Swanston Farm

Name: Swanston Farm
Address: 111 Swanston Rd, Edinburgh, EH10 7DS, GB

Edinburgh

Courtesy of Swanston Farm

WHERE

Edinburgh

What it’s like

A working farm near Edinburgh where school groups meet hens, goats and Highland Cows on guided tours and outdoor learning days.

This one's a bit different from your average petting farm day out, because from what they list, it's really set up around school and group visits rather than a family Saturday wander. Farm tours run for 90 minutes and take a class of up to 10 pupils plus staff round to see the egg-laying hens, goats and Highland Cows. There are also outdoor learning days built around wildlife, biodiversity and exercise, running either 3 or 6 hours for bigger groups of up to 35 pupils.

They've clearly thought about access too. Alongside the standard tours there are tactile farm tours for visitors with vision impairment, with guide dogs and sighted guides welcome, and wellbeing and nurture sessions built for children with special educational needs. Nice touch that schools, SEN groups, accessibility groups and military or veteran groups aren't charged for any of it.

The catch is timing. Farm tours, outdoor learning and wellbeing sessions only run from the 1st of May to the 31st of August, and only on weekdays between 10am and 3pm, so this isn't a spontaneous half-term outing. Headspace Hikes are the exception and run all year round. The farm itself opens daily from 9:30am to 4pm, and it's closed over the festive period.

It's dog friendly and wheelchair accessible, and there's food on site if you need a break between activities. Given the structure, this suits organised groups more than a lone family turning up on spec, so if you're a parent rather than a teacher it's worth thinking about which visit type actually fits.

Facilities

Dog friendly

Food on site

Wheelchair accessible

Need to know

Dogs: Assistance dogs welcome. Guide dogs and sighted guides welcome on tactile farm tours

Farm tours and outdoor learning days are seasonal, May to August only, and weekdays 10am to 3pm.
Headspace Hikes are the one visit type that runs all year round.
The farm is closed over the festive period.
Assistance dogs and guide dogs are welcome, useful if you're booking a tactile tour.

Plan your visit

What can kids do on a visit?

Farm tours take groups round to see egg-laying hens, goats and Highland Cows. There are also outdoor learning days covering wildlife and biodiversity, and wellbeing sessions built around animal interactions.

When can we book a farm tour or outdoor learning day?

These run weekdays only, between 10am and 3pm, and only from the 1st of May to the 31st of August. Headspace Hikes run all year round instead.

Is there a charge?

Schools, SEN groups, accessibility groups and military or veteran groups aren't charged.

Is it accessible for visitors with additional needs?

Yes, there are tactile farm tours for visitors with vision impairment with guide dogs and sighted guides welcome, plus wellbeing and nurture sessions for children with special educational needs. The site is wheelchair accessible.