During the darker days and nights of autumn, there are some flashes of colour, with the distinctive orange hue of pumpkins representing the brightest and most traditional for this time of year.
Carving a pumpkin is a great activity to enjoy on your next caravan or motorhome trip, but you’ll want to head to a pumpkin patch to get the best selection in terms of size and shape to choose from.
With this in mind, the houseplant experts at Beards & Daisies and writers at CaravanTimes have put together a list of the patches worth visiting on your next touring adventure.
Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Offering everything from full pumpkin day experiences to a UV nighttime pumpkin trail, Cotswold Farm Park will quickly get you in the mood for autumn.
A corn maze, spooky face painting and a chance to meet rare breed animals means there’s enough excitement to keep the whole family, including your dog, entertained for hours.
Tulleys Farm, Crawley, West Sussex
While Tulleys Farm is a fun pumpkin patch by day, it really ramps up the atmosphere in the evenings, where you’ll find twinkling lights and live entertainment.
If your leisure vehicle is safely parked up, then you can indulge in seasonal cocktails and an array of street food specialities.
Garsons Farm, Esher, Surrey
The expansive pumpkin patch at Garsons Farm is a pick-your-own paradise, where you can get your hands on a huge gourd for carving or mini pumpkins to decorate your caravan.
Themed displays made from pumpkins grown on the farm add to the experience and are sure to capture the kids’ imaginations.
Pumpkin Picking Village, Chelmsford, Essex
Pulling out all the stops is the Pumpkin Picking Village, where you’re sure to find the perfect specimen this October.
Expect hay bales, farm animals and pumpkin-themed games, as well as fields and fields of pumpkins just waiting to be picked.
Brockbushes Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland
Growing 90,000 pumpkins every year, Brockbushes Farm has every variety you could imagine, from the large white polar bear to the Hoargarth with its warty skin.
Pimp your pumpkin, get a spooky tattoo or toast marshmallows at the farm during your visit, as you try to decide which type of pumpkin to take home with you.
Balgone Estate, East Lothian, Scotland
Scotland’s biggest pumpkin patch can be found on the Balgone Estate, where they grow 70,000 gourds a year in 27 different varieties.
Pick your pumpkin, walk the haunted trail and visit the crooked cauldron for some Halloween surprises.
Photo credit: Pexels/Inna Heasley
