Canalside Farm, Shop & Cafe
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Great Haywood
What it’s like
Pick your own pumpkins or strawberries straight from the field, then walk the canal towpath before cake in the café.
This one shifts with the seasons. Come summer, you pick strawberries and other soft fruit straight off the plants. Come October, it is pumpkins, and they say there are over 10,000 of them out in the field in every shape and colour you'd want, plus a Ghost Buster live music act and a face painter if you fancy the noise. If you don't, there are Quiet Sessions without either, which is a nice touch for anyone with a child who'd rather skip the crowds.
Outside of picking season there's still the canalside walk and cycle path to wander, and in winter the Glasshouse turns into a Christmas Tree Forest, with wreath making workshops for the grown-ups who want to have a go themselves. None of this needs a big block of time. You could do an hour picking and pottering, or make a proper afternoon of it with lunch in the café.
The café does brunch, cakes and coffee, with meat from their own on-site butchery, and you can book afternoon tea if you give them 48 hours notice. Ordering works a bit differently here, you pick your table first, then take your order number to the till, which is worth knowing before you queue up the wrong way round. Parking's free if you're stopping for the shop or café, but there's a small fee if you park just for the canal walk and head off without coming back, so factor that in if a walk is all you're after.
Entry itself is free, it is the extras like pumpkin picking or the wreath workshop that carry a price tag, and pumpkin tickets vary by date so it pays to pick your day. Wheelchair access is flat and straightforward across the shop and café, with an accessible toilet and allocated parking spaces on site.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Ample car parking on site, free for shop/café customers
- Food
- On-site café with brunch, cakes and coffee
- Picnics
- Picnicking appears supported by café terrace and canalside walks, though not explicitly stated
- Wheelchairs
- Flat wheelchair-friendly access to shop and café, accessible toilet, allocated parking spaces
- Dogs
- Not allowed inside café. Welcome on café deck or in marquee
- Getting there by bus or train
- Just off A51 between Stone and Rugeley, or A518 from Stafford (6 miles)
- Pumpkin and wreath workshop tickets are non-refundable, so check your date before booking
- Order food by picking a table first, then giving your order number at the till
- Dogs aren't allowed inside the café but are welcome on the deck or in the marquee
- The site sits on the National Cycle Network, handy if you're combining the visit with a ride
Plan your visit
How much does it cost to get in?
Getting onto the site is free. Pumpkin picking starts from £6 depending on the date, and the Christmas wreath making workshop is £50.
Do we need to book?
Pumpkin picking and the wreath workshop are ticketed, and afternoon tea in the café needs 48 hours notice. There's no booking link mentioned for general visits.
Is it free for toddlers?
Children aged 2 and under do not need a ticket.
What's the parking like?
There's ample parking on site, free if you're visiting the shop or café. If you only want the canal walk and don't come back for the shop or café, a small fee applies.
Can we get food there?
The café does brunch, cakes and coffee, with meat from their own butchery and local producers. Afternoon tea can be booked with 48 hours notice.
Are the pumpkin picking tickets refundable?
No, pumpkin picking and wreath workshop tickets are non-refundable, so it's worth being sure of your date before you book.
Is there anything quieter for a child who doesn't like crowds or noise?
Pumpkin picking has Quiet Sessions without the live music or face painter.
Is the site accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs?
Access to the shop and café is flat and wheelchair-friendly, with an accessible toilet and allocated parking spaces.
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