There is no better apple than a good English one. We’ve been growing apples in this country since agriculture began and our climate is perfect for cultivating these sweet and crispy bundles. This year has been great for apples, with expectations that crops will be up 22% from last year. It’s prime picking season now, and spending some time with the family on a farm that lets you pick your own is a great way to welcome the beginning of Autumn. Here are some of the best places in the UK for apple-picking:
Best for cider: Eddisbury Fruit Farm, Cheshire
This farm in the north west of England is a great place to take kids for lots of outdoors fun. The pick-your-own apples selection is large, as is the collection of other fruits you can pick. The farm shop is very popular and sells Cheshire cider and Cheshire apple juice, both made from the farm’s own apples. The farm is very close to the historic town of Chester, where you’ll find our Chester Central hotel, as well as the Delemere Forest which is a great place for walking, biking and horse riding.
Best for family fun: Court Farm and Leisure, Herefordshire
This pick your own apple farm will keep the family amused for the whole day as there is much more to do than just pick apples. Bring your own picnic to eat in the picnic area, let the kids play in the children’s playground, pet the farm animals, browse the farm shop, and then finish it all off with afternoon tea in the tearoom. Stay in our Hereford hotel to combine this visit with a trip to the town’s Cider Museum as well.
Best for produce: Grange Farm, West Sussex
The Times rated the shop at this farm as one of the top 30 farm shops in Britain. It doesn’t just stock the farm’s own produce; it also sells a wide selection of goods grown on local Sussex farms, so it really is a one-stop shop for all your healthy, wholesome foods. The pick-your-own service includes plums and pears, and the farm is just a short distance from Chichester, where you can stay in our Chichester Central hotel. You could also combine the farm visit with a trip to look around the nearby Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Best for history: Hewitts Farm, Kent
This farm has existed for hundreds of years, and perfected its apple-growing as a result, but they also grow all sorts of produce there, from swiss chard, to beetroot, to black currants. Visit on a Sunday and you might just encounter a car boot sale, or get to ride on a tractor train. Our Dartford hotel is a great base for exploring the farm, as well as squeezing in some great shopping at the massive nearby Bluewater shopping centre.
