Location: Priory Farm, Sandy Lane, South Nutfield, Redhill, Surrey RH1 4EJ
Website: https://www.prioryfarm.co.uk/
If ever there was a perfect family day out then Priory Farm might just tick that box. It has everything we need for a great day out whatever the weather and it isn’t overly expensive like a lot of places. The farm has evolved over the years to become a much loved staycation or weekend destination with obvious care and attention going in to constantly improving customer experience. It’s also my go to place when I can’t think what to do with the kids… or even when I get a break from the kids and just need somewhere nice to have brunch ALONE.
With so much going on I’ve split this post into sections:
- Discovery Walk
- Playground & Pirate Ship
- Cafe
- Garden Centre
- Farm Shop
- Private Parties
- Vegan Friendly
- Fishing
Discovery Walk
I’m starting with this because it is what defines this place from any other normal garden centre. The walk route is only about a mile so easily achievable for most walking abilities. The main route is also accessible for a buggy or wheelchair and takes you through fields, bluebell woods, over a small hill for impressive views of the Surrey countryside towards Redhill Aerodrome and Reigate, then finishes along the fishing lake.
But what makes this walk so special is all the fun things for the kids to do along the way which are updated continuously so they don’t get bored. It’s also quite clear on what they are spending the very reasonable £3 per walker they charge. There are trail sheets for older kids to follow along with prizes to be won. Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Summer Holidays all have their themed additions to the trail with scarecrows, bats, elves or bunnies pointing the way.
My favourite was the scarecrows of political leaders. My kids genuinely thought the Jeremy Corbyn scarecrow was Obi Wan Kenobi and the Donald Trump scarecrow was Han Solo. Heartfelt apologies/condolences to Harrison Ford. Sadly I left my phone in the car that day so didn’t take any pictures!
If the sunflower crop is good, then in the summer months there is a sunflower maze. There are little hideouts and wendy houses in the woods. The big trees are labelled with their name so the kids start to learn the difference between a holly tree and an oak. There are tunnels, balancing beams and so much more. Take plenty of change with you as there are a few entertaining ways to donate to Macmillan Cancer Support along the way.
They also do Disovery Walk kids’ birthday parties…
It’s also worth forking out an extra £1 for a bag of fish food. Trust me you most likely have never seen anything like it. Those are some seriously well fed greedy fish! Look out for a familiar extra terrestrial on the island.
Playground & Pirate Ship
There aren’t many places where your kids can play in such a great place for free but this is one of them. Yes there is a garden centre and cafe that you are expected to purchase something from but the food is so good (we will get to that shortly), I’m happy to buy some coffee at the very least so the kids can play for hours on end. All the usual play equipment is there plus a massive wooden pirate ship and a few old tractors to keep the under 10s occupied.
Cafe
The food here is really very good. Get there before 11am for a really nice avocado based brunch. Gluten free? Dairy free? Vegan? No problem. This menu has it covered. Fancy afternoon tea? Glass of something intoxicating? Kids’ lunch boxes? Kid size pizza with the chewiest, most delicious dough? You are in the right place. You can easily spend a whole day working your way through “elevensies”, “staying for lunch” then “sod it lets have tea and cake”, and if you’re really going for it move on to “can you box up that pizza to take home for tea”.
The cakes need their own instagram account if you ask me! The courgette & avocado gluten free cake sounds really quite weird but is in fact wonderful. Beetroot and chocolate cake is another favourite. If you are looking for a sugar fix whilst getting at least one of your five a day then look no further!
Garden Centre
There is a drive thru compost shop. What more can I say. As with everything associated with Priory Farm, everything has been thought through to give customers a great experience. If you are buying compost, you don’t want to have to lug it through the car park. You can just drive round the back, have it put straight in your boot, hand over the money and away you go.
The staff are extremely knowledgable so if you need to know what grows best in chalky soil (this is the Surrey Hills after all) or what grows well in the shade or what time of year to plant your roses, there will be someone at Priory Farm that knows the answer and will find something in stock for you to take home that day.
My kids love exploring the garden centre and the shop. All the different types of plants and of course the garden furniture that’s fun to sit on, keeps them occupied for at least a few minutes before they want to go play on the pirate ship…
Farm Shop
We order our turkey from here every Christmas. Get your order in by the first week in December though! If you are hosting a dinner party or want to over-achieve at BBQ contributions then you will find good quality the butchers. This farm shop also stocks COOK ready meals which are great to keep in the freezer if needed for family meals.
This place also introduced me to Katy Loxton bags and accessories which I now just love to give as gifts… look at these lunch bags! Just too cool for school. You’ll find all manner of gift ideas that you can spend all your money on if you wish to.
Private Parties
If I was planning my wedding again I would have it here. The lambing barn is a small, intimate wedding venue but you could easily stick a marquee outside. It is perfect for kids’ parties, milestone birthday parties or family get togethers. A corporate party or team building workshop would also suit this venue.
Check out the parties section of Priory Farm’s website for more details.
Vegan Friendly
It’s a farm but with just a few chickens and guinea fowl running around free range, and a stocked fishing lake, any vegans in the group that normally wouldn’t visit a farm with animals, are generally happy to come along, however, for some vegans that prefer not to spend money at places where animals are reared, let this be your warning. The cafe also always has a gluten free, dairy free and vegan cake option. In fact, the menu has a whole vegan section. The farm shop also sells a range of vegan staples, frozen foods and ready meals.
Fishing
If you are a serious fisherman then I’ll let you be the judge of how good this place is. If, like my family, yours see fishing as a bit of fun and a good way for children, generally over the age of 8 or 9, to enjoy some quiet time outdoors, then this is a wonderful fishing spot. Check the Priory Farm Fishing website for the latest prices of membership/one-off fishing days. If you have teenage children, not all of them will enjoy this but for some, fishing just might be that activity you’ve been looking for to do together as a family.
