Around Town

Search London

  • Pick-your-own farms and orchards near London

  • By Lisa Mullen

  • All around the outskirts of London, hundreds of pick-your-own farms and urban orchards offer an invigorating rural experience and a cheap way to stock up on fruit and veg

  • Pick-your-own farms
    Remember that all crops are seasonal – contact the farm in advance to check your chosen fruits and vegetables are available to pick before making a special journey.

    Grays of Wokingham
    Located just outside the town and easily accessible from the M4, this farm grows raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, gooseberries, rhubarb, broad beans, runner beans, broccoli and cabbage.
    Grays Farm, Heathlands Rd, Wokingham, Berks, RG40 3AN (0118 9785 386/www.graysfarm.co.uk) Open May-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, open until 8pm on Fris in July.

    Parkside Farm
    Parkside grows strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, plums, onions, beans, spinach and cucumbers.
    Parkside Farm, Hadley Rd, Enfield, Middx EN2 8LA (020 8367 2035/www.parksidefarmpyo.co.uk). Open Tue-Sun 9am-5.30pm
    . Feature continues

    Advertisement

    Crockford Bridge Farm
    Pick your own strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, marrows, courgettes, peas and rhubarb at this farm a short drive from Thorpe Park. Combine your trip with a walk along the canal and a visit to the farm shop.
    Crockford Bridge Farm Shop and PYO, New Haw Road, Addlestone, nr Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2BU (01932 853 886/www.crockfordbridgefarm.co.uk) Open Mon-Wed 9am-5pm, Thur-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm.

    The Barn Yard Farm Shops and Gore Farm
    From the end of July there will be a maize maze and conservation-based nature trails to amuse the kids. Pick your own soft fruits, and visit the charming shops and café on site.
    The Barn Yard Farm Shops and Gore Farm, Upchurch, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7BE (01634 235 059/www.the-barnyard.co.uk) Shop open all year, PYO open daily Jun-Aug 10am-5pm, Sept-May Tue-Sun 10am-5pm.

    Grove Farm

    Here you can pick your own raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, onions, potatoes, carrots, peas, spinach, garlic, coriander and chard.
    Grove Farm, Ivinghoe, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 9DZ (01296 668175/www.grovefarmpyo.co.uk) Open daily 10am-7pm.

    Spencers Farm Shop
    Loganberries and tayberries are among the excellent range of soft fruits at this well-organised PYO, which also offers (in season) plums and 18 varieties of apple.
    Spencers, Wickham Fruit Farm, Wickham St Pauls, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2PX (01787 269476/www.spencersfarmshop.co.uk) Open daily 9am-6pm.

    Pick-your-own orchards
    All the orchards listed here are open to the public unless specified otherwise.

    Blondin Community Orchard
    Blondin Park, off Boston Rd, W5. Boston Manor tube.

    Butterfield Green Community Orchard
    Shakespeare Walk, N16 (07739 968825/www.shakespeareneighbourhood.co.uk). Dalston Kingsland rail.

    Chinbrook Community Orchard
    Not open to the public but volunteers welcome.
    Grove Park Allottments, Marvels Lane, SE12 (chinbrookorchard@hotmail.co.uk). Grove Park rail.

    Fenton House
    Windmill Hill, NW3 (01494 755563). Hampstead tube. Adm £1.

    Green Peppers Orchard

    Phone in advance for access.
    Maiden Lane Community Centre, St Paul’s Crescent, NW1 (020 7267 9586). Camden Town tube.

    Horsenden Hill Nature Reserve
    Off Horsenden Lane North, Middx. Perivale tube.

    Marks Gate Community Orchard
    Access off A12 Eastern Avenue, Middx, trunk road or Newbury Park tube then 66 bus.

    Melbourne Grove Urban Orchard
    Melbourne Grove, SE22. East Dulwich rail.

    Roots and Shoots
    Not open to public.
    Walnut Tree Walk, SE11 (www.rootsandshoots.org.uk). Lambeth North tube.

    Stave Hill Ecology Park
    Volunteer groups meet every Wednesday and second Saturday of month.
    Dock Hill Avenue, SE16 (www.urbanecology.org.uk). Canada Water tube.

  • Add your comment to this feature

Have your say