Recommendations for camping on a farm with animals

[jaychops]

DS (3) has an obsession with farm animals, particularly cows. We are in the north west. Any recommendations for farm campsites which allow children to become involved in the animal feeding/activities? Happy to travel 1.5-2 hours at the most.

I think you'll struggle with this, you can look on pitchup and filter for for farm campsites so you can camp on farm land.

However cows are not really toys for your 3 year old to play with. There will be health and safety implications. Animal welfare implications. Insurance implications. Etc.

bluebelldairy.co.uk/icecream-getaways/

This holiday villagee in Cumberland has an open farm on site:

Solway Holiday Village

village*

I think you might be better booking into a farm B and B - some do allow children to take part in limited 'activities'.

You can also get a mobile farm to visit - more of a birthday treat than just any old day I think.

Some agricultural colleges have animal zones or open tot he public, this is my local one.
www.southstaffs.ac.uk/animal-zone/about-our-animals/

Myerscough is, I think in Preston, but I don't know if it has open days. www.myerscough.ac.uk/

Do you actually want to camp? I think you'd me more likely to find a working farm with eg a glamping set up or shepherds huts / yurts etc.

@LittleMissLego I am fully aware cows are not toys thank you, I would not compromise my son's or the animals' safety, nor visit a campsite that hasn't got full safety regulations in place. We are regular visitors of our local open farms and am looking for a campsite on which my son may be able to be involved, as in the case of a couple of reputable ones I've found in the Lakes but was looking for more choice so I can make a decision.

Thanks for the other replies with recommendations and ideas, I will take a look!

Herding Hill Farm www.herdinghillfarm.co.uk/on-site/petting-farm

Petruth Paddocks in the Cheddar Gorge.

Fordhall Farm in Shropshire has a yurt

Probably too far away but Sacrewell Farm near Peterborough have camping on site. It’s lovely there.

There's a shirehorse place x farm x other animals in Wales. Looked pleasant to camp at. dyfed-shires.co.uk/campsite/

For glamping, feather down farms.

If you ever make it to France this place was brilliant! Only campsite my kids have ever wanted to join in with activities. prunay.fr/

One one in Snowdonia where we bottle fed lambs at Easter (no idea about the rest of the year). www.tyn-yr-onnen.co.uk/

Big Hillsdale Farm in Staffordshire.
Very basic facilities but it’s ingrained in my kids memories forever.
Dairy cows, where the farmer allowed them to watch being milked, you can also have fresh milk for your breakfast.
The kids also enjoyed helping gather the chicken eggs in the morning. There’s also donkeys, the farmer will give kids a bucket of feed to go and feed them.
Going back a few years but when we used to visit, there was Ruby the sheepdog who would run down to the campsite in the hopes of scrounging a sausage or three for her breakfast. We were lucky enough to stay when she had just had puppies so the kids got to play with them too.
You can purchase wood for proper camp fires, there’s trees for climbing, and there’s beautiful walks in the surrounding area.

We've only been to Sacrewell as day visitors, but it has camping

https://www.sacrewell.org.uk/visit/

We're looking at camping https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/England/Central/Nottinghamshire/bothamsall/haughton-park-house-farm/ here this summer (they're only open in August). You can do animal feeding on the site but it's a very rustic site i.e. field and a portaloo job.

It's in Nottinghamshire so within your reach in 2 hours from the NorthWest.

Greenacres at Deeside was great last time we went
www.greenacresanimalpark.co.uk
They have a camp site as well
Some day out ideas here
www.donthibernate.co.uk

coniston hall the campsite has sheep wondering around in the camping field. Then if you walk into the town you get a field of cows to walk with. All very friendly and use to people.

Bowes Hill farm is nice. Only small, some farm animals, lovely staff. It is near Fleetwood/ Blackpool. We have stayed before and stay again next weekend. We stay in the teepee tents

Bowses Hill Farm is a illegally run campsite