About Church Farm Ardeley
Church Farm is a not-for-profit working farm in the small north Hertfordshire village of Ardeley. Alongside its fields and woodland it runs rural care and education programs, and visitors are welcome every day with a Farm Day Pass. The farm, shop and café are open 9am to 4pm daily, with the café closing at 3:30pm on weekdays.
A day pass covers the farm trail, a bear hunt, an activity booklet with bingo and puzzles, and the woodland play area with its wooden fort, wigwams, playhouses and ride-on tractors. Rabbits, guinea pigs, goats and sheep live in pens around the play area, and goat walking, egg collecting and birthday parties can be booked as extras. Children under two go free, parking is free, and well-behaved dogs are welcome.
The seasons shape the calendar. In 2026 the pumpkin patch opened on 17 and 18 October ahead of the Halloween Spookfest, which runs from 24 to 31 October, and a festive farm with a grotto, elves and a winter woodland follows at Christmas. The farm shop and butchery sell the farm's eggs, meat, vegetables and fruit every day, the café and tea room serve light meals, and the farm's site also points visitors to the Jolly Waggoners pub. Camping, glamping and cabins are available for longer stays.
Hitchin Lavender at Cadwell Farm, Ickleford, is about 20 minutes west; its lavender fields and teahouse make a good second stop on a summer day, and it runs its own pumpkin patch in late October.
What to do
- Follow the farm trail and bear hunt with a Farm Day Pass
- Meet the rabbits, guinea pigs, goats and sheep by the woodland play area
- Book goat walking or egg collecting
- Pick a pumpkin and join the Halloween Spookfest (24–31 October 2026)
- Buy the farm's own meat and eggs at the shop and butchery
- Stay over in a cabin, glamping tent or on the campsite
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open every day of the year; pumpkin patch and Spookfest in late October; festive farm at Christmas
- Hours
- Daily 9am–4pm (café closes 3:30pm on weekdays)
- Admission
- Farm Day Pass booked online; under-2s free
Good to know
- Dogs
- Allowed (well-behaved dogs welcome on day visits)
- Reservations
- Recommended (day passes booked online)
Tips for your visit
- Book day passes and Spookfest tickets online ahead of time
- The fairy trail was closed for refurbishment in autumn 2026, but other areas stayed open
- Parking is free
- Groups can pre-book food in the café and pub
Pair it with a lavender farm
Hitchin Lavender · about 20 minutes away
Hitchin Lavender at Ickleford is about 20 minutes west, good for a summer double bill of farm animals and lavender fields.
Getting there
Questions
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, well-behaved dogs are welcome on Farm Day Pass visits.
Is it open every day?
Yes, the farm, shop and café open daily from 9am to 4pm.
When is Spookfest?
24 to 31 October 2026, with the pumpkin patch opening on 17 and 18 October.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Hitchin & North Hertfordshire
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
