Hirst’s Farm Shop & Cafe

What it’s like

A free-to-enter farm shop and café where you can peek at animals in the sheds before wandering next door to Hirsty's Family Fun Park.

The animals here are the sheds bit, tucked next to the shop and café, and it's free to wander round and have a look. The bigger draw for kids is next door at Hirsty's Family Fun Park, where there's a barrel train, a hay bale mountain to clamber over and the Mega Summer Maze if you fancy losing an hour trying to find your way out.

It's an outdoor visit, so a dry day helps, but the café and shop are the fallback if the weather turns. The food's a proper reason to stop rather than an afterthought, home-reared and locally sourced, with fish dishes on the menu alongside vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. There's no booking for tables, it's first come first served, though they do suggest calling ahead if you want to be sure of a spot.

Pushchairs and wheelchairs aren't an issue, there's step-free access and an accessible loo, plus baby changing. Parking is free and there's a decent open-air car park right on site, which takes the stress out of turning up without planning ahead. Dogs are welcome too, both inside and in the seating area out front, so you don't have to leave the family dog in the car while you get your fish and chips.

If it's a birthday on the cards, there's a function room you can hire, and they'll take group bookings up to 30 as long as you get food orders in in advance. It's the kind of stop that works well as part of a bigger day out rather than the whole day itself, given the animal-watching side is fairly low-key.

Facilities

Need to know

Booking

First come, first served but calling ahead recommended

Parking

Free large open-air car park on site

Food

On-site café serving home-reared and locally-sourced hot and cold food including fish dishes, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options

Pushchairs

Pushchair accessible entrances and facilities

Wheelchairs

Pushchair and wheelchair accessible entrances with accessible W/C

Dogs

Welcome indoors and in seating area in front of café

Parties

Function room available to hire for parties

• Groups of up to 30 need food orders placed in advance by phone
• Hirsty's Family Fun Park next door has the maze and barrel train, separate from the farm shop side
• Farm shop produce is collection only, no delivery
• Let the team know about any dietary needs when you arrive so they can advise you

Plan your visit

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