Our sister site, Ripon & Nidderdale Mumbler recently visited Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm near Harrogate. Here is how she got on….
“Before yesterday I can quite honestly say I’d never brushed a pig before. Our visit to Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm changed that.
Set just below Brimham Rocks on a working farm in the beautiful rolling hills of the dales, Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm is a fun family day out, offering you the chance to get up close to the animals and come rain or shine you have something to keep the kids well entertained with an indoor soft play area and a barn in which to see many of the animals
We were greeted warmly upon our arrival and the children were told all about the gnome hunt that is running there this Summer. They were challenged to find different gnomes hidden around the farm both inside and out that held clues to help them solve a puzzle before they left – with a sweet as a prize.
Armed with our gnome hunt sheets we walked through a small gift shop and into an expansive café area in a large barn. With wooden tables set out it had a rustic charm and welcoming feel. To the left of the café there is an even larger area dedicated to soft play. In this section of the barn there is a beautiful mural depicting the local area of Brimham Rocks and surrounding countryside as well as plenty of seating to have a cup of tea and keep an eye on the kids as they play.
The soft play area itself is very clean and, I am assured by my kids, fun. While the large soft play area is recommended for children under 12 years (or 148cm) there is also a smaller area for babies and toddlers to crawl around in.
A friendly member of staff came round asking all the children if they wanted to help feed the ducks in the field outside. This involved a lot of excited kids, grabbing handfuls of feed from a bucket all completely surrounded by ducks – a really great hands-on experience, much more fun than just throwing food to ducks on a pond at the park.
The outside area, while still a work in progress has a large sandpit with the addition of messy, sandy ‘rock pools’ to dig in for the Summer, an outdoor play area with swings, climbing frames with slides for both toddlers and bigger kids and a huge open field with animals in pens and several ducks, still hopeful of a feed, wandering around freely – much to the delight of the toddler who was with us. There was also the large barn with animals in – perfect for if it’s raining.
In the barn there was the opportunity to get up close to the animals and a really helpful member of staff in there willing to answer any questions we had – such as ‘do we really get to brush these pigs?’ As well as the pampered pigs there were cows, goats, chicks of varying sizes, a pony, alpacas and more. There is also the chance to practise your milking skills on a couple of plastic goats.
We were there for about three hours and could have stayed longer. Our time wasn’t limited at any of the activities and once you’re in there you can spend as long as you want there. The café offers tea, coffee, cakes and ice cream as well as things like sandwiches, paninis and jacket potatoes. Perfect if you’re staying for lunch or just want a snack. Under 2’s are free so it’s a great place to meet up with friends for a cuppa and entertain the kids.
We had a fun day out with friends. The kids loved getting hands-on with the animals and playing in the soft play area. The staff were welcoming and friendly and it’s set in a beautiful location. Having been open for less than a year I’m excited to see what else they have planned for the farm and what fun activities will be happening over the next year.
Cost: £5 per person or discount family rates such as £18.75 for 4 and £24 for 6. Under 2’s are FREE.
Open Daily: 10am – 5pm
Fiddlers Green, Brimham Rocks Road, Hartwith, Harrogate HG3 3HB
(NB: the postcode may take you to Acorns Retreat. The Farm is about 500 yards away from there on the same road)
