Autumn UK: 9 Signs of Autumn to Look For
If you’re looking for the signs of autumn then you’re probably really glad that summer is over and who...
by Courtney Haddock / Autumn
Halloween is coming! And what better way to celebrate the spooky season than by visiting the best pumpkin patches in the UK?
Although supermarkets are filled with pumpkins to decorate, there’s nothing quite like taking advantage of the great outdoors and picking your own from a local farm or patch.
Kids and adults alike can explore and take part in any Halloween activities because there is such a beautiful range of varied forms, sizes, and colours to be found.
Make the most of Halloween this year and visit 13 of the best Pumpkin Patches UK below…
There’s no bigger sign of autumn in the UK than visiting a pumpkin patch on a crisp, sunny day!
Pumpkin patches typically begin accepting visitors in the UK around the October half term, which runs from the 16th to the 31st; however, there are a few patches that open earlier in the month.
Some are open all the way through October, whilst others only allow visitors on set weekend days! Check out our list below to find out when you can visit!
1. Make sure it’s the perfect shade of orange
Pumpkins that are mature have skin colours that are consistent all throughout their surface. Patches of colour other than orange may signify cuts in the pumpkin’s skin, causing it to decay faster.
2. Give it a whack
Make sure the pumpkin you choose is hollow on the inside, whether you’re using it for cooking or carving. You can find this out by giving it a good smack. Try to avoid picking pumpkins before they are fully ripe, as this can reduce their storage life.
3. Inspect the skin
At maturity, a pumpkin’s skin will be pretty firm. Try to poke a hole in the pumpkin’s skin with your fingernail to see how well it holds up to the test. In the absence of dents or punctures, the vegetable is ready to be used.
4. Make sure it doesn’t have bruises
Pumpkins in fields are frequently dropped and trampled on, resulting in many being damaged on the ground. When you choose yours, make sure the outer shell is still firm. Pumpkins that have been dropped are frequently damaged and have a softer outer shell, indicating that the pumpkin will decay sooner.
5. Check that it is flat.
Choose a pumpkin with a flat base that can stand upright on its own when carving it. They’re simpler to carve and have more traditional shapes.
Bell’s Pumpkin Patch was created many years ago by the Bell family as a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. It has now expanded to become one of the largest pumpkin patches in the UK.
This family farm in Lincolnshire produces more than 1 million of Bell’s renowned pumpkins each year, as well as squash and gourds. Shop for all your Halloween needs at the amazing pumpkin supermarket and shop after a long day at the farm.
Their Pumpkin Patch is open from the 15th to the 16th of October and from the 22nd to the 30th of October, with additional family entertainment and picture opportunities available, as well as Britain’s largest pumpkin cannon!
Next on our list of pumpkin patches in the UK is the well-named, Mr Pumpkin, a lovely farm with 90,000 pumpkins in 40 types. Pumpkin harvesting is available throughout October weekends and October half term.
Pumpkins come in a wide variety of colours, sizes, shapes, and flaws, from orange to white, star-shaped to gigantic or tiny, they even have striped and ugly. Admission is £2 for adults and free for anyone under the age of 16.
Book your tickets online ahead of time to avoid long lines on the day of your visit. You are free to stay on the site as long as you need to find your ideal pumpkin.
Near Coalville in Leicestershire is where you’ll find Cattows Farm. They provide a wide range of seasonal items, including pick-your-own produce, sunflowers, and obviously, pumpkins!
They have a corn maze throughout the summer months, which they transform into a scary maze for Halloween.
About 170,000 pumpkins, squashes, and beautiful gourds may be found at Cattows. Explore the massive jumping area, pedal karts, charity fun runs, the bale mountain, and the chance to interact with some of the farm animals.
A visit to the National Forest Adventure Farm in the historic town of Tatenhill is a wonderful way to spend the day.
The farm is home to a variety of friendly animals as well as fun indoor and outdoor activities. Throughout October, children can choose their own pumpkins, learn to fly in Broomstick Training, dare to enter the Haunted Mirror Maze, and hunt mummies in the maize maze.
The regular farm favourites will be available, including the barrel stampede, farmyard safari tractor ride, animal paddocks, and animal barn.
Farmer Copley’s Pumpkin Experience is a family-run farm store in Featherstone, West Yorkshire. A record number of 200,000 pumpkins will be grown this year, with more than 30 varieties available!
A variety of activities are on offer at Farmer Copleys Pumpkin Experience, including a tractor ride, bird of prey shows, face painting, a daily fancy dress competition, and so much more.
The festival will take place on 22 dates beginning at the end of September and continuing into October. Peak tickets are selling out fast, so don’t miss out!
Spend an afternoon at Tapnell Farm Park after enjoying one of the nearby Isle of Wight walks. Here, Halloween activities will take place from October 22nd through October 30th at Wanda’s Pumpkin Patch!
The Magical Pumpkin Patch is the place where visitors can re-discover Tapnell Farm’s old friend Wanda the Witch, along with her scatty scarecrow friends.
Choose your own pumpkin before heading to the carving cabin to create a jack-o-lantern to take home for Halloween. Guests can also have a tarot card reading with Rosella the Fortune Teller and see the Bugs and Beasties show.
Wales is where you’ll find a range of abandoned buildings, perfect to visit pumpkin patches in the UK! Bellis Brothers Garden Centre is located near Wrexham in North Wales and is a family farm with seasonal attractions such as pumpkin picking, fruit picking, and corn mazes.
All pumpkins are grown on-site at the family-run farm’s spooky pumpkin field. A Spooky Maize Maze is also part of the festivities, and Nightingale House Hospice holds fabulous fundraising activities for children.
Tickets are free but need to be booked in advance!
Visit the Pumpkin Farm in Pembrokeshire to find the ideal pumpkin in the floral meadow patch, have fun in the new woodland play area, and scare yourselves silly on the frightening walk and the spooky hay bale path.
Follow the bale route, climb the play area, and take the eerie walk before hunting for the ideal pumpkin in the pumpkin fields. Once you’re set, warm yourself by the fire pit with hot beverages and bacon rolls, marshmallows, and freshly popped popcorn.
The Pumpkin patch will be open every weekend from October 1st until Halloween.
Scotland is one of the UK’s spookiest locations and the perfect spot to go pumpkin picking in the UK. Kilduff Farm’s Pumpkin Festival will return for the fifth time in October 2022, with the gates open for pumpkin picking between October 15th and October 30th.
Try and find your way out of the spooky bale maze and treat yourself to a snack from the food and drink stalls.
With great recipes and a passion for local produce, the farm’s proprietors promote pumpkins beyond Halloween, create carvings and cooking techniques, and encourage less food waste.
Located at Corrimony Farm is also the world’s first and original Highland Pumpkin Picking patch. In the last four years, Loch Ness Pumpkins has welcomed over 10,000 visitors to the pumpkin patch.
Pumpkin picking will take place from October 13th until October 29th, 2022.
A variety of activities and treats are provided here, including a Bale Run, Kale Maze, Pumpkin Express, Pumpkin Munchkins, as well as hot food, drinks, and baked goods.
In the heart of Loch Lomond, Arnprior Farm pumpkin field is located less than an hour’s drive from Glasgow. On six acres, they have over 15,000 pumpkins to choose from, including gigantic orange Cinderella pumpkins.
Throughout October, enjoy activities ranging from face painting to quad pod rides, as well as the famed kale kids’ labyrinth and an all-weather haybale soft play area!
There’s no need to worry about being hungry because the food trucks serve a range of hot dishes such as churros, wood-fired pizzas, and handcrafted Scottish beef burgers.
Located between Donemana and Artigarvan, Fulton’s is a dairy and sheep farm with a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and a popular Spooktrail.
The five-acre pumpkin patch can be reached after crossing the haunted maize labyrinth, which features frightful characters and scenery throughout.
Once you’ve picked your pumpkin, make use of the on-site parking, portable restrooms, and tea shop for the afternoon.
Last on our list of pumpkin patches in the UK is Streamvale Farm. Just outside of Belfast lies this family-run dairy farm providing a variety of activities for visitors of all ages.
The Halloween pumpkin patch is open every day for three hours starting on October 15th and running until November 1st. Pumpkin carving, tractor and barrel rides, and a spooky trail are some of the other Halloween attractions you can enjoy this autumn!
After you’ve picked the perfect spooky pumpkin, head home and check out these Halloween facts. Or, if you’re feeling brave, venture out on a ghost walk and ghost tour.
Image Credits: Mick Malpass – (CC BY-SA 2.0)
by Courtney Haddock / Autumn
I'm Courtney and I joined the marketing team in February 2020! I love all things writing and travel and my favourite UK holiday de...
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