Gatehampton
WHERE
Reading
What it’s like
Farm tours and lambing days near Reading where kids can meet a rare bronze-age sheep breed, adult by their side the whole time.
The farm tour is the easy option to start with: children of any age can go round, though they have to stick close to an adult the entire time, which is fair enough with livestock about but worth knowing if you've got one who likes to wander off and inspect things solo.
March and April bring the Lambing Days, when you get to watch and take part as lambs actually arrive. It is not a petting session dressed up as something bigger, it is the real event, so turn up ready for a slower pace and don't expect it on demand outside those two months.
The sheep themselves are the bit that makes this stand out from a standard petting farm. They trace back to a bronze-age bloodline, which won't mean much to a four-year-old but is a genuinely good answer when a seven or eight-year-old asks why the farm bothers keeping this particular flock rather than any old sheep.
There's also an Animal Care Workshop if you want more than a look-and-stroke visit, and it's worth asking about since groups get a discount. Parking is free, and everything here runs on booking, so this isn't a turn-up-and-see kind of farm visit.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids old enough to appreciate the bronze-age sheep story
- Parking
- Free parking available for all visitors
- Lambing Days are seasonal, March and April only
- Adults must stay with children throughout the farm tour, not just supervise from a distance
- Parking is free
- Booking is required for tours and workshops alike
Plan your visit
Do we need to book ahead?
You do, for both the farm tours and the workshops. There's no just turning up on the day.
Can toddlers come on the farm tour?
Children of any age are welcome, but they need an adult with them at all times, not just nearby.
When can we see the lambing?
Lambing Days run in March and April, so that's your window if this is the bit you want to catch.
Are there discounts for groups doing the Animal Care Workshop?
Group discounts are available for the workshops. You'd need to contact the farm directly to sort the details.
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