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.
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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.
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