Festive Farm Shops and Christmassy events worth a detour
When this Blog-Writer used to run a café (p285 of The Extra Mile Guide, since you ask), the festive décor amounted to a few knitted sprouts dangling from string in the window. Charming? Perhaps. Christmassy? Debatable.
But some places really go to town. The sort of venues that make you stop mid-stride as you walk into full festive wonderland mode. So here’s a hand-picked selection from our guides (browse our titles here). Some are included because their Christmas exuberance caught our eye, others because they’re simply brilliant stops for seasonal essentials.
Norpar Barns, Navestock, Essex
At Norpar Barns you’ll find Father Christmas, wreath-making workshops, roast pork, mulled punch, carol singing, plus a whole separate blacked-out Christmas Light Barn. So if you’re seeking festive fun in and around Essex, head to Norpar for your Christmas treats.
Blacker Hall Farm Shop, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
This place just has everything. It’s farm shop meets deli–greengrocer–fishmonger–gift house–wine loft and they really pull out all the stops at Christmas. In fact at any time of the year (they do Halloween particularly well, too).
Enjoy festive and seasonal events at Blacker Hall Farm Shop.
Silver Birch, Crossford, Fife
Their Christmas decoration displays are magazine-worthy and famous across Scotland. So if you’re exploring the East Neuk or thereabout this Christmas, don’t miss out on the festivities here at Silver Birch.
Folies of Stansted, Essex
Folies is a cracking Christmas shop when the season rolls round. To be honest, they also love putting on rather stylish seasonal displays throughout the rest of the year, too. So for Christmas done right, head to Folies.
Ginger & Pickles, Byley, Cheshire
Among many festive delights, Ginger and Pickles’ charity Reindeer Weekend at Byley is unmissable for any Rudolph enthusiast. For a real authentic taste of Christmas, and for events to really get the little ones exited at this special time of year, pop to one of Cheshire’s foodie highlights, Ginger & Pickles. (They have several branches now: you can’t keep a good farm shop café down!).
Ginger and Pickles, Byley
Ginger and Pickles, Tarporley
Beltonville Farm Shop and Café, Buxton, Derbyshire
Here at Beltonville Farm Shop, a tidal wave of Christmas trees sweeps in each year. Pick the perfect one, bag some presents, then restore yourself with lunch in the café. What a treat. Anywhere that cyclists frequent tends to be fabulous, and local riders love Beltonville. So if you’re in the Peaks and seeking a festive fill in Christmassy surrounds, look no further.
Forage Farm Shop and Kitchen, Cowbridge, Glamorgan
At this festive time of year, Forage offers the full Christmas experience: seasonal restaurant menus, hampers, meat orders, workshops, corporate parties and more. It’s a properly Christmassy cornucopia. As their giant-sized deckchair states: it’s all rather ‘fablas’. Go online for more about their ’12 days of Christmas’ offers, too. See below for when Santa came to Forage…
Bury Lane, Royston, Cambridgeshire
Bury Lane is over 40 years old and still going strong: turkeys, festive hampers, seasonal food halls, Christmas trees, a visiting Santa, gifts: the whole festive shebang. Head to their website to see what festive events and Christmassy goings on are planned this season.
Brookelynne Farm Shop, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
At Brookelynne Farm Shop, as seen in our very own The Farm Shop Guide, turkey chicks are reared lovingly through the year, ready for the big feast. Pop along for these and other lovingoly reared and crafted Christmas treats.
Lathcoats Farm Shop, Chelmsford, Essex
Lathcoats is great year-round, producing wonderful apples and other crops and staging memorable seasonal year-round. Come to this much-loved farm shop this Christmas to see it in its festive colours. You can pick your own dream tree or can even rent one if you prefer to have minimal impact on the planet.
Find Lathcoats on The Extra Mile website. (It’s also in The Farm Shop Guide, which makes a great present for those who love to shop locally and support local farms and farmers wherever you may travel).
Peterley Manor Farm, Great Missenden, Bucks
Peterley Manor is a rather stylish place to find yourself, and Christmas is no exception. They also happen to be quite the experts in Christmas trees. If you’ve driving home for Christmas this year and happen to be passing, do swing in for seasonal events and festive cheer. If you’ll only be visiting them online, they’ve written a really useful blog on real vs artificial tree options.
Christmas gift ideas for foodies
Whether you’re hunting for a show-stopping tree, planning a festive family day out, or simply craving an outstanding mince pie, these brilliant stops deliver Christmas cheer in spades. Expect lifted spirits, a full car boot, and a grin that should last well into the New Year.
If you’d prefer to tick off some present-buying boxes now, then our three books each make fabulous festive treats for the foodies in your life. There’s The Extra Mile, Delicious Alternatives to Motorway Services; The Farm Shop Guide; and The Coastal Café Guide. Coming soon is The Sauna Guide to the South West, watch this space and keep an eye on our blog and online shop for more on that (you can pre-order on this well-known website if you want to do so before you forget, or just wait for us…).
Good luck in finding festive stop-overs and Christmassy joy on your journeys to and from friends and loved ones this year, and happy Christmas to you from all of us here at Extra Mile Books.
