Bates Farm
ENTRY
from £15
WHERE
Warrington
What it’s like
Pigs, sheep and donkeys to meet, lambs to hold, and a pumpkin patch that turns into a proper food-and-music event come summer.
The animals do the heavy lifting here. Pigs, sheep, calves and donkeys are all on the list to meet, and in spring there's the chance to hold a baby lamb or, if the timing works out, watch one being born. That's the bit worth planning a visit around if you can, rather than turning up on a random Tuesday and hoping.
The pumpkin patch is the headline seasonal event, £15 a car, and you can pick from the open patch or the undercover barn if the weather's against you. There's face painting and a pink tractor for photos, and on summer weekends the site runs food and music pop-ups from midday, no booking needed, so you can just turn up. Sunday mornings there's a farm run club from 9am if anyone in your group fancies a jog before the crepes.
Food is properly sorted for a farm visit: a food court doing wood-fired pizzas, Greek gyros, cinnamon buns and crepes, plus Uproot Coffee for the grown-ups (open April to September, mornings mostly). Parking's free on site, which takes the sting out of the pumpkin patch fee, and it sits handily between Manchester and Liverpool off the M6 and M62 if you're coming any distance.
There's outdoor play and indoor seating too, so a soggy afternoon isn't a write-off. Christmas gets its own seasonal event.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- Food and music pop-ups are walk-up, no booking needed
- Parking
- Free parking on site
- Food
- Court with coffee, cinnamon buns, crepes, wood-fired pizzas, Greek gyros and fries
- Getting there by bus or train
- Located between Manchester and Liverpool, accessible from M6 and M62
- Pumpkin patch is £15 per car, cash or card sorted on the day
- Uproot Coffee only runs April to September, so no on-site coffee in deep winter
- Farm run club meets Sunday mornings at 9am if you fancy it
- Food and music pop-ups need no booking, just turn up on the day
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
The pumpkin patch is £15 per car. Other visits and the summer pop-ups don't have a listed entry charge.
Do we need to book?
The food and music pop-ups are walk-up, no booking needed.
Is there parking?
Yes, free parking on site.
What food is there?
A food court with wood-fired pizzas, Greek gyros, fries, crepes and cinnamon buns, plus Uproot Coffee for hot drinks, open April to September.
Can the kids hold the lambs?
Lamb holding is part of the spring Meet the Lambs event, along with the chance to watch live birthing.
Is it any good in wet weather?
There's a covered barn for pumpkin picking and indoor seating, so rain doesn't ruin the whole visit.
When does the pumpkin patch run?
It's a seasonal event, picking from the open patch or the undercover barn.
Is there anything on at Christmas?
There's a seasonal Christmas event.
How do we get there?
It sits between Manchester and Liverpool, easy off the M6 or M62, with free parking on site.
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