Animal farms
Animal farms: pick what suits you. Options for beginners, families or groups, in the finest settings there are.
Duration
1 hour - a few hours
Difficulty
Very easy
Location
Country farms, traditional smallholdings and guesthouses
Season
All year, depending on the farm
What are animal farms open to visitors?
Animal farms are places where visitors can see how country life works and spend time around farm animals.
A visit can take in a tour of the farm, talks about the animals and hands-on jobs.
They suit families, children, visitors and organised groups.
Right for
Families
Something parents and children can enjoy together.
Children
A chance to get close to the animals.
School groups
Learning visits and time spent outdoors.
Visitors
Getting to know country traditions and the way people live.
Organised groups
Outings, camps or themed activities.
Kinds of farm
Traditional farms
Country smallholdings with farm animals.
Hands-on farms
Places where visitors can touch the animals under supervision.
Farm-stay places
Farms that form part of a wider tourist offer.
Farms with a learning programme
Visits with talks and activities for children.
Farms with unusual animals
Places that keep species you do not often see.
What is included
A tour of the farm
A walk round, with the animals introduced.
Feeding the animals
Done by the rules of the farm.
Watching the animals
Seeing how they behave and how they live.
Looking after the animals
Simple jobs done under supervision.
Photographs
You can take photographs where it is allowed.
How the activity runs
Arriving
The visitors arrive at the farm.
Introduction
The animals and the rules of the place are introduced.
Activities
Looking round, meeting the animals or hands-on jobs.
Wrapping up
Closing the visit.
At a glance
How long the visit lasts
Usually between 1 and 3 hours, depending on the programme.
Experience level
You need no experience with animals.
Booking a slot
Worth doing for groups and organised visits.
Best time to go
Open right through the year, depending on the farm.
Safety and organisation
The welfare of the animals
Proper care
The animals have to be properly looked after.
A suitable space
The animals have to be kept in decent conditions.
Feeding them properly
Visitors only feed the animals where the farm allows it.
Respect for the animals
The activities have to fit what the animals need.
Advice for participants
Comfortable clothes
Clothes that work for time spent outdoors.
The right footwear
Comfortable shoes for country ground.
Cover for the weather
Whatever the season calls for.
Camera
Handy for photographing the day.
Frequently asked questions about animal farms
No — the visits are put together for the general public.
Yes — many farms suit families and children.
Only where the farm allows it and provides the right feed.
Educational farms put the weight on learning; animal farms lean more towards visiting and country life.
Yes — many farms take organised groups and school trips.