There’s nothing quite like fruit picked straight from the plant, and a trip to a pick your own farm is one of the simplest, most rewarding family days out you can have. Kids get fresh air, a hands-on lesson in where food comes from, and – best of all – a tasty treat to enjoy on the way home (or straight from the bush, if nobody’s looking).
Children take to fruit picking naturally, hunting out the biggest and ripest berries to drop into the basket, and the fun doesn’t stop once you get home either – picking your own produce is a great way to get kids interested in helping out in the kitchen too. And it’s not just strawberries on offer: farms across Ireland and the UK grow everything from courgettes and cherries to wildflowers and herbs, with some sites offering dozens of different crops across the season.
Here are 21 of our favourite pick your own farms in Ireland and the UK.
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- Pick Your Own Farms in Ireland
- Pick Your Own Farms in England
- Pick Your Own Farms in Scotland
- Pick Your Own Farms in Wales
Pick Your Own Farms in Ireland
Lamberts Fruit Farm, Dublin
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Pick your own farms are increasingly rare in Ireland, which makes the annual rush to Lamberts Fruit Farm all the more understandable. It’s only open on certain days from late June to early August, so it’s worth checking their Facebook page in advance to confirm availability.
When open, you’ll find strawberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries ready for picking.
The Apple Farm, Tipperary
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Apples have been grown in this part of Tipperary for hundreds of years, and since 1968 the orchards here have kept on growing. Alongside apples, the farm also grows pears, plums, cherries, raspberries and strawberries – though only the strawberries are available for picking, and only on occasional dates, so check before you travel.
There’s a farm shop open year-round, plus a camping and caravan park on site if you fancy making a longer trip of it.
The Village at Wheelocks, Wexford
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Wheelocks have been growing fruit on their farm near Enniscorthy since the 1950s, with strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, rhubarb and even pumpkins on offer. Wexford strawberries are practically a brand of their own, known around Ireland for their sweetness – and you can watch them grow and pick your own at Wheelocks.
Corderry Fruit Farm, Dundalk
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This family-run farm in Co Louth grows strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, apples, pumpkins and more. As well as supplying some well-known supermarkets, Corderry offers pick your own during the summer months and again in autumn.
The Berry Farm, Wexford
Based in Clonroche, Co Wexford, The Berry Farm opens to the public for strawberry picking from May to September.
Pick Your Own Farms in England
Copas Farm, Cookham, Berkshire
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Head to Copas Farm to wander acres of fresh produce and pick your own seasonal fruit and veg, including asparagus, strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, runner beans, French beans and peas. There’s usually a small entry charge on arrival, which is then deducted from the produce you pick. The farm also holds Fruit Festival Days on selected Sundays during peak season, when you can eat fruit straight from the fields.
Open from May to September, there’s an on-site shop stocking picked produce alongside jams, eggs, sausages and bacon.
Graveley Fruit Farm, Stevenage
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Set in the Hertfordshire countryside, Graveley Fruit Farm offers strawberry picking through the summer and a hunt for the perfect pumpkin in October. Run by the same family for four generations, it’s grown to include a children’s adventure play area with a zip-wire and haystacks, tractor and trailer rides, and a café.
Expect ripe strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, grown on a table-top system at waist height for easy picking and in polytunnels so picking can go ahead whatever the weather. Fruit can also be bought ready-picked in the café.
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Garsons of Esher, Surrey
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Set in the Surrey countryside, Garsons is one of the UK’s largest pick your own farms, alongside a garden centre and farm shop. The farm has a long history, having first grown produce to sell at London’s Borough Market generations ago.
Open from June to October, there’s an impressive range of crops and varieties, including all the favourites like strawberries and raspberries, plus vegetables such as runner beans, onions and peas, and seasonal sunflowers. A handy map shows what’s ready for picking, all crops are easily accessible, and there’s plenty of parking on site.
Hillfield Nursery and Farm Shop, Norwich
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You’d struggle to find a pick your own farm with a bigger range of apples than Hillfield Nursery and Farm Shop, known for one of the largest fruit ranges in East Anglia. Whether you prefer wandering the orchards or hunting for strawberries among the soft fruit crops, there’s plenty to enjoy. The season runs from May to October, and the farm shop also hosts seasonal events such as a blossom walk through the orchards.
Stanhill Farm, Wilmington
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This family-run 150-acre farm has a huge selection of pick your own fruit, including strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries and blackcurrants, from June to October. Parking is free and there’s no charge for picking – you simply pay for what you take home. There’s also a maize maze open from July to September, with a different theme each year.
There’s no café, but the Pick Your Own hut sells ice creams, drinks and refreshments, so bring a picnic and settle in for the day.
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Parkside Farm, Enfield
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Located in Enfield, North London, Parkside Farm gives little ones the chance to pick their own fruit and veg between June and October, including strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and a range of vegetables. Many crops are grown “table-top” style, so there’s no bending down needed to reach the best fruit. There’s a dedicated picnic space and a shop selling ice creams, meringues and Parkside honey.
The Hop Shop, Castle Farm, Kent
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Set on a lavender farm in Kent, The Hop Shop makes for a beautiful family outing. In autumn, even once the lavender season has passed, you can visit the pick your own orchard for pears, corn on the cob, Kent Cob hazelnuts and a variety of apples, mainly Norfolk Royal with some Cox and Golden Delicious trees for cross-pollination.
The farm shop is well worth a visit in its own right, and there’s also a striking old quince tree at the front. Picking usually ends around mid-October, but it’s worth checking ahead as this is a popular spot.
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Trevaskis Farm, Cornwall
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For a full countryside day out, head to Trevaskis Farm in Cornwall, which combines fruit picking with a shop, farm park and café serving a solid kids’ menu. Alongside pick your own cherries, you’ll find pumpkins, peas, sweetcorn and raspberries, with informative signposts around the farm to help little ones learn about the crops.
Entry is free, so you only pay for what you pick, and all-weather polytunnels mean the fun doesn’t have to stop for a spot of rain.
The Balloon Tree Farmshop and Café, York
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With pick your own fruit, a children’s play area, an animal corner and a café known for its cakes, The Balloon Tree in Yorkshire makes for a great family day out. Follow the well-organised pick your own trail to find whatever’s in season, from the first strawberries in May to the last pumpkins in October, alongside blueberries, plums and runner beans.
The play area sits right next to the café garden, so you can keep an eye on the kids over a cup of tea, and there’s a kid-sized digger and tractor, a two-storey Wendy house and a climbing frame to keep them busy. Nearby, Animal Corner lets the family get hands-on with the farm’s resident pygmy goats, Petal and Flower – pick up a bag of feed from the farm shop for a treat they’ll love giving out.
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Pick Your Own Farms in Scotland
Cairnie Fruit Farm, Fife
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Cairnie Fruit Farm offers pick your own cherries alongside strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, pumpkins and sunflowers, with table-top strawberries for easy picking. Beyond the fruit, there’s a café, a funyard and a mega maze to enjoy.
If you visit while the six-acre Mega Maize Maze is open, it’s well worth a try. Even outside maze season, the Funyard playground has trampolines, swings, slides, a fortress and tractors to keep kids entertained – there’s an entry fee, but it makes for a full day out.
Charleton Fruit Farm, Montrose
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This family-run farm combines pick your own fruit with a café (converted from an old barn and stables), a gift shop, and two play zones – one gated area for under-12s and another for older kids and adults. There’s plenty of seating overlooking the play areas, so parents can relax while the kids let off steam, and the farm is well managed even on busy summer weekends.
Charleton also runs seasonal events throughout the year, from Easter egg hunts to Halloween activities and choosing a Christmas tree in December. Pick your own typically starts in spring, with a range of berries available depending on the season.
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East Yonderton Farm, Renfrew
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This family-run Renfrewshire soft fruit farm near Inchinnan, close to Glasgow Airport, is open daily for picking during the fruit season, with ready-picked fruit also available to order for weekday collection. Vegetables and potatoes are grown here too, and available for most of the year.
Border Berries, Kelso, Roxburghshire
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Strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, tayberries and peas are all up for grabs at Border Berries, a family-run soft fruit farm with generous, well-tended crops. Picking depends on the weather and fruit availability on any given day, so check their Facebook page and website for the latest updates before you visit.
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Pick Your Own Farms in Wales
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop, Flintshire
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Between June and October, families can pick their own gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants, followed later in the season by apples, pears, plums and pumpkins. Pick up a biodegradable punnet at the farm shop before you start, then return for weighing once you’re done.
Aberbran Fawr Farm, Brecon, Powys
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Set on a campsite in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Aberbran Fawr grows pick your own soft fruit which is available, subject to the season, from mid-June to early August. Alongside strawberries, you’ll find broad beans, peas, potatoes, raspberries and blackcurrants.
Hooton’s Homegrown, Brynsiencyn, Anglesey
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Hooton’s Homegrown offers a variety of seasonal fruit on a pay-as-you-pick basis, with strawberries the star of the show alongside blackcurrants, rhubarb, peas and broad beans. It’s worth checking their social media in advance to confirm picking days and availability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should we bring on a pick your own day out?
Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes (picking fruit is a messy business!), sun protection or rain gear depending on the season, and cash in case a farm doesn’t take card payments. Many families also bring a picnic, since not every farm has a café.
Do pick your own farms charge an entry fee?
It varies from farm to farm. Some charge nothing at all and you simply pay for what you pick, while others ask for a small deposit or entry charge that’s refunded against your basket. It’s always worth checking the farm’s own website or social media before you travel.
Is pick your own suitable for toddlers and younger children?
Yes, many farms are toddler-friendly, especially those with table-top growing systems that put fruit at an easy height to reach. Just keep an eye on little ones around taller crops, polytunnels and farm machinery.
What’s the best fruit for young children to start with?
Strawberries are a classic first pick – low to the ground, brightly coloured and easy for small hands to spot and pull. Raspberries and blackcurrants are good next steps once children get the hang of picking gently.
When is pick your own season?
Most farms open from late spring through to autumn, with strawberries typically first up in late May or June and pumpkins rounding out the season in October. Exact opening dates depend on the weather each year, so it’s always worth checking directly with the farm before you set off.
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Before You Go
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