Godstone Farm

There is an animal holding area with hand washing facilities so the children can get up close and personal with some rabbits and chicks.

All of the animal pens have large clear information boards that are easy for the children to see and the older child to read.

I do feel though that the play areas can out number the animals and it is not an easy job to steer your children away from the play areas, at least until they have met the various farmyard animals.

Since our last visit the pay structure has changed and due to traffic jams on busy days you now park your car first and queue at the pay desk as you do at most other attractions.

A short and rather bumpy tractor ride has been introduced and costing 80p is well worth the trip, tickets should be purchased from the booth opposite the queuing area, although this is not very well explained and we were not the only ones to queue without a ticket. The tractor takes the short trip round two ponds, past some more pigs and a Billy goat and after reading the notice pinned to its pen I was happy that I was seeing it from a safe distance on the back of a tractor.

There is also a nature trail, which unfortunately was closed the day we visited and two short walks for those that like to go off the beaten track a little.

Once all the animals have been visited and cuddled then the play areas are bound to be the next stop. The indoor play barn is great for the wet and chilly days and costing £1 is good value, on busy days especially during the school holidays coloured baskets for the children's shoes are used as time limiters.

Three sandpits, adventure play areas, the play barn and slides will all ensure that the little darlings go home tired and may well fall asleep before passing the gift shop on the way out although it can't be missed on the way in either.

If you prefer to buy your lunch then the children's picnic boxes are very good value, for £2.95 the children can enjoy one quarter ham and one quarter cheese sandwich, a packet of hula hoops, a sweet, box of raisins, fromage frais and a small box of orange juice all of which are well known brand names and my eight-year-old polished off the lot.

Jacket potatoes, toasted sandwiches and soup as well as deliciously looking homemade cakes are on the menu along with pasties at £1.50 and sausage rolls at £1.10. Various kinds of coffee start at £1 and the prices are the same at the tea shop and inside the play barn.

The farm is a fascinating and exciting place for the little ones but at eight-years-old my son is now a bit too old for it although he does enjoy the play barn, even the farm does not recommend that children aged eight and over visit.

Godstone Farm is open from 10am to 6pm during the summer months and until 5pm during the winter, children over two cost £5.80 with one free adult per child, additional adults are £5.80.