Old Hall Farm
Old Hall Farm
4.5
About
Nestled in the Cumbrian Hills and surrounded by the Lake District lies Old Hall Farm. This is an open historic working farm, following the the farming year, therefore activities will change month by month. Each visit will be different. Typical activities on the farm include, ice cream making, shire horses working, Jersey cow milking, feeding the animals and a wide selection of vintage machinery and steam engines on display and being worked.The Chicken shed tea room is open to passing trade as well as attraction customers and serves a delicious selection of cakes, drinks and lunches. The Farm shop sells Farm produce and gifts.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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4.5
305 reviews
Excellent
223
Very good
33
Average
20
Poor
15
Terrible
14
amylizzie1
4 contributions
Oct 2014
My parents came today with my son and daughter and my niece. The lady who was working with the horses was exceptional she could not have been more helpful and for the three children getting the opportunity to get up close to Troy the shire horse and also grooming him was a wonderful experience. The rest of the day has been enjoyed immensly by everyone. The food and service in the cafe was fantastic and great value. The children were very happy and excited when they got home and can not wait for another visit in the next season. Thankyou to all the staff and Troy for making a wet dreary day so fabulous.
Written 28 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Placeinthesunflowers
Kendal, UK13 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
Wonderful day at this great place. Horses are amazing, steam engines and agricultural equipment are really special. Home made ice cream from their own jersey cows. Brought some delicious jersey milk home for our porridge in the morning. The wood burner in the tea room was much appreciated whilst we had tea and yummy cake. The welcoming team here on this traditional Cumbrian farm are so friendly and helpful. Looking forward to our next visit, thank you all.
Written 28 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clarktoppcat
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK3,489 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
Lovely farm and loads to do for our 7 year old son. The lady who brought out the shire horse was really good and we enjoyed her talk. My son enjoyed a ride and the cart and playing in the barn on
the hay.
Would have given it 5 stars but for Miserable Mike who took our money at the reception. It was halloween on our visit and the farm had organised a great pumpkin trail with a sheet to fill in for our son. No mention of this when Mike took our money and no mention of anything in fact. I asked if the the list of activities on the board would happen today and he just grunted at me. He also did the coffee in the cafe and was just as miserable in there. If you dont want to be there Mike I suggest you leave and stop spoiling it for the farm. Must say the rest of the staff where great.
Also dissapointed that we couldnt get a ice cream sundae but it was a quiet day so we did enjoy a ice cream.
Would I go back? Yes we had a great day, just hope Miserable Mike has left and found a job he enjoys.
the hay.
Would have given it 5 stars but for Miserable Mike who took our money at the reception. It was halloween on our visit and the farm had organised a great pumpkin trail with a sheet to fill in for our son. No mention of this when Mike took our money and no mention of anything in fact. I asked if the the list of activities on the board would happen today and he just grunted at me. He also did the coffee in the cafe and was just as miserable in there. If you dont want to be there Mike I suggest you leave and stop spoiling it for the farm. Must say the rest of the staff where great.
Also dissapointed that we couldnt get a ice cream sundae but it was a quiet day so we did enjoy a ice cream.
Would I go back? Yes we had a great day, just hope Miserable Mike has left and found a job he enjoys.
Written 31 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are delighted that you enjoyed your day at the farm. The pumpkin trail quiz was such a success that we plan to do an Easter themed one . We will also have some Easter craft activities which will appeal to all children under 16.
We are as disappointed as you that you did not get your Ice cream sundaes and I can only think that unfortunately as you have pointed out Mike was having a bad day and for some reason he decided that they were not available which clearly was not the case. Your experience this day was disappointingly not our normal standard of service and you quite clearly identified why. We welcome all feedback and in this case it unfortunately validated what we were thinking but failed to act on. Mike has now found another role. We would love to see you back this season and to be given the opportunity to show you just how good our sundaes are not to mention new flavour ice creams.
Written 12 March 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gay Taylor
2 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
It says dog friendly. Tried to call for a meal this afternoon and told dogs weren't allowed inside. Food wasn't being served outside either. Go to rake Hall, much nicer venue and dogs allowed, 2 minutes away
Written 15 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Llorna H
Kilmacolm, UK3 contributions
Oct 2013
We were hugely disappointed to have travelled specifically to the farm, having checked the reviews and the daily calendar of events before we left, only to discover that the place was closed - not ideal for generating an income! Both children and my parents were disappointed to find this as my parents were looking forward to reliving their childhood memories with my two kids. Waste of fuel and time :-(.
Written 15 October 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol B
London, UK135 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
Whilst on family holiday in lake District, picked up leaflet in local TIC promoting the attractions and activities on this vintage working farm. On arrival with our grandaughter and baby grandson, all looked promising and our young grandaughter enjoyed the free pedal tractors and cars beside the tearoom.
The leaflet promised a picnic area but the only seating available was for the use of the tearoom only, so we had to return to the car park to eat our picnic lunch.
On arrival at the ticket office, we found our leaflet was in fact 'out of date' and prices had increased by an additional £1 per adult and, more annoyingly, free admission age for children changed from 5 years to 3 incurring a further £5.75 for our 4 year old. We did challenge this by producing our leaflet, but to no avail. This is the point at which we should have left!!
Once over the threshold, we realised immediately that this was not going to be a good experience. The farmyard was pretty much deserted, with sheds containing 'vintage' farming equipment of by-gone days in various states if disrepair. The high point was the impressive shire horses who we enjoyed petting in their stables.
A butter making demonstration in a vintage dairy was promised. This comprised a simple wooden table tucked away under an overhang in the yard. A harried lady was busy with taking buckets of pellets to feed livestock and informed us helpfully that she'd be along as soon as she'd fed the horses! True to form, she dashed along with a bucket of soapy water (Looking suspiciously like the same bucket the pellets had been in) and proceeded to demonstrate the finer points of butter production in a rather disjointed way, before handing the wooden butter pat bats to the children and leaving us to have a go ourselves whilst she dashed back to the horses.
We continued our desultory way around the yard. A few pigs, ducks, cows and miniature horses were housed in various sheds, most sleeping. 2 chickens; presumably escapees from the advertised and vacant chicken enclosure.
Lots of evidence of the promised 'live steam' but sadly nothing was working, no staff presence, and little to engage the interest of a young child to justify an entry fee of almost £25, leaving us feeling ripped off.
A children's activity area was promised, but this was an open sided barn, stacked with hay bales, a table, chairs and crayons for kids to amuse themselves. No staff or organised activity.
The lady tending the horses was finally joined by a chap who assisted her with harnessing two of the shires for a demonstration before taking them outside to an arena which we could have observed free of charge.
Old Hall Farm has received many good reviews on TripAdvisor. Sadly, this was not our experience, or that of our fellow visitors on the day. We received no explanation as to why there was no activity or displays of the promised steam engines, forge etc. Presumably, we visited on a bad day.....?!
Recommendation: enjoy refreshments in the tea room whilst your kids have fun on the free tractors and cars. Watch the horse displays in the outside arena, All of which are free. Then go somewhere else which offers value for money.
The leaflet promised a picnic area but the only seating available was for the use of the tearoom only, so we had to return to the car park to eat our picnic lunch.
On arrival at the ticket office, we found our leaflet was in fact 'out of date' and prices had increased by an additional £1 per adult and, more annoyingly, free admission age for children changed from 5 years to 3 incurring a further £5.75 for our 4 year old. We did challenge this by producing our leaflet, but to no avail. This is the point at which we should have left!!
Once over the threshold, we realised immediately that this was not going to be a good experience. The farmyard was pretty much deserted, with sheds containing 'vintage' farming equipment of by-gone days in various states if disrepair. The high point was the impressive shire horses who we enjoyed petting in their stables.
A butter making demonstration in a vintage dairy was promised. This comprised a simple wooden table tucked away under an overhang in the yard. A harried lady was busy with taking buckets of pellets to feed livestock and informed us helpfully that she'd be along as soon as she'd fed the horses! True to form, she dashed along with a bucket of soapy water (Looking suspiciously like the same bucket the pellets had been in) and proceeded to demonstrate the finer points of butter production in a rather disjointed way, before handing the wooden butter pat bats to the children and leaving us to have a go ourselves whilst she dashed back to the horses.
We continued our desultory way around the yard. A few pigs, ducks, cows and miniature horses were housed in various sheds, most sleeping. 2 chickens; presumably escapees from the advertised and vacant chicken enclosure.
Lots of evidence of the promised 'live steam' but sadly nothing was working, no staff presence, and little to engage the interest of a young child to justify an entry fee of almost £25, leaving us feeling ripped off.
A children's activity area was promised, but this was an open sided barn, stacked with hay bales, a table, chairs and crayons for kids to amuse themselves. No staff or organised activity.
The lady tending the horses was finally joined by a chap who assisted her with harnessing two of the shires for a demonstration before taking them outside to an arena which we could have observed free of charge.
Old Hall Farm has received many good reviews on TripAdvisor. Sadly, this was not our experience, or that of our fellow visitors on the day. We received no explanation as to why there was no activity or displays of the promised steam engines, forge etc. Presumably, we visited on a bad day.....?!
Recommendation: enjoy refreshments in the tea room whilst your kids have fun on the free tractors and cars. Watch the horse displays in the outside arena, All of which are free. Then go somewhere else which offers value for money.
Written 4 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting our farm.I am very sorry that you picked up last years leaflet at the TIC. It is very disappointing for us as a business when we pay to have our current leaflets distributed and this happens. I am sorry that you did not ask for me. I am working 7 days a week and plenty of hours to ensure our visitors have a fabulous experience and I would have honoured last years prices for you.
I am sorry that you did not eat your picnic where other picnickers do ie on the picnic tables next to the tea room. We do obviously prefer you to eat in our tea room but we fully appreciate that families like to picnic. Sometimes if it isn't busy and wet we even allow picnickers to eat their picnics in our barns to help their days experience so it is certainly not our intention to banish you to the car park.
We do ask that all visitors to the farm patronize in some way either by visiting the café or buying ice creams or indeed the full farm experience for a full day out.
We provide pedal tractors and go carts for our visitors to enjoy whether visiting the farm or buying an ice cream. We work exceptionally hard to keep our shire horses and rely on visitor income to make the farm sustainable. They are a real attraction for our paying visitors. We ask that customers respect this fact albeit everyone will see them in the distance or passing . Like wise when we are giving pony cart rides and donkey rides we ask that it is confined our paying visitors . When you pay the entrance fee you are given a sticker which helps us monitor this situation.
I would also like to clarify that our butter making demonstrations are just that . We do not in any way use the butter produced and it is disposed of. We use old fashioned wooden churns to turn the cream into curds and whey and then wash the butter and visitors are asked to use butter pats to finish off the butter. It just does not meet hygiene standards . The girls wash off the equipment using buckets of water to keep the whole process way from our milk production dairy which clearly meets all FSA guidance
Written 14 August 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul A
Telford, UK55 contributions
Aug 2016 • Family
21 quid for 2 adults and a child and it was all done in less than an hour. Part of the attraction is numbered on the map as a field of corn . Also a field of turnips. Hardly an attraction. Disaster .
Written 10 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alyson S
Leeds, UK58 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
We came here after picking up a leaflet whilst on holiday but do not believe the blurb. The Chicken Shed tea room is said to offer 'tempting farm made cakes' when actually they were bought in from Costco warehouse - I shop there so recognised them immediately. The tea room was dirty - the bunting strung across the roof was past its best and there were ice cream tubs on a shelf below the specials board that were grimy and covered in dead flies ( see pic ). We were served overpriced unchilled drinks in hot glasses straight from the dishwasher and when we asked for ice were told there wasn't any...it's supposed to be an ice cream farm!
The ice cream parlour was just a counter staffed by very young girls so although they were pleasant enough it wasn't the greatest experience of customer service. Over all very disappointing but I have to say the young woman leading Gem, the horse, into the farm as we arrived was absolutely lovely - chatty, friendly and welcoming. She should be promoted and retrain all the other staff!
The ice cream parlour was just a counter staffed by very young girls so although they were pleasant enough it wasn't the greatest experience of customer service. Over all very disappointing but I have to say the young woman leading Gem, the horse, into the farm as we arrived was absolutely lovely - chatty, friendly and welcoming. She should be promoted and retrain all the other staff!
Written 19 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
_jmag68
Liverpool, UK3 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
We decided to visit after being impressed by the leaflet we picked up at our caravan park. The plan was to have afternoon tea (as advertised) as we had a 17 yr old and our 8 yr old granddaughter with us and it was raining heavily. No afternoon tea on menu, no scones left (it was 2.10pm) no hotdogs... After choosing a baguette ( as recommended by waitress) another waitress popped head up from underneath the counter and said “No baguette, they’re hot.” I had a sandwich instead but was still surprised by the rudeness of the other waitress. Just a little hint to the management, fab idea but retrain your staff and remove the vile strips of fly paper hanging in the windows!
Written 24 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alison W
1 contribution
Aug 2018 • Family
Would definitly not recomment visiting Old Hall Farm.
I have three boys (2,5 and 10) All were bored after 45minutes. We are a country family, we walk and lot and have backgrounds in farming. My children being boys love being outside, animals, vehicles and play. Expecting an open farm with the added bonus of old farming equiptment we travelled to Old Hall Farm with a picnic and hoping to get an ice cream in the afternoon.
We paid £28 for a family ticket. this included a look around the farm and various activities throughtout the day. The leaflet makes it look like there is lots to do, its much, much smaller than it would allow you to believe. The majority of the old farming machinery is cramped in dark sheds, many of the places described in the leaftlet are nothing more than old farm outhouses, uncleaned and really not worth a look. in the small animal house we found two lambs, two ponies, a donkey and a rabbit in a hutch... again dark and very small. There were 5 pigs (with piglets), horses, some ducks/hens and a calf. To be fair to the owners, there were activities throughout the day but there simply isnt enough to keep children occupied in between these events. The play barn has one rope swing which you have to queue for, a few bales to climb on and colouring books. The outdoor play looked promising but many of the ride ons were broken.. i have sinse been told they are now fixed.
We took a picnic but found nowhere to eat it. The ice creams do look lovely but we felt like we had spent enough on not a lot and chose to leave.
We have visited many lovely open farms, we usually spend many hours visiting them.
My advice, have an ice cream and let the kids play on the ride ons..dont waste your money on the farm.
I have three boys (2,5 and 10) All were bored after 45minutes. We are a country family, we walk and lot and have backgrounds in farming. My children being boys love being outside, animals, vehicles and play. Expecting an open farm with the added bonus of old farming equiptment we travelled to Old Hall Farm with a picnic and hoping to get an ice cream in the afternoon.
We paid £28 for a family ticket. this included a look around the farm and various activities throughtout the day. The leaflet makes it look like there is lots to do, its much, much smaller than it would allow you to believe. The majority of the old farming machinery is cramped in dark sheds, many of the places described in the leaftlet are nothing more than old farm outhouses, uncleaned and really not worth a look. in the small animal house we found two lambs, two ponies, a donkey and a rabbit in a hutch... again dark and very small. There were 5 pigs (with piglets), horses, some ducks/hens and a calf. To be fair to the owners, there were activities throughout the day but there simply isnt enough to keep children occupied in between these events. The play barn has one rope swing which you have to queue for, a few bales to climb on and colouring books. The outdoor play looked promising but many of the ride ons were broken.. i have sinse been told they are now fixed.
We took a picnic but found nowhere to eat it. The ice creams do look lovely but we felt like we had spent enough on not a lot and chose to leave.
We have visited many lovely open farms, we usually spend many hours visiting them.
My advice, have an ice cream and let the kids play on the ride ons..dont waste your money on the farm.
Written 22 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi just a quick question to ask whether the Shire horses can be ridden at all? Planning to visit anyway but spotted a few photos of Shire tacked up with saddle and it made my ears pur-doink.
Written 5 May 2019
Hi I am not entirely sure about riding but they are quite accommodating so just ask and I am sure that if their insurers cover the usual risks then they may be able to allow it. If you want to ride there is another organisation "Cumbria Shires" that do rides and seashore at that!
Written 6 May 2019
Do they take debit or credit cards
Written 29 October 2018
Can I bring my dog if it is kept on a lead?
Written 21 July 2018
Yes, Tracey is quite right ....we took our little dog on a lead, we all had a fabulous time.
Ann.
Written 22 July 2018
Hi is the play barn included in the entrance price?
Written 9 September 2017
Is it possible to simply stop here for an ice cream without paying entry to the farm? Thanks.
Written 9 July 2017
803charlotte
Bouth, United Kingdom
Hi yes it is possible to just pop in for an ice cream or coffee or even just lunch. We have a very pleasant seating area in the middle of the farm and pedal tra tors and gokarts foir the kids or kids ate heart
Written 30 July 2017
Do you have to pay for parking here?
Written 4 May 2017
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