We recently visited Pennywell Farm in Devon, and I wanted to share our thoughts on this family attraction.
We’d been meaning to visit Pennywell Farm for a while, but usually stick to places a bit closer to home. With a toddler who’s not exactly a fan of long car rides (especially when strapped into a car seat), we try to keep outings within an hour’s drive.
That said, we’ve pretty much made our way through the local spots, so we’ve started branching out a little further.
We planned our trip to Pennywell Farm for the 18th of May as part of his second birthday celebrations. He’s still a bit young for a full-on party—unlike his sister, who’s getting just that—so a special day out felt like the right choice for now.
Like many toddlers, he’s fascinated by farms and animals, so Pennywell seemed like the perfect fit.
Things We Loved About Pennywell Farm
Firstly, I wanted to share some of the things we loved about Pennywell farm, as overall we really enjoyed spending the day there.
Animal Interactions
The highlight of our visit was the hands-on time with the animals—I’ve honestly never been to a place with so many you can pet, feed, and interact with so freely.
We fed the goats both in their pens and during bottle-feeding time, which was a real hit. We cuddled everything from baby pigs to rabbits, guinea pigs, and even tiny mice.
The donkeys got a good brush, the horses enjoyed some gentle pats, and—much to everyone’s delight—we even met a unicorn! 🦄
If you’ve got little ones who adore animals, Pennywell Farm is a dream come true. It’s the perfect place to get up close with a whole host of furry (and magical) friends.
The piggy racing is also not to be missed!
Short Queues for Rides
Pennywell only has a few rides—three in total—but thanks to its smaller size and limited capacity, wait times were short. At least on the sunny Saturday in May when we visited, we barely queued at all – although it’s worth noting this could be different during busier periods such as the shool holidays or a bank holiday Monday.
My daughter loved the train ride and went on it multiple times—she was especially thrilled when she got to sit at the front! I was a big fan of the tractor ride myself.
It was great fun for the whole family, though I wouldn’t have minded if the route were just a little longer.
Exceptionally Friendly Staff
Every member of staff we encountered was incredibly warm and welcoming. They were brilliant with the kids, particularly around the rides, making the whole experience even more enjoyable.
Convenient Facilities
One thing we really appreciated was how easy it was to find toilets and refreshment kiosks throughout the site.
There’s nothing worse than having to trek halfway across an attraction when a toddler needs the loo or a snack—at Pennywell, everything was close at hand.
Mini Golf Included
Days out can get pricey, especially when there are extra costs once you’re inside. That’s why we were so pleased to find that mini golf was included in the entry price.
It’s not the flashiest course, but it kept the kids entertained for a good while—and that’s what counts!
Plenty of Picnic Spots
There are plenty of picnic spots spread throughout Pennywell Farm, including two covered areas—so bringing your own lunch is easy, rain or shine.
We also appreciated that these spaces were thoughtfully equipped with plenty of highchairs, making it super convenient for families with younger children.
Amazing Views
Pennywell Farm has the most amazing view across the surrounding countryside, although I think I appreciated this rather more than the children did!
Events Throughout The Day
There is always something going on at Pennywell throughout the day – from bottle feeding goats to a big family show in the main barn, meeting hedgehogs and goat walking, there really is plenty to enjoy for the whole family.
Top Tip: Take a photo of the events board on your way in so you can see what time each activity is throughout the day.
Things That We Felt Could Be Improved At Pennywell Farm
Smoother Pathways
Many of the pathways around the site are quite gravelly, which made pushing our buggy tricky.
This was surprising as Pennywell, overall, I would sa,y is geared towards young families, especially those with children under five who would be most likely to still be using pushchairs.
Gated Toddler Areas
Does anyone else have a toddler who likes to bolt the second they think Mum or Dad isn’t looking?
We love a gated play area as it makes playing so much easier for our family, and there were areas where this could be easily implemented.
Mixed Age Play Areas
Pennywell has a huge new adventure play area, located near the tractor rides.
It’s great to see this level of investment, but as far as I could see, this whole area was only for children aged 3+ (apologies if I missed a toddler area, but I don’t think I did).
This made it difficult when our six-year-old wanted to play but our two-year-old couldn’t go on anything as there are big signs everywhere saying no children under 36 months.
It would be great to see some adventure play for toddlers in this area so the whole family can enjoy it together.
Too Much Need For Digital
Lots of the activities around the site require you to scan a QR code, either for more info or to see where something is.
While we loved the marketing and theming overall (it was the festival of the unicorn when we visited) I did get fed up with my daughter constantly asking for my phone.
I felt a farm day out should be all about getting kids away from screens not encouraging their use.
Expensive Face Painting
While I fully recognise the need to for profit and to charge extra for some activities, £7.50 for face painting felt very overpriced and would be unaffordable for many families, especially those with several children.
Would We Return To Pennywell Farm?
We’d definitely consider returning, though probably not in the immediate future. It felt like we were able to experience everything we wanted during this visit, so a return trip might feel a bit repetitive too soon.
That said, if you’re weighing options, nearby Crealy offers a far broader range of activities for a similar entry price—and their free return within seven days during school holidays is a nice added bonus.
While the focus at Crealy is less on animals and more on rides and play areas, it would be my preferred choice for a family day out of the two venues.