Updated for 2017
Although we no longer need to pick our own fruit and veg, thanks to the convenience of supermarkets, it can still be an enjoyable way to spend a few hours in the sun.
Fruit picking is a fantastic family activity, that doesn’t cost too much and for many of us, it is different to what you usually do. You’ll get to enjoy each other’s company as well as eat delicious fruit throughout the day.
If you are looking to do just that this summer while staying at one of our beach view holiday parks, here are five of the best places to do so:
White House Farm, Rackheath
White House Farm is family run, it dates back 150 years and fruit has been farmed there since 1946. Depending on the season, you can load your basket with a selection of fruit, including strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, plums, cherries and much more!
Not only can you collect delicious fruit, the butchers shop, florist, gift shop, café and beauty rooms that are all on the farm will keep you busy after you’ve spent a couple of hours picking.
For little ones, there are farm tours which aim to help children engage with the foods they eat, learn about how they grow and where they come from. The children get to have a go at pressing apples for a tasty and healthy drink and go digging for potatoes amongst other activities.
Drove Orchards, Hunstanton
Drove Orchards has over 350 acres of farmland, 40 acres of which are exclusively fruit trees. The air and the fruit and veg doesn’t get much fresher than here, as the farmland is in the heart of the countryside and close to the Norfolk coast. The family who operate the orchards have a shared passion for conserving and promoting the ancient varieties of apples. There are over 150 varieties of apples and pears on the farm, many of them were planted in 1950.
You can pick your own apples, pears and a range of other soft fruits including strawberries, currents and more.
After your days picking, refuel in one of the two restaurants that are onsite which use a variety of produce which has been grown on the farm.
Hill Field Nursery, Norwich
This family run plant nursery has a farm shop full of items that have been grown just a few hundred yards from the shop, from cucumbers, cauliflowers, leeks, beans and much more! Even during the winter months, they have a steady supply of their produce, whether that’s freshly frozen fruit from the summers yield or pumpkins, onions and garlic.
Hill Field Nursery’s pick your own is extensive, with an abundance of rhubarb, gooseberries, redcurrants, blackberries, strawberries and apples, amongst a huge range of other fruits.
Wiveton Hall Farm – Holt
You may recognise Wiveton Hall Farm from the 2016 BBC Two documentary ‘Normal For Norfolk’, following the success, the second series is set to hit the screens in 2017. The program features the large stately home and the journey it is embarking on to try and keep the house and gardens alive and open for the public to enjoy.
Not only is there the opportunity to go and pick yourselves a range of fresh, seasonal and delicious fruits, there are art exhibitions which regularly change throughout the year and tours of the historical house and gardens. There is also a popular café and restaurant which boast views of the Norfolk marshes and out to sea, you’ll be surrounded by the fruit fields while you enjoy the produce from the farm.
Wayford Nurseries
The farm and nursery has been in the same family since 1934 and they pride themselves in providing fresh and quality produce to the local people and visitors. The farm has grown from its original one acre, to now covering over 250 acres and growing a huge variety of fruit, vegetables and plants. Throughout the summer months, you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries.
All fruit and vegetables at each farm and orchard are dependent on the season and how many people have been to pick before you, so be sure to check with the farms before you head there to ensure there is something delicious available for you on your visit. Where will you be fruit picking on your holiday? Let us know via our social media channels!