Pennywell Farm Review

Reviewed by Melody Floyde

I recently visited Pennywell Farm with my partner and two sons (aged 2 and 6 years) and we all had a great day out despite visiting on a cold and wet September day.

Pennywell Farm was very easy to find as it is well signposted from the A38 and there is also a large free car park on site which is great. It took us about 30 minutes to get there travelling from Exeter and it would be similar from Plymouth.

On arrival we were greeted at reception by a very friendly member of staff who told us all about what we could do and gave us a really handy guide sheet with a map and details of everything that was available on site. The boys were given stickers to wear showing their names and ages which they loved (and are presumably also used to check their ages for rides that have age restrictions) and also cards to collect stamps from all the activities.

On leaving reception we arrived in the pets’ area where the boys were excited to see a range of small animals from tortoises and ducklings to rabbits and guinea pigs to name just a few. They were also given the opportunity to hold some of the animals and there was a member of staff on hand to tell us about the animals and to answer any questions.

Our next port of call was to check out the large blackboard in the farmyard where the timings for all the activities were displayed so we could plan our day. As it was unfortunately raining heavily when we arrived we decided to stick with indoor activities in the hope that it would brighten up later in the day. So, after paying a visit to the coffee cabin for hot chocolates and biscuits to warm us up, we headed to the main barn to join in with goat milking followed by bottle feeding which was great fun.

We then headed outside to look at the other animals which included pigs, horses and miniature ponies. And also tried out tractor village, which was undercover and had a wide range of ride-on tractors of varying sizes which kept both boys amused.  We also tried out the other outdoor play areas which were really well equipped for both boys.

As it wasn’t really picnicking weather we decided to have lunch in Henny Penny’s café. We found the café to be reasonably priced with a range of different food to choose from. Both boys had picnic boxes which were good value for money at £5.10 each and included a drink, a hotdog and three other items. The adult food was also very tasty and freshly prepared so we weren’t disappointed.  We did notice that there were also plenty of picnic areas both indoors and out had we wished to eat our own food so would consider doing this another time. You could also buy sandwiches and snacks in the coffee cabin.

After lunch it was time for the Big Show in the Pennywell Theatre. There was a range of acts performing on different dates throughout the season but the day we visited it was Poco Drom, a singer/songwriter who performed a range of entertaining animal songs with actions for the boys (and parents) to join in with. This was a big hit and we all really enjoyed it. My boys are still talking about it now!

Luckily after the show the rain had stopped so we were able to have a go on some of the outdoor rides. Our six-year-old went on the red rocket ride which he loved (although his two-year-old brother was upset he was too young for that one!); the rainbow railway and the tractor and trailer ride. The latter was a drive around a track where the children had to spot large wooden animals hidden in the hedgerow. We then stopped halfway round for the driver to tell us about the animals that we could see in the fields and to check the children had spotted all the animals. He was great and really engaged the children!

Finally, we headed back up to the main site to have a quick play in Noah’s playbarn and on the bouncy castle before watching the ferret racing and going for some piggy cuddles with the miniature pigs, this was a big hit as they are so cute. We all wanted to bring one home with us!

We all had a great day despite the bad weather, so although we probably didn’t see everything that we would have done on a sunny day we still managed to fill the day as there were so many different activities to take part in. Pennywell also offers a wet weather return ticket, where if it rains during your visit you can get a ticket to return again for free within seven days. We were impressed that the staff were very keen to promote this to us during our visit.

All in all, I would give Pennywell Farm 5/5 as it is a great family day out with really friendly and helpful staff and lots to keep the children occupied. We will definitely be back.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost £10.95 (Child 3-16 years) / £14.95 (Adult)

For more information or to book tickets online visit www.pennywellfarm.co.uk.