Staunton Farm and Country Park - a great day out for the whole family
You might not have children of school age, but if you ever did, you’ll remember what it was like faced with the prospect of filling the seemingly endless days and weeks of the summer holidays.
You might be a grandparent helping out with holiday activities, or just generally on the lookout for places to take the family with plenty for every age to enjoy.
Or you might be searching for somewhere to go that has glorious gardens to admire, and hundreds of acres to walk or cycle around.
Welcome to the walled garden at Staunton Farm
Whatever your interest or incentive, Staunton Farm and Country Park, near Havant in Hampshire, is an outing destination I can heartily recommend.
I spent a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable day at the farm with my family - five adults and four littlies aged between 3 and 8 weeks - earlier this summer. The mini members of the party ran out of puff (having run around virtually non-stop from the moment we arrived) before we could explore the Country Park, so that part is earmarked for our next visit.
The farm is home to a well cared for variety of animals all of which can be enjoyed close up enough to feed if they and you fancy (you can buy a cup full of special feed with your entrance ticket). Residents include goats, sheep (which are wandering freely around you in their enclosure), cows, alpacas, llamas and pigs, as well as ducks, chicken, rabbits and some reptiles.
Feeding the animals at Staunton Farm
Each pen and enclosure has information on the breeds you can see as well details about the individual names and characteristics of each of the animals. The oldest two grand-girls were especially fascinated by the playful ferrets and all the fun items they had to climb in, on and through in their pen.
Fascinated by the ferrets at Staunton Farm
When you’re done with the animal encounters, (and have washed your hands using one of several sink areas around the site) there’s a lovely outdoor playground, and for days when the weather is less than clement, two indoor play areas, one for older children, and a soft play zone for younger ones. Both play spaces are close to the excellent cafe, which serves hot and cold, locally sourced food, and with plentiful toilet facilities (important for every age!)
After our tasty lunch we headed to the walled garden with its glorious display of plants and flowers, and wandered through the Victorian glasshouse admiring the exotic plants and large lily pond.
The lily pond in the Victorian Glasshouse, Staunton Farm
There’s a maze, which was planted in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, and, close to the car park, a small farm shop where you can buy products and produce from local businesses. At certain times of year they also sell plants.
Staunton Farm shop
The car park is free for the first 20 minutes so that customers for the shop can park without paying, and is included in the price of your ticket for the farm. But if you’re only going to the Country Park you have to pay when you park.
You can shop and eat at the Country Park as well, but the real attraction of the site are the lovely walks and cycle paths that criss cross the well-maintained 1000 acres, and the unusual follies which have been cleaned and renovated as part of a major restoration project that has seen a number of improvements around the park.
The 3.5 acre ornamental lake at Staunton Country Park
Of course you can wander round at will, but there are clearly marked routes for both walkers and cyclists of all abilities, as well as a tree trail and three orienteering courses. And keen anglers can buy a permit to fish in the 3.5 acre ornamental lake.
Whether its animals or activities, exploring on two legs or two wheels, shopping or eating, or a combination of all the above, that takes your fancy, Staunton Farm and Country Park ticks every box.
Find out everything you need to know about opening times, ticket prices, facilities and events at Staunton Farm HERE and for the Country Park HERE
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