Sunday 30 July 2017

A Day at Old Hall Farm - The Lake District

The weather wasn't too kind to us during our recent visit to the Lake District, but we managed to fit in a day out to Old Hall Farm in Ulverston on one of the dry days. The attraction was approximately half an hour away from our accommodation in Carnforth and is signposted from the main road as a Vintage Ice Cream Farm so keep an eye out for the signs! The Sat Nav wanted to send us a different way, but as we knew we were going to be heading up country lanes we decided that it would probably be a better idea to follow the signs instead.

We made our way along numerous winding lanes and through a little village before finding the Old Hall Farm attraction on the right hand side. We pulled into the car park that had plenty of parking available and then made our way over to the entrance with us all very excited to return after our previous visit back in May 2016.

Old Hall Farm is an historic working farm that uses vintage machinery and 19th century methods to grow its crops and harvest the land. Guests to the attraction are able to view some of the machinery and take part in activities throughout the day that help you learn more about working on a farm and the techniques used to do certain farm jobs. In addition to vintage tractors, many jobs are also carried out with the assistance of horse power and the farm is home to some absolutely stunning horses who help with the work.

As we entered the attraction through the shop we were greeted by a lovely gentleman called David. He provided us with some leaflets, told us where everything was and explained where the activities board was displayed so that we could see what was on offer to join in with that day. On our previous visit the children had helped to collect manure from the field and load it into a trailer and loved it (though I don't know why) and so they were a little disappointed to find that this wasn't taking place during our visit on this occasion. However there was still plenty for them to do and shortly after arriving they were introduced to a lovely shire horse and began to learn more about how he came to be on the farm, where he was from and what he was currently learning to do. We were led to an outdoor paddock where two horses were paired together and were being taught how to walk together. They were both learning and still getting used to the heavy equipment that they needed to wear and so it took a few goes to get the timing just right. The owner Charlotte was on hand to answer any questions the children had and spoke very clearly so that everyone could hear the information she was providing.


After the horse demonstration we made our way around the farm to see some of the animals. We saw some shetland ponies, pigs (and piglets), ducks, chickens, a donkey and a cow. There isn't as many animals as we have seen at other farms, however I believe that Old Hall Farm is more about the experience the children have in joining in with the activities and so this doesn't really bother us. Once we had a look around the buildings and the machinery, my children were invited to come and help groom the shetland ponies and the donkey. Both Riley and Ben really enjoyed this and both took their time to brush the animals carefully and follow the instructions they were given.


Following this they went for a play in the barn which was full of hay bales and a swing rope. Really simple, but the kids absolutely loved it. There was also some seating for parents to have a rest or to give you somewhere undercover to sit and eat your ice creams or snacks.

Once the kids had finished playing they went into the gift shop to purchase some ice cream. I am reliably informed that this was the nicest ice cream they have ever tasted! We sat outside on the picnic benches whilst they finished them and all the kids then ran off in various directions to enjoy the toys which were available outside including pedal tractors and go karts. We were going to purchase some hot dogs for lunch which was reasonably priced on the children's menu in the Chicken Shed tea room at £2.50 each but unfortunately they had none left and the kids decided they didn't want anything else and so decided to eat later once we had finished at the attraction.


Whilst the children were playing on the outdoor toys, one of the staff members came round to tell us that they were about to start a butter making demonstration. This was a fun hands on activity for the kids where they could each have a turn at churning the butter and then patting it down into shape. We learnt all about how butter is made and how it is separated into curds and whey during the churning process. This was quite interesting as we have butter on our toast & sandwiches but have never really given it much thought as to how it is made, so this was a fun thing to do and be involved with.


Before we left we had another look around the sheds. Some of the machinery had been well maintained and was in great condition, but others were in need of a bit of TLC. The information displays and movies that were available to view in the sheds were very informative and gave an insight into farm life. Overall we had a very enjoyable visit and I think that the entry price of £27 for a family of 5 was very reasonable.



Important information:

Address - Old Hall Farm, Bouth, Nr Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8JA

Telephone - 01229 861993

Website - www.oldhallfarmbouth.com/

Twitter - @OldHallFarm1

Facebook - Old Hall Farm Facebook Page

Opening times - 10am til 5pm, 7 days a week, 3rd April to 3rd November 2017.

Entry Prices - Adult £8.25, Children £5.75, Family £27 (2 adults & 3 children), Seniors £6.50

Disclaimer - Attraction information is correct at time of writing but is subject to change, so I would always recommend visiting the attractions own website prior to visiting for the most up to date information. Opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.




1 comment:

  1. What a great place! a real insight into old style farming!

    ReplyDelete