Plan Your Visit

So that you have an idea of what to expect when you visit, we have detailed our facilities below. If you have any questions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page or contact us if you can’t find the information you need.

The majority of the Farm Park is accessible for all, with wide, flat areas undercover in our two barns and many accessible areas outside. We have an excellent heating system to keep you toasty and warm inside. Toilets, including disabled facilities, are provided.

Arrival at Hesketh

We have ample free car and coach parking, a short walk from the entrance. There is disabled parking right outside the entrance. All major credit cards are accepted for admissions, refreshments and shop purchases.

Admission Prices for 2022

Individual tickets:

Adults – £7.00
Children – £7.00
Under 2’s – £3.50
Under 1’s – £1.00

Group Visit Prices

If you would like to bring a group from a school, pre-school, nursery, community group or other organisation to Hesketh Farm Park, please see our Group visits page for more information and prices.

Regular Visitors

If you visit Hesketh regularly, we offer a loyalty card which is stamped on each visit and allows free entry after five paid visits. You can collect a loyalty card from the entrance reception.

Hesketh Cafe, or bring a Picnic

Hot and cold drinks, home baking, sandwiches, light bites, ice creams and snacks are available from our café. All major credit cards are accepted for refreshments and shop purchases.

You are welcome to bring your own food and use our picnic tables, either indoors or out.

Bringing a baby

Hesketh Farm Park is accessible for prams.

We have two baby changing rooms. A microwave oven is provided for you to heat pre-prepared food.

Health & Safety

We love everyone to stroke, hold and feed the animals but please ensure you wash you hands afterwards. See our Health & Safety guidelines for more details.
Children must be supervised at all times.
Hesketh Farm operates a no-smoking policy.
No dogs other than guide dogs are allowed at Hesketh Farm Park.
We cannot be held responsible for any incident which occurs as a result of our guidelines not being observed.

Activities

Our animals include sheep and their lambs (depending on the time of year), calves, pigs and piglets, goats, hens and chicks, guinea pigs and Shetland ponies. You will be able to meet Margaret and Dolly, our donkeys and our giant tortoises, Samson, Delilah and George.

Feed the Animals

Supervised animal feeding and egg collecting takes place throughout the day – the times are displayed throughout the Farm. A bell will ring shortly before an activity is due to start. The feeding times are also listed on the Explore page of our website.

Our Guinea Pigs and Pigs

Guinea pigs are available to cuddle all day and our pigs love to be brushed at any time!

Plenty more…

As well as the animals we have lots of play equipment to keep everyone entertained. Inside the barn this includes a sand pit, straw maze, slide, ride-on tractors for under 3’s and pedal tractors for 4 to 7 year olds. If you venture outside you will find swings and slides, our wooden agility course, pedal go-karts, the spider’s net climbing frame and our giant tractor to explore.

Tractor Rides

Tractor and trailer rides with Farmer Chris take place throughout the day (subject to weather). There is a small additional charge of £1.50 for these, and Farmer Chris announces the rides throughout the main barn.

Please note that during term time, tractor rides for the public do not start until 2.15pm as before then Farmer Chris is busy with school and other pre-booked group visits.

Our tractor and trailer rides are accessible for wheelchair users.

Health & safety at Hesketh: avoiding infection

We really hope your visit to Hesketh Farm Park is enjoyable and you love meeting and interacting with our animals. However, contact with any animals carries a risk of infection, so we ask that you follow our health & safety guidelines to reduce the risk of ill health. Farm animals carry a number of infections that can be harmful to people, for example, E.Coli and Cryptosporidium – many animals carry these infections even when they appear clean and healthy. The bacteria will be in the animal’s droppings and may be on the animal’s body, or on fences and surfaces in and around the Farm. Touching animals, fences and other surfaces can thus lead to infection, as you may pick up these bacteria and accidentally pass them to your mouth. It only takes a small number of the bacteria to cause infection.

The best and simplest way to reduce the risk of infection is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after you have had contact with animals.
Hand gels or wipes are not a substitute for washing your hands with running water.

Hesketh Farm Park’s health & safety guidelines

Do not:

Put hands on faces or fingers in mouths whilst petting animals or walking round the farm.
Kiss farm animals nor allow children to put their faces close to animals.
Eat or drink while touching animals or walking round the farm only in the designated eating areas.
Eat anything that has fallen on the floor.
Use gels or wipes instead of washing hands with soap and water. Gels and wipes do not remove E.Coli, Cryptosporidium or dirt.

Do:

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after you have touched animals, fences or other surfaces in animal areas.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating and drinking. .
Remove and clean boots or shoes that might have become soiled and clean pushchair wheels. Then wash you hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Supervise children closely to ensure that they wash their hands.

We’ve got plenty of hand wash stations, each with warm water, antibacterial soap and hand towel. Around the Farm you will find hand washing facilities available near each animal contact area, and plenty of basins by the toilets too. Please do use these as we want you to remember Hesketh for a fantastic visit, not for having a horrible infection after you get home.

Download the Hesketh Farm Park risk assessment

Further information is available by downloading the Health Protection Agency’s leaflet, Avoiding infection on farm visits: advice for the public, or on their website at www.hpa.org.uk.