Gardening

THE Cotswolds is already a great place to visit, but nearby is a farm that parents are raving about as a great day out,

Millets Farm opened back in 1952, originally as a dairy farm.

Now, the farm is home to multiple attractions including a play barn, Maize Maze and Farmyard Golf.

The attraction is split into pre-booked activities and no pre-booking required activities.

For example, you could head off on the Millets Animal Walkway, where visitors will see a number of farm animals including goats, chickens, rabbits, horses, birds and alpacas.

The play area also doesn’t need pre-booking and has a mix of swings, slides, climbing frames and more.

Read more on travel inspo

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

There are also token-operated ride-on tractors, diggers and a crane which little ones can go on.

One token costs £1.75, three tokens cost £4.50 and five tokens cost £6.

If the weather isn’t rainy, you can also check out the 10 acre Phoebe Wood, where there are a number of woodland walks.

There are then several activities you have to book ahead for, such as Sprouts Play Barn with a four-lane wavy cow slide, 360 tunnel, a ‘mini Millets farmers market’ with seven soft role-play areas, a sports court and an area for under five-year-olds.

One recent visitor said: “This has to be the best soft play in Oxfordshire, it’s absolutely huge and offers a great variety of activities and play equipment for a wide age range.

“There’s a little baby area at the front, and then lots of fun for bigger kids on the higher levels.”

Another visitor added: “The soft play was the best we have ever been to (and we have been to A LOT).

“Every section was clean, looked brand new and so well thought out.

“It’s huge with four floors and the under fives section is also the biggest I’ve seen.”

Included in the Sprouts admission tickets, you also get access to the outdoor play area which has slides, beams and water play.

There’s also an 18-hole farm themed adventure golf course that you can book.

If you want something that is a little bit more of a thrill, head on the carousel, Ferris Wheel or Jungle Thriller, which all cost £3 a turn.

However, at the moment only the carousel is open until the spring, when other attractions at the park will reopen.

The attraction also hosts a number of events, such as Phil’s Magic Mania Show and Tweedy’s Massive Circus.

There are a number of seasonal events at the farm as well, such as pick your own flowers.

Visitors can explore around 8000 dahlias planted around a bright pink double-decker bus during the summer months.

The site also has a big garden centre, that sells items for both gardeners and non-gardeners.

One recent visitor said: “Such a delightful garden centre to wander around.

“They have everything you can imagine, for any budget. Even a cafe if you need a little break.

“I could have spent all afternoon there.”

When it comes to eating, the attraction has several spots to grab a bite.

For example, there is The Farmhouse Kitchen Restaurant which has both indoor and outdoor seating.

If you fancy an ice cream, head to the Snack Shack.

There there’s also The Food at Webbs restaurant, which can be found inside the garden centre and offers homemade meals.

And if you want to make your stay a bit longer or more special, then head to Wellness at Millets for a beauty treatment.

For more UK farms with family activities, here are six UK farm stays inspired by Clarkson’s Farm from remote cottages to Highland cow petting.

Plus, the English campsite named best farm attraction in the UK reveals new kid’s playground and glamping.

Alnwick Garden in Northumberland is a stunning family attraction just 40 minutes from Newcastle with treetop walkways, 100 deadly plants behind locked gates, beautiful cherry blossoms and a miniature castle for kids

In the heart of Northumberland, lies an enchanting modern garden complete with elevated walkways, its very own toxic plant collection and soaring delphiniums.

During springtime, Alnwick Garden bursts with a canopy of gorgeous cherry blossoms – and children can swing amongst the petals on charming wooden twin-seat swings. The Japanese Cherry Orchard springs to life with all of its magnificent 326 Taihaku cherry trees. Yet the spectacle continues during the chillier months. In October the same trees’ foliage transforms to a stunning rich bronze shade, according to Visit Northumberland.

The garden, brimming with vibrant patches of colour, was conceived through the Duchess of Northumberland’s vision of a breathtaking landscape garden featuring interactive water displays and a genuinely distinctive miniature fortress for youngsters, reports Chronicle Live.

Created by Jacques and Peter Wirtz, the Grand Cascade forms the garden’s centrepiece with water cascading through the multi-level fountains.

Nevertheless, if you wander to the garden’s edges, there’s additional treasure to uncover, including the Rose Garden, the Serpent Garden and the Poisonous Garden.

For those undaunted by altitude – there’s also a 200-metre long, raised timber pathway snaking through a grove of lime trees. Forming part of one of the globe’s largest wooden treehouses, the construction boasts unstable bridges and rope passages.

Beyond secured wrought iron gates sits the garden housing more than 100 hazardous plants including poisonous and narcotic varieties. Access to the garden is restricted to private guided tours only – which inform visitors about the sinister aspects of horticulture.

A brief stroll from the main garden leads to Lilidorei- an enchanting immersive village offering numerous activities for children including Elf story time, according to Lilidorei’s website.

The 26-metre play structure features bridges, ladders, swings and towers plus six different slides – sufficient to entertain youngsters for hours.

Kelly B said on Trip Advisor: ” What made the visit still worth it was Lilidorei (I’ve written a separate review for that) and the Poison Garden.

“The Poison Garden is completely fenced in and you can only go inside during a guided tour (free with garden admission). I timed it just right and was able to join a tour shortly after they started. I’m not sure what her name was, but we had an excellent guide. We got to see the plants and hear about how they were poisonous.

“The guide had pictures to show us of what they look like blooming. A few of the plants were even in cages for safety reasons. We got to hear some stories of murderers who used the poisons to kill their victims, some fairly recently. It was a fascinating tour.”

Best Northumberland holiday cottage deals

From £38 per night

Sykes Cottages

See the deals

Northumberland is famed for its rugged coastline, ancient castles and unspoiled natural beauty. Sykes Cottages has a range of places to stay starting from £38 per night