Totnes Rare Breeds Farm

What it’s like

Hands-on animal petting, feeding and even stroking an eagle owl's feathers, on solid paths you can wander at your own pace.

The main event here is getting close to the animals rather than just looking at them. Kids can pet and cuddle guinea pigs, buy feed to hand round the pens, and there's an eagle owl on site whose feathers you're actually allowed to touch, which is the bit most children will still be talking about on the way home.

It suits a broad age range, from toddlers who just want to see the animals up close to older kids who'll happily spend a proper chunk of the day working their way round. The site says you can rush it in half an hour or turn it into a full day, and with solid paths throughout it's genuinely buggy friendly, though the animal pens and fields do get uneven underfoot so a pram with decent wheels helps. Entry is £8.50 for a child and £10 for an adult, or £35 for a family of four, and there's no need to book ahead, you can just turn up.

The Garden Café does lunch and drinks with gluten-free and vegan options, and it's open to anyone passing, not just people who've paid to see the farm. The catch is parking. There's nothing on site, so you're looking at the train station car park in Totnes (not cheap) or the Pavilions Car Park as a cheaper option, and there are no public toilets on the farm itself either, the nearest are over at the railway platform. If you fancy making a proper day of it, arriving by South Devon Railway steam train gets you free parking at Buckfastleigh station.

Dogs aren't allowed on the main farm for the animals' sake, though they can join you on lead in the café's outside seating. Open 10am to 4pm, March to November, with last entry at 3:30pm.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

Ages 1 to 15, though toddlers and younger kids get the most from the petting

Last entry

3:30pm

Booking

Pre-booking not required for entry tickets

Parking

No on-site parking. Nearest at Pavilion Leisure Centre (pay as you stay) or Totnes main train station (all-day ticket)

How long to allow

Flexible. Possible to rush around in 30 minutes, relax for the day, or anything in between

Food

Garden Café open to all (public can visit without farm entry) offering drinks and lunch with gluten-free and vegan options

Pushchairs

Fully buggy friendly

Wheelchairs

Wheelchair accessible with solid paths throughout, though some uneven patches in animal pens and fields

Dogs

Not allowed on main farm. Dogs welcome on lead in Garden Café outside seating area

Worth knowing

Season ticket available for one adult and one child for £60

• No parking on site, so factor in a walk from the train station or Pavilions Car Park
• No public toilets on the farm, use the ones on the railway platform nearby
• Open March to November only, 10am to 4pm with last entry at 3:30pm
• A season ticket for one adult and one child is available for £60 if you'll visit often

Plan your visit

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