Surrey

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674.jpeg" alt="a girl feeding the sheep at bocketts farm park near leatherhead in Surrey" class="wp-image-48757" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-2674-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The last time I visited <a href="https://www.bockettsfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bocketts Farm Park</a>, my now teens were a toddlers. Back then, the pig race was a bit hit, there were loads of cute farm animals and play areas to occupy the kids while you enjoyed a hot coffee and inhaled a Twix. Roll on a decade or so, and this charming farm still has the infamous pig race &#8211; plus a whole lot more. 



I went along with one of my teens plus my best mate&#8217;s two little girls (aged 6 and 10) on the first day of the summer school holidays. The weather wasn&#8217;t kind &#8211; showers or drizzle for most of the day &#8211; but there&#8217;s plenty to do and we all had a brilliant day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558.jpeg" alt="A blonde girl gets of the slides at Bocketts Farm Park, near Leatherhead, in Surrey." class="wp-image-48758" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-558-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



A working family farm, Bocketts Farm Park can be found in the village of Fetcham near Leatherhead in Surrey. 



There&#8217;s plenty to do here whatever the weather (as we well and truly discovered) with trampolines, giant slides, a big bouncy pillow, pedal go-karts, two large indoor play barns and outdoor adventure trails. There are also pony rides, a tractor and trailer ride, plus an area where children can pan for gold. 



As a working farm, there are hundreds of animals to see including alpacas, deer, donkeys, ponies, sheep, goats, rabbits, fancy rats and pigs, to name just a few. Children are given a bag of feed when they arrive, and instructions for which animals can be fed (pretty much all except the horses, pigs and donkeys).



Top tip: Download the App. It&#8217;s genius. There&#8217;s a map of the farm, a list of what&#8217;s on throughout the day (which you can sort by name or by time), plus the option of setting an alert for the activities you don&#8217;t want to miss. 



For those who are really organised there&#8217;s also a page that allows you to plan your itinerary for the day. Plus, there&#8217;s a handy guide with visitor information and frequently asked questions. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04.jpg" alt="lambs at Bocketts Farm Park in Surrey" class="wp-image-48756" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-04-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Bocketts Farm Park was opened in 1992 by James and Jane Gowing, first generation farmers from London and Kent, and is now run by their twin daughters Becky and Hannah. As it&#8217;s a working farm you&#8217;ll see flocks of sheep, herds of cows plus more than 30 free range chickens. And there&#8217;s also a large kitchen garden. During the lambing season &#8211; around Easter time &#8211; you can meet the baby lambs and if you&#8217;re lucky, you might even see one being born.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE VIBE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559.jpeg" alt="the pig race at Bocketts Farm Park near Leatherhead in Surrey" class="wp-image-48750" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-559-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



It&#8217;s a small and friendly farm which is easily accessible for young children and also more senior members of the family. We arrived just before lunch on the first Saturday of the summer school holidays. Perhaps the combination of mizzy rain and the fact that it was only the first day of the holidays (so still plenty of time to visit) meant it was wonderfully quiet. 



During the summer holidays there&#8217;s a programme of Summer Fun on the Farm which includes craft activities and a bubble disco. 



The girls and I took a moment to run through the activities and devise a plan for our day. Top of the hit list were the pig race, animal encounters and pony rides, plus the trampolines and outdoor adventure playgrounds. 



And off we set! First up was the utterly gorgeous pig race. Have you ever seen a bunch of piglets running? Their little tails point skywards and their chubby little bottoms wiggle as they scurry around the circular track &#8211; and it&#8217;s the most adorable thing. Ever! The crowds are given colour coded flags to cheer on their favourite and the piglets are rewarded with a tray of foodie treats for their efforts.



The adventure playground is just across from the race track, and the giant slides and trampolines had caught the attention of the girls, so this was our next stop, followed by lunch in one of the undercover barns. 



After lunch &#8211; and another bounce of the trampolines &#8211; we stopped off at Little Hoppington Village to say hello to the bunny rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. 



Then it was off to the craft tent for some creativity time. The girls made badges, flags and little animals out of paper cups.



We did The Farm Walk &#8211; an easy wander past fields of alpacas, Swedish fallow deer, goats and sheep &#8211; then popped into the large Animal Discover Barn where the girls hand fed sheep. And of course, a trip to the farm wouldn&#8217;t be complete without a pony ride. It&#8217;s good to know that there&#8217;s are lots of hand-washing stations around the farm with warm running water and soap.



The indoor soft play is in the Big Kids Play Barn &#8211; which is near the entrance and exit. So we stopped off there to burn off the last remaining energy before going home. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11.jpeg" alt="The food at Bocketts Farm in Leatherhead, Surrey" class="wp-image-48153" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/05/Bocketts-Farm-11-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



You&#8217;re welcome to bring along a picnic &#8211; and the are plenty of spots to eat including undercover barns (good to escape rain and blazing sun!). But if you can&#8217;t face soggy sarnies, there&#8217;s a good choice of both hot and cold food available at the Old Barn Tearooms and the Cow Shed Coffee Shop. there&#8217;s 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DOG FRIENDLY?</h2>



Dogs are not allowed at Bocketts Farm Park. However, if you&#8217;re coming just for the tearooms, dogs are allowed in the outdoor area by the tearooms &#8211; as long as they&#8217;re with the owners. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">DISABILITY ACCESS</h2>



A huge amount of the farm is accessible for all. The main barns and animals barns have wide flat areas which make them wheelchair friendly, and the tractor and trailer ride is also accessible to wheelchairs. It&#8217;s also possible to borrow a wheelchair &#8211; just call in advance to book one. There&#8217;s also plenty of disabled parking, plus a disabled loo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643.jpeg" alt="Pony rides at Bocketts Farm Park,Surrey" class="wp-image-48754" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/07/Bocketts-Farm-AE-643-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Good for: Children of all ages up to about 12 or 13 &#8211; especially those who love animals. There&#8217;s plenty at Bocketts to keep energetic kids happy too &#8211; they&#8217;ll love the trampolines, slides and bouncy pillows. It&#8217;s a lovely day out in the fresh air, that’s fun and engaging. If you’re looking for a party venue, there&#8217;s a children&#8217;s party package.



Not for: Older kids will roll their eyes and declare the farm too tame for them &#8211; although if you can get them through the door, I reckon they&#8217;ll love the jumping pillows.



The damage: Tickets are £17 adults, child aged 3-17 £18.50, child 2 years £16.50, under 2s free. A bag of animal feed is £1.50 each, pony rides are £3 and the tractor and trailer ride is £1.50.



<a href="https://www.bockettsfarm.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bocketts Farm Park</a>, Young Street, Fetcham, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 9BS

Review: Bocketts Farm Park, near Leatherhead

You may also like