Heads of Ayr Farm Park Review
Heads of Ayr Farm Park
Ayr, Scotland
Reviewed by Lorna Templeton
Heads of Ayr Farm Park is right up there among the best-value family days out in Scotland. With something for all ages, and all weathers, the only problem you’ll face is working out how you’re going to fit it all in.
From the moment you come through the gates, there’s a rich choice of entertainment. First up is a huge adventure playground, equipped with a vast array of trampolines, slides, climbing frames, mini diggers and a bouncy pillow that’s equally popular with both the young and the young at heart.
Parents of smaller tots will be glad to learn that some of the trampolines and play equipment is specifically reserved for under 5s, leaving the bigger kids to strut their more vigorous stuff on the neighbouring equipment.
For a very modest additional charge, there’s also the option of jumping on one of the bumper boats (think dodgems on water), quad bikes or barrel ride – a fun, bumpy bounce in a hollowed out barrel pulled along by a tractor.
If your kids are feeling more adventurous, just up the hill they can whizz across the park on an aerial slide, throw themselves down a dry ski slope in a rubber ring (Ringo Sledging) or tackle the heights of Camelot Castle, a wooden fort with loads of nooks and crannies to explore.
Should your visit coincide with one of those rare occasions when the sun isn’t splitting the Ayrshire skies, there’s a huge indoor area with full-on soft play and daredevil slides alongside a smaller, slightly gentler area for toddlers. There are tractors and diggers to clamber on, and a stable of horses to say hello to on the way in.
Which brings us nicely to the animals. As its name suggests, there are loads of furry friends to be made at the park, ranging from traditional farmyard characters like goats and sheep right the way through to wallabies, skunks, lemurs, meerkats and monkeys. There’s also a Little Critters Animal Barn where wee ones can get up close and personal with rabbits, chickens and guinea pigs, as well as observing the creepy crawlies and snakes from a safer distance.
Round about now you’ll probably be thinking about a sit down and a bite to eat. If you’ve brought a picnic, there’s a covered area right beside the entrance, while immediately alongside is an indoor café where the fare is varied and the prices reasonable.
And that’s a welcome feature of Heads of Ayr generally: the pervasive stench of naked commercialism you tend to find at similar establishments is conspicuous by its absence here. In fact, if you weren’t actively looking for the gift shop, you’d almost certainly miss it.
We can’t quite believe it when the staff start to come round to say its closing time. A day here simply races by – always a great sign, as is the sound of two snoring kids as we pull out of the car park.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets: £10.50 Adult / £9 Children (additional charges may apply).
For more information or to book tickets online visit www.headsofayrfarmpark.co.uk.
