Jane's Midlife Journey

Gulliver’s Farm consists of a café, farm shop and organic working farm providing support and opportunities to adults with varying support needs. As well as coming here to eat and shop, there are plenty of other activities on offer to keep families entertained.

How to get to Gulliver’s Farm

Gulliver’s Farm is 14 miles from Bournemouth along the A338. Continue when you reach the roundabout junction with the A31, then turn left onto W Moors Road.

By Bus

Gulliver’s Farm is a stop on the X6 Route, which runs in a loop between Bournemouth and Poole via Ferndown.

Parking

There is free parking on the farm, with a small paved car park and a gravel/field overflow.

Access

It’s a farm – expect mud.

Opening Times

The farm is open daily from 9 am until 4 pm, with the kitchen closing at 2.45 pm.

Price

The farm is free to enter. There is a fee for some of the activities, as indicated below.

Suitable for age

There’s something for everyone here, from toddlers to grandparents.

Farm Shop

The Farm Shop stocks local fruit and veg and other organic produce. Plus other locally sourced goodies, such as Bakehouse 24 bread, Conker gin, Meggy Moo’s dairy produce and local honey.

Deli Kitchen

The Deli Kitchen menu offers brunch, lunch and cakes made with produce from the farm. Most of the other ingredients are locally sourced. Options include home made quiches, sausage rolls and sandwiches. Note: The menu is very heavy on eggs, which appear in almost every dish.

Family Activities

Nature Trail

There is a Nature Trail round the farm with challenges to complete, including a mud kitchen, pencil rubbings and an opportunity to meet goats and hens along the way.

Note: The Nature Trail is currently ‘under review’ due to issues with theft and vandalism. So, while you can follow the route and see the animals, not all elements of the trail are in operation at the moment.

CHILDREN’s ORCHARD GARDEN

Gulliver’s Orchard is a play area next to the café where children can explore. The orchard has a selection of ride-on farm toys, a ‘tractor wash’, lookout posts and other fun things to play with. Orla loved bouncing on the tyres.

Seedlings

The farm has its own nursery (the baby kind, not the plant kind), which runs a weekly Seedlings session. Here, children up to the age of 3 can explore nature, enjoy creative activities and learn through play. They can also tend to the animals at Sturts Farm and help with cooking or making bread for a morning snack. Th session ends with a seasonally inspired circle for singing and activities.

Seedlings sessions run every Monday from 10 am until 12 pm. One off sessions cost £9. Or you can purchase a block booking of four for £30. The price includes snacks grown on the farm or sourced from the farm shop or kitchen.

Nature Craft Club

For older children (aged 3-8), there is a weekly Nature Craft Club. Each session focuses on a different element of nature. Children will enjoy a story based on the week’s theme, take part in a craft activity and finish with a drink and a snack.

Nature Craft Club takes place on Thursday afternoon from 4 pm until 5 pm. Sessions cost £20 for a block of four.

Seasonal Activities

Other seasonal activities include PYO pumpkins in October. This runs along side the West Moors Pumpkin Fest, which includes live music, pumpkin carving and decorating, tractor rides and Fire Pit S’mores.

Whilst the run up to Christmas offers gingerbread decorating and house making, Christmas crafting and a Christmas story with the Elves.

Wellness Yurt

The Wellness Yurt runs a range of classes such a yoga and soulful manifesting. For children, for whom soulful manifesting has yet to replace tantrums, there are weekly dance classes.

Creative Baby

Creative Baby classes are for children age 1 to 3 years. They use a mixture of movement, music, props, rhythm and play to encourage babies and toddlers to explore movement and dance.

Creative baby classes run on Thursday mornings from 9.30 am until 10.15 am and cost £8 for a one off or £43.20 for a block of six.

Tiny Ballet

Tiny Ballet is for children age 2 to 4 years. It introduces children to the principles of ballet technique, taught through fun exercises, games and musical routines.

Tiny Ballet classes run on Saturday mornings from 9.30 am until 10 am and cost £5 for a one off or £27 for a block of six.

Food & Drink

The Kitchen has a comprehensive Kid’s Menu containing locally produced goodies such as sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and meatballs. The menu has a space for colouring in to keep little ones entertained while they’re waiting for their food. You can buy a children’s meal for £1 with a full priced adult meal.

Toilets/Changing Facilities

There are toilets with changing facilities.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.

• Updated: October 2024