The best pick-your-own farms in the UK
Looking for a pick-your-own fruit farm near you? Our round-up of the top farms for picking your own fruit and veg includes options from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and produce ranging from apples to cherries.
Pick-your-own fruit brings to mind images and memories of long summer days, vines and bushes laden with juicy berries, the comfort of a plentiful harvest and the joy of connecting with Mother Nature. Over the past decade, in fields right across the UK, convenience has been replaced with activity as we see a resurgence in the popularity of pick-your-own farms.
Environmental concerns such as low food miles, eliminating superfluous packaging, supporting local producers and the appreciation of the seasonality of food are key. Engaging children with the origins and provenance of food is also on many parents’ radar.
Lastly, and importantly, picking your own fruit is fun. It's a family-friendly day out in beautiful rural locations, with plenty of exercise involved and fresh air, as well as fresh fruity treats to take home at the end of the day.
The PYO strawberry season kicks off around May-June, running through to apples, pumpkins and late raspberries in the autumn. Check your favourite farm’s website or social media updates to see what’s available, look out for updated 2023 prices, and start planning your escape to the country.
For more like this, read our guide to the best pick-your-own strawberry farms and the best pumpkin patches in the UK. Plus, visit our travel section for plenty of UK and global foodie travel recommendations.
The best pick-your-own farms in the UK:
The best pick-your-own farms in Scotland
Wester Hardmuir Fruit Farm
Where: Nairn, IV12 5QG
What to expect: Apples, brambles, blackcurrants, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, plums, raspberries, redcurrants and strawberries.
Sample prices: Strawberries £6/kg, raspberries £7/kg, plums and gooseberries £4.25/kg, and apples £2/kg.
Families have been visiting this Highland farm since 1978 to purchase ready-picked and pick-your-own soft fruits. Early harvests to look out for are Wester Hardmuir’s gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries in June. One extra temptation is the farm's ice cream, created by blending fresh farm berries with Miele's of Forres ice cream. Visit the farm shop to pick up frozen fruit and an array of vegetables. Look out for apple juice from their own apples, too, before hitting the fields. As well as strawberries, you can expect to see apples, brambles, blackcurrants, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, plums, raspberries and redcurrants across different times of year. hardmuir.com
Border Berries
Where: Rutherford Farm Roxburghshire, Kelso TD5 8NP
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and tayberries.
This family farm started growing berries since the 60s to supply a local jam factory. The rest, as they say, is history. This particular farm doesn’t use polytunnels or growbags, so expect a real al fresco experience. A seasonal café dishes up cream teas, homemade cordials and smoothies. You can also find recipe ideas for using up your freshly-picked product on the Border Berries website.
Charleton Fruit Farm
Where: Hillside, Montrose, DD10 9EW
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, yellow raspberries, gooseberries, cherries, tayberries, brambles, redcurrants, blackcurrants, plums, apples and pears, plus pumpkins and peas.
Sample prices: Strawberries £6.50/kg, tayberries £6.99/kg and yellow raspberries £6.99/kg.
Charleton’s season starts with strawberries and blackcurrants in late June. Don’t miss the tayberries in July and August, too. First created in 1979, this cross between a raspberry and a blackberry thrives in the Angus climate. Pick your own or buy them ready-picked in Charleton’s farm shop. Tayberry jam and Charleton strawberry tarts are available, too. Charleton is also a popular place to dine in its own right, with its three dining areas — the Stables, the relaxed Flower Barn, or the sheltered al fresco courtyard. An adventure park for kids, family events and a well-stocked farm shop add to the PYO experience. charleton-farm.co.uk
Cairnie Fruit Farm
Where: Cairnie, Cupar, Fife, KY15 4QD
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, cherries, brambles, pumpkins and sunflowers.
Sample prices: Strawberries £5/kg.
Cairnie Fruit Farm stands out thanks to its maize maze. From mid July to the end of October, the maze is open with a fresh design and challenge to solve each year. As well as sumptuous fruit, Cairnie’s Funyard for kids is another huge draw, open from March to November. A farm shop and café (dishing up excellent strawberry tarts) complete the scene. Dogs are welcome on the farm, too. Along with strawberries, you can pick raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, cherries, brambles, pumpkins and sunflowers. cairniefruitfarm.co.uk
Briarlands Farm
Where: Blair Drummond, Stirling, FK9 4UP
What to expect: Strawberries
Sample prices: Strawberries £6.95/kg (£5.95/kg for 5kg or more).
Briarlands’ strawberries are grown in polytunnels on wires – easy to pick and a great rainy day option. While the farm often has strawberries for sale from mid May, pick-your-own is usually available from June. Briarlands has a very popular outdoor children’s play area, featuring jumping pillows, animal handling sessions, tractor and trailer rides, and feed available for purchase to treat the deer, sheep and pigs. Grab an informal bite to eat at the Farmers' Den café. briarlandsfarm.co.uk
Craigies Farm
Where: Queensferry EH30 9AR
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, blackberries and apples, plus sunflowers, peas, broad beans, French beans, runner beans and pumpkins.
Sample prices: Strawberries: £6.49/kg, cherries: £10.99/kg and raspberries £8.49/kg. PYO tickets £5 per adult and £2.50 per child (up to 15 years old) with entry fee to be deducted from the price of fruit picked.
This farming ‘destination’ offers a vast shop, café, PYO, and the Little Farmers adventure farm park newly opened in summer 2021. Craigies' proximity to Scotland’s capital makes it hugely popular, welcoming 260,000 visitors a year. The PYO fruit season starts in June with strawberries, rounding off with blackberries and apples in early autumn. craigies.co.uk
East Yonderton Farm
Where: Walkinshaw Rd, Renfrew, Renfrewshire PA4 9LP
What to expect: Strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, blackberries, peas, broccoli and potatoes.
This family farm has been growing soft fruit since 1926, so they have almost 100 years of fruity knowledge. East Yonderton is one of the few places that offers pick-your-own broccoli, available from mid July into August. eastyondertonfarm.co.uk
The best pick-your-own farms in Northern Ireland
Finlay’s Place
Where: 40 Comber Road, Killinchy, Co. Down, BT23 6PB
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants.
Alongside fresh fruit, Finlay's Place sells new potatoes, local seasonal vegetables and eggs. Head to Finlay’s for the Elsanta variety of strawberry, which are temptingly bright red, large and glossy. The season starts in June, swiftly followed by blackcurrants, raspberries, gooseberries and redcurrants. The farm also sells eucalyptus and cut flowers, and runs wreath-making workshops. Dip into the farm shop for local honey, artisan muesli and fresh produce from neighbouring farmers. finlaysplace.co.uk
Claggan Fruit Farm
Where: 116 Highlands Road, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, BT49 9LY
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants.
Select between four strawberry varieties: Alice, Florence, Fenella, and Korona. This family farm also offers two varieties of raspberry — Tulameen and Cascade Delight — plus jam-making products for sale such as pot covers, pectin and a selection of recipes. Visit the Claggan Fruit Farm website.
Goodberry Farm
Where: 118 Collegelands Road, Moy, Armagh, BT71 6SW
What to expect: Strawberries
Sample prices: £3 per punnet, but look out for discounted events.
Follow the Facebook page for announcements of strawberry picking evenings, what’s available and when. This cash-only venue holds special events to pick your own jam strawberries – same flavour, only smaller! Visit the Goodberry Farm Facebook page.
The best pick-your-own farms in England
Strawberry Fields
Where: Lifton, Devon, PL16 0DH
What to expect: Strawberries, daffodils, tulips, sunflowers, wild flowers, lavender, sweetcorn and pumpkins.
Sample prices: Entry is £2.50, strawberries are £8/kg and this includes strawberry picking, golden strawberry hunt and access to the farm barn.
Strawberry Fields has just been awarded the UK’s best national large farm shop at the Farm Retail Association Awards. Strawberry picking season starts around June. For little ones, there’s also a golden strawberry hunt to the farm barn, complete with farm animals, games, a sand pit, and hay mountain. An array of food is available in the farm shop, or treat the family to the sumptuous afternoon picnic (booking is essential). Flower picking is another popular pastime here. Strawberry Fields Farm Shop website.
Parkside Farm
Where: Hadley Road, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 8LA
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, blackberries plus courgettes, French beans, beetroot and sunflowers.
Sample prices: Strawberries £6.19/kg, raspberries £8.99/kg, and blackcurrants £6.99/kg.
Parkside has roughly 50 acres and has been growing PYO strawberries since 1979. The strawberries are grown using the ‘table top’ system, meaning you can pick fruit without bending down. The farm shop sells ice cream, drinks, meringues and Parkside honey, too. Buy a fruit voucher in advance of your visit (£4 for every adult and child). The value of the voucher is refunded, provided you spend above that amount on PYO produce. parksidefarmpyo.co.uk
Clive’s Fruit Farm
Where: Willingsworth, Upton Upon Severn, Worcester, WR8 0SA
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, plums, apples, pears, damsons and pumpkins
Sample prices: £2 admission fee. Strawberries £6.95/kg, cherries £9.75/kg and damsons £5.50/kg.
If Elsantas is your strawberry variety of choice, then Clive’s Fruit Farm uses a table-top system in polytunnels to grow them from June through to August. This farm was one of the pioneers of the pick your own movement in the 1960s, and for those who know their fruit varieties, Clive's Fruit Farm is the place to go. Raspberries range from Glen Ample and Glen Fyne to Tulameen. Clive’s has a unique extra, too — the Juice Shed. Buy freshly pressed pear and apple juice, or opt for contract pressing to transform apples from your garden into bottled juices. It's lovely to see a venue selling damsons as well, which is quite rare these days. clivesfruitfarm.co.uk
Trevaskis Farm
Where: Connor Downs, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 5JQ
What to expect: Loganberries, gooseberries, raspberries, whitecurrants, redcurrants, tummelberries, tayberries, eating apples, cooking apples, blackberries, red gooseberries, loganberries, blackcurrants and strawberries. Veg includes sugar snap peas, shelling peas, sweetcorn, broad beans, mange tout, runner beans and pumpkins.
This Cornish farm has one of the most varied selections of fruit available. The Trevaskis market stocks everything from butchery and fish to groceries and baked goods. The vast Farm Park offers fun, animals and exploration for all ages. The Farm restaurant is open daily from 8.30am, and with fruits like loganberries and tummelberries, there’s something a little different to bring home with you. trevaskisfarm.co.uk
The Balloon Tree
Where: Stamford Bridge Road, Gate Helmsley, York, YO41 1NB
What to expect: Strawberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and pumpkins.
Sample prices: £1.50 booking fee, then strawberries £7.25/kg, gooseberries £6.25/kg and blueberries £10.45/kg.
Balloon Tree offers three main varieties of strawberries — Vibrant, Malling Centenary and Florence. We’re talking nearly 7km of strawberry tables, too! The café and farm shop are both open seven days a week, and there’s a children’s playground and ride-on jeeps. Look out for fresh strawberry treats made on-site in the relaxed Balloon Tree bakery. theballoontree.co.uk
Sopley Farm
Where: Sopley, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 7AZ
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, tayberries, loganberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and plums. Plus French beans, runner beans, broad beans, pumpkins, sunflowers and gladioli.
This farm, situated on the edge of the New Forest, grows nearly twenty different types of fruit and vegetables. Sopley’s PYO fruit selection runs right thorough the season from June into October. It also offers a farm shop selling ice cream, cheese, free-range eggs and local Dorset honey, along with seasonal vegetables grown locally. A new Sopley Farm bakery recently opened and, if you want to make a night of it, it’s possible to book accommodation or camp here. Visit the Sopley Farm website.
Hill Farm
Where: Oundle Road, Chesterton, Peterborough, Cambs, PE7 3UA
What to expect: Gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, blackberries, plums and damsons. Also sunflowers, rosehips, spinach, patty pans, courgettes, marrows, sweetcorn and squash.
Hill Farm is ideal for strawberry enthusiasts as it offers eight varieties of strawberry, spanning the season from early June into early August. Alongside the extensive list of PYO, Hill Farm has a playground, caravan site, and farm shop selling honey from its own beehives, plus jam made from its own fruit. hillfarmpyo.co.uk
Crockford Bridge Farm
Where: New Haw Road, Addlestone, Nr. Weybridge, Surrey KT15 2BU
What to expect: Rhubarb, strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, redcurrants, blackberries, raspberries, plus broad beans, asparagus, beetroots, French beans, courgettes, carrots, runner beans, marrows, sweetcorn, squash, peas, spinach, pumpkins and even PYO Christmas trees.
Sample prices: Farm passes £4 for adults and £2 for children (aged 1-14). The value of your farm pass is redeemed against the cost of fruit and veg picked. Strawberries £8.95/kg, raspberries £8.95/kg and red/blackcurrants £6.95/kg.
For pickers who want to start early, Crockford Bridge’s season starts in April with its PYO rhubarb and asparagus. The website has excellent ‘how to pick’ tips for each fruit, plus fascinating facts, history and recipes. After picking all the fruit you can carry, potential rewards can be found at the ice cream parlour and tea shack. crockfordbridgefarm.co.uk
Brocksbushes
Where: Corbridge, Northumberland, NE43 7UB
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, plums and pumpkins.
Sample prices: Strawberries £5.95/kg, raspberries £10.50/kg and plums £5.95/kg.
Brocksbushes’ season runs from June’s strawberries and gooseberries, to July’s raspberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants. Access to picking fields must be pre-booked. After guests have filled their punnets, take time to relax in the tearoom or dip into the farm shop that stocks a real taste of the country with suppliers such as Goodfellows of Matfen eggs, Doddington cheese and Cranstons meat. brocksbushes.co.uk
Copas Fruit Fields
Where: Calves Lane Farm, Billet Lane, Iver, Buckinghamshire, SL0 0LU
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blackcurrants, plums and apples, plus asparagus, peas, beans and sweetcorn.
Sample prices: Fruit vouchers are £4 per person, which are deductible from fruit and veg picked from the fields, plus a 25p non-refundable admin fee. Strawberries £5.95/kg, raspberries £8.95/kg and redcurrants £4.95/kg.
Copas has two farms, one in Iver and one in Cookham, so check out which one is the best location for you. Copas’ season starts in May with asparagus, swiftly followed with strawberries from June onwards. Summer holiday fruits are raspberries, cherries, blackcurrants and plums. Extras include a maize maze with clues and game cards to set the grey cells working. thefruitfields.co.uk
The best pick-your-own farms in Wales
Bellis Brothers
Where: Wrexham Rd, Holt, Wrexham, LL13 9YU
What to expect: Strawberries, gooseberries, rhubarb, redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries and pumpkins.
Sample prices: Strawberries £7.49/kg and raspberries £7.99/kg
Bellis Brothers dates back to 1860 and the family has been farming strawberries since the late 19th century, so they've learnt a thing or two along the way. After picking your fill of strawberries, swing by the Bellis Brothers’ award-winning garden centre to dine at the Strawberry Fields restaurant. Its afternoon tea features a mix of fruity treats. bellisbrothers.co.uk
Aberbran Fawr Farm
Where: Aberbran, Brecon, Powys, LD3 9NG
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, gooseberries, apples, pumpkins, broad beans, peas and sunflowers.
Last year, Aberbran Fawr farmers were even picking strawberries in October. Alongside PYO fruit, the farm offers their own sausages, beef and potatoes for sale, cream teas, and there’s even a camping and caravan site. aberbranfawr.co.uk
Gower PYO
Where: Scurlage Farm, Reynoldston, Scurlage, Swansea SA3 1BJ
What to expect: Strawberries, raspberries and broad beans.
Sample prices: Strawberries £7.50/kg and raspberries £11.50/kg. Baskets 30p, 50p and £1, or bring your own.
Gower is an all-weather PYO, so grab those berries come rain or shine. Enjoy undercover and tabletop picking at this Swansea farm. The season runs from May to September, plus ice cream, homemade cakes and coffee are available at the farm café. gowerpickyourown.wales
Tips for picking your own fruit and veg
When are pick-your-own farms open?
Peak season for pick-your-own farms is May-September, although some open as early as March. Pumpkin patches are an outlier – they open in October.
What else is there to do?
Lots of fruit and veg farms have added extras, including – but not limited to – children's play areas, cafés, farm shops, garden centres, mazes, petting animals and tractor rides.
Why visit a pick-your-own farm rather than a supermarket?
PYO farms are more popular than ever, which is down to several things. Firstly, as people become more aware of sustainability, they are making shopping choices based on this. Low food miles, reusable packaging, supporting local farms and eating with the seasons are some of the reasons pick your own farms tick the environmentally-friendly box.
It's also a fun day out for families, which provides play and education, exercise and the country air. The bonus is that you'll take home plenty of locally-grown fruit and veg that's bursting with flavour.
What should I wear to a pick your own farm?
Consider your footwear and opt for something sensible – you may need wellies if it's been raining for a prolonged period before your visit. Check the forecast and if it's going to be hot, take a hat and sunscreen.
What else should I bring?
PYO farms will usually sell punnets and carriers. Once you've loaded up your basket or box with freshly-picked produce and paid at the desk, you may need a reusable shopping bag to carry it to the car.
Read more like this
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