playground

SKIP the big rides and rollercoasters for one of the best family days out. The location? One of the UK’s best farm shop villages.

The complex in Cheshire is inside a 250-year-old barn conversion with a farm shop, play area, plenty of shops and even an on-site B&B.

Found in Middlewich, Hopley House is open seven days a week and is popular with families thanks to all it has to offer.

At the centre of Hopley House is its farm shop where visitors can pick up local produce from bread to pastries, meat, fruit and vegetables to cakes.

When it comes to drinks, there are wines, beers and spirits from local breweries and Il Gusto spirits which can be bottled and personalised on-site.

Outside are a selection of plants from shrubs to flowers

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The café is open seven days a week serving up cooked breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and kids meals.

There’s also a selection of homemade cakes and alcohol-like beers and boozy hot chocolates.

To entertain the kids, visitors can get competitive on the mini golf course found on-site which costs £5pp.

And children can burn some energy at the play area which has swings, a slide, rock wall and climbing frame.

If that isn’t enough, it even has its own shopping village.

One of the shops is AVM Furniture which sells a selection of antique, vintage and modern furniture as well as garden ornaments.

JO’S Accessories is a ladies’ boutique, there’s also The Crystal Boutique, SKULLS n’ MOR, E a pet shop and a reptile rescue sanctuary.

Families have raved about it, with one saying: “Absolutely perfect place for a large family to stay.”

Another added: “Me, my partner and my two children visited Hopley House last month….. to say we were impressed is an understatement!”

A third simply called it a “hidden gem”.

It also holds events throughout the year – at the moment it has a mini fairground is back with tea cups and a mini big wheel.

Visitors can also stay at Hopley House in one of its rooms which are found inside a converted barn.

Some of the rooms have original barn features, each with en suite or a private bathroom.

Guests can enjoy a cooked breakfast from the café or head to the farm shop for a homemade pizza.

Anyone staying overnight can also make use of a kitchen area which has a fridge and microwave.

Rooms start from £68 based on two people sharing or £42 for single occupancy.

One overnight guest said in a review: “Lovely stay at Hopley guest house, huge big room and the comfiest bed ever! The owner made us feel very welcome.

“My only regret is we didn’t book for longer.”

If you fancy another trip to the farm shop, check out the ‘Harrods of the North‘ that’s loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.

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