Glebe Farm
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Congleton
What it’s like
Book a proper hands-on animal experience, groom a Highland cow or walk an alpaca, then browse the farm shop before the café shuts.
This isn't a wander-round-and-look farm. The animal experiences are the main event, 45 minutes booked in advance where you get up close with alpacas, donkeys, goats, sheep or a Highland cow, with grooming and walking involved rather than just a pat through a fence. There's a separate play area too and tractor rides at weekends and through summer, so if the booked experience is the anchor of your visit, the rest fills in around it nicely.
The pricing is per experience, not per head, which changes how you think about it. A single person gets a goat, donkey, alpaca or sheep experience for £35, or £50 for two people together, so it's actually cheaper to bring a friend. The Highland cow costs more at £40 solo or £55 for two, fair enough given the size of the animal, and there's a family option at £75 covering two adults and up to four kids if you want everyone in on it.
Food has to come from the farm itself. They're firm on this, no home-brought carrots or snacks for the animals, which makes sense once you think about choking risks and what a farm full of livestock can pick up from strangers' leftovers. There are handwashing stations by the barn and the play area, which you'll want to use straight after the feeding bit. The café runs daily but stops taking food orders at 2:30pm, so a late afternoon arrival means shop and shed browsing only, not lunch.
Parking's free and on site, and there's a farm shop and butcher's if you want to take something home, open a bit later on weekdays than at weekends. Being an outdoor farm, a wet day will mean wellies and a coat rather than cancelling, though nobody's told me what happens to a booked animal experience if the weather turns properly foul.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- Last food orders 2:30pm
- Parking
- Free on site
- Food
- Café open daily serving food
- Booking an experience with a friend works out cheaper per head than going solo
- Handwashing stations are right by the animal barn and the play area, use them straight after feeding
- Gift vouchers are available for the animal experiences and last 12 months
- The farm shop and butcher's keeps slightly longer hours on weekdays than Sundays and bank holidays
Plan your visit
How much does an animal experience cost?
£35 for one person with a goat, donkey, alpaca or sheep, £50 for two people together. The Highland cow experience is £40 solo or £55 for two, and there's a family option at £75 for two adults plus up to four children.
Do we need to book?
Yes, the animal experiences need booking in advance. They can also be bought as gift vouchers valid for 12 months if you fancy giving one as a present.
How long does an experience last?
45 minutes, spent with the animals doing grooming and walking rather than just standing and watching.
Can we bring food to feed the animals?
Only food bought on site. It's about disease control and choking hazards like whole carrots, so leave the home snacks in the car.
Is there parking?
Free parking on site.
What about lunch?
The café's open daily but last food orders are 2:30pm, so aim to arrive well before mid-afternoon if you want a proper meal there.
Is there anything to do beyond the animal experience?
There's a children's play area and tractor rides at weekends and in summer, plus a farm shop and butcher's to browse afterwards.
Are the animals safe for children to be around?
Some are large and can be unpredictable, so close supervision is needed throughout, especially during hands-on grooming and walking.
Is the farm open all year?
It closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, otherwise it runs as normal.
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