Rejoice, Halloween is almost here.
And as well as the scary parties and not-so-scary sexy outfits, spooky season also brings with it promises of wholesome family activities.
Pumpkin patches are getting more and more popular every year, and now is the time to go and get your Jack O’ Lantern, ready for the big day.
While London isn’t the best place for a farm, given the lack of space and pollution, there are plenty of options not far from the city, that are easily accessible.
Here are the best pumpkin patches to check out near London before 31 October.
Foxes Farm, Essex
Foxes Farm offers pumpkin picking in both Basildon and Colchester, with over 15 varieties of pumpkins to choose from.
The pumpkin patch has been operating since 2015 and tickets are available to book online from now until the end of October. One family ticket costs £6, which is valid for four people.
While you may have missed out on their night-time pumpkin picking with food and drink (bookmark it for next year) there is still day availability from 17th to 31st October.
Tickets range from £3.75 to £5.00 per person which provides you with access to the pumpkin fields, corn trail (Colchester only), food and drink vendors on site, pumpkin patch licensed bar (Colchester), large play area and photo opportunities.
To get there, get a Greater Anglia train from Liverpool Street to Billericay and then it’s a ten-minute bus or taxi ride from there.
Tulleys Pumpkins
Tulleys is quite the Halloween find as they have a whole festival inspired by pumpkins. The farm features a pumpkin village where you can enjoy cocktails and craft beers at their pumpkin bar.
Families with young children can also spot live roaming characters while picking pumpkins. They also have a gift shop where you can browse the range of autumn merch, candles, cosy sweaters and more.
Tickets are between £18-£12 and there is availability throughout October.
Tulley’s Farm is ten minutes from Gatwick and exactly half way between London and Brighton.
Cammas Hall Farm, Hertfordshire
Cammas Hall Farm is a pick your own farm with lots of fruit and veg available for picking all summer, but pumpkins are their specialty in October. There are several varieties to pick from, either from the field or from the ready picked pumpkin patch.
This year, they say they have their biggest patch ever and have lots of events that are Halloween-friendly including moonlight pumpkin picking, and a maize maze.
There’s also a farm shop available on site with refreshments available. Depending on availability, tickets for the pumpkin patch costs between £2 and £4, with pre-booking necessary.
It’s easiest to drive to Cammas Hall Farm, which takes just over an hour. But, you can take a train from Liverpool Street to Bishops Stortford and then a bus afterwards.
Stanhill Farm, Kent
At Stanhill Farm, you will find a huge array of pumpkins in various different sizes.
Pick your best ones, and if you manage to do a brilliant carving, you can share it on the Stanhill Farm Facebook page where they share the best ones.
Sessions run from Saturday 15th October through until Friday 28th October. Pre-booking is essential and entrance price is £3.00 per ticket.
The nearest train stations to Stanhill Farm are Bexley, Swanley and Dartford.
The Pumpkin Farm, Buckinghamshire
At The Pumpkin Farm all of the pumpkins are homegrown in Chesham, Buckinghamshire and come in a range of sizes.
If you want to pick one out but for eating purposes rather than decorating, the farm also offers some culinary pumpkins.
The Pumpkin Farm is also big on environmentally friendly practices, as they don’t use HGVs to move their items. They also use no packaging in the harvest and selling of pumpkins.
You can get to the site by car or by using the Metropolitan line from Liverpool Street.
Entrance is free and there is no need to pre-book.
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