Travel experts at DiscoverCars.com have named Scotland's best pumpkin patches ahead of Halloween. The roundup, published on Thursday, September 24, features 10 pumpkin patches across the UK that are ideal for an autumn family day out.
Two Scottish attractions made the list: Arnprior Farm in Stirlingshire and the Balgone Pumpkin Patch in East Lothian.
Arnprior Farm: A family-run working farm
Arnprior Farm is a family-run working farm about 12 miles from Stirling, home to around 20,000 pumpkins. Tickets cost £14.90, with £5 redeemable against the price of a pumpkin. Pumpkins themselves range from £1.50 to £12.
Beyond the pumpkin patch, the farm offers a 'quad pod ride', a pumpkin cannon, a bale mountain, and an indoor hay barn. There is also face painting, photo opportunities, badge-making, and a dedicated crafting area.
Visitors can enjoy food and drink options including doughnuts, burgers, pumpkin soup, pizzas, hot chocolate, and various home-baked treats. A pop-up shop in the farm's polytunnel sells a range of goods to take home.
Balgone Pumpkin Patch: Scotland's largest
The Balgone Pumpkin Patch is about two miles from North Berwick and less than an hour from Edinburgh by car. It is Scotland's largest pumpkin patch, with around 10 acres across Balgone Estate and 27 pumpkin varieties.
The Balgone Pumpkins experience runs from October 16 to 18, 23 to 25, and 30 to 31, open from 9am to 4pm daily. Tickets cost £18 per car or per walking group of up to five, with one ticket covering everyone in the vehicle.
The patch includes a 2.5-kilometre Haunted Trail and numerous picturesque photo spots. Catering options include street food stalls, the sit-down Herd Cafe, and the outdoor Balgone BBQ.
Advice from DiscoverCars.com
Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com Aleksandrs Buraks said: "Pumpkin patches are a fantastic day out for the whole family. Although pumpkin picking is the main event, our research into the type of events available this year showed that there are also maize mazes to get lost in, craft workshops, and the opportunity to meet adorable farm animals."
He added: "Tickets for some events are already selling out, especially weekends, so if there's a pumpkin patch near you, you might want to book your tickets in advance. As some of these pumpkin patches are working farms or located in the countryside, driving will probably be your best way of getting there—and if there's a farm shop on-site, it'll be easier to get all your shopping home too."
Buraks also noted: "It also means you can take your muddy shoes off and stick them in the boot. If you're bringing your dog, make sure you check the venue's policy ahead of time."
The full list of the UK's best pumpkin patches includes Meopham PYO in Kent, Cotswolds Farm Park in Gloucestershire, Ryman's Pumpkins in Staffordshire, Forage Farm Shop in the Vale of Glamorgan, Holmeswood Pumpkin Place in Lancashire, Kenyon Hall Farm in Cheshire, Nottinghamshire 'Pick Your Own' Pumpkins, Spilmans Church Farm in Yorkshire, Arnprior Farm in Stirlingshire, and Balgone's Pumpkin Patch in East Lothian.
