal fruit such as apples.
Open: Everyday, 10am-5pm
Also has: Farm park, restaurant, farm shop
01209 713931
Dorset Country Pumpkins, Blandford Forum, Dorset
What’s on offer: Family farm where all the pumpkins are sown by hand. Orange and white pumpkins in different sizes available for picking.
Open: Check the farm’s Facebook page for 2023 opening times
The best pumpkin patches in Wales
Powells Farm, New Radnor, Powys
What’s on offer: Smallish, family-run pumpkin patch but with a good range of varieties, ranging from the diminutive Jill Be Little to the (self-explanatory) Atlantic Giant. Book a parking slot online.
Open: Weekends from 7th October and selected weekdays in late October.
Also has: Pumpkin carving stations, hay bale castle, children’s half-term activities
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Pencoed Fach Farm, Blackwood, South Wales
What’s on offer: Working organic farm with a pumpkin patch. Spot the farm’s sheep, goat’s and chickens in neighbouring fields and snap some pics by the photo displays. Book online.
Open: Weekends only from 30th September to 22nd October, and subject to availability. 10am-4pm
The best pumpkin patches in Northern Ireland
Streamvale Open Farm, Belfast
What’s on offer: Popular pumpkin patch on an open farm near Belfast with lots of family-friendly extras, including a spooky maze and a carving station.
Open: 7th and 8th October, then daily from 14th to 31st October (book a morning or afternoon slot online)
Also has: Tractor and barrel rides, play areas, refreshments, Halloween disco, pumpkin picking evenings on selected dates
02890 483244
Fulton’s Pumpkin Patch, Artigarvan, County Tyrone
What’s on offer: Pumpkin patch on a family-run sheep and dairy farm with 19 different pumpkin varieties.
Open: 14th-29th October, 10am-4pm
Also has: Maize maze,face painting, kids activities, refreshments, picnic area with views over the Sperrin mountains
07817 593357
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