The Patchworks, a new pumpkin patch in the Hope Valley village of Castleton, has become a popular autumn destination for families, offering a range of activities alongside pumpkin picking. The site, which opened at the beginning of October, is around an hour's drive from Manchester.
The attraction is the creation of cousins Simon Roe and Kieron Goult, both dads, who wanted to provide 'a wholesome family day out with something more than just pumpkin picking'. They promise a proper 'old fashioned day out' with games including Pump-King Pin bowling, Quacky Races and Needle in a Hay Stack.
Prices and Activities
Tickets cost £4 per person, which includes the on-site activities. Food and drink is also available, with jumbo hot dogs at £4, coffee and cakes at £3 each, hot chocolate at £3.50 and a local beer at £5.50. Marshmallows for toasting cost £3 for three giant ones.
Pumpkins are priced from £1.50 for munchkins up to £10 for XL orange and white Polar Bear varieties. The site, owned by Blue John Cavern, is located off Old Mam Tor Road in Castleton, within the Peak District National Park.
Booking and Reviews
Sessions run on weekends in October and throughout half term, starting from Friday, October 23. Tickets can be booked for arrival every 20 minutes between 10am and 4pm, with visitors able to stay for up to three hours. Parking is included. The organisers said they have been 'inundated with enquiries and bookings' and sessions are selling out quickly.
Simon said: "We are two local dads who happen to be cousins. We have been planning this for years. We wanted to create a wholesome family day out with something more than just pumpkin picking. So we spend all our spare time creating and building interactive games and activities to give children something more than what they can find on a screen."
Kieron added: "Families can come and join us for a fun, family experience for all ages, with a huge selection of pumpkins, interactive games and activities along with homemade cakes, coffee, locally brewed beer."
Families who have visited have left positive reviews. One mum who travelled from Manchester said: "It was great fun! Kids loved all the little extra games and plenty of different pumpkins available! Staff all very friendly and we loved the marshmallow toasting. The kids said the design your pumpkin table in the bar area was a great idea too! Highly recommend, we have some great photos from the day 10/10."
Another visitor commented: "Brilliant day out! Affordable with great games for the kids! Staff were friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!" A third said: "A lovely wholesome family day out! The kids had a great time with the games and exploring the huge variety of pumpkins. Pumpkin bowling and trying to find the needle in a haystack kept them entertained for ages, allowing us plenty of time to enjoy delicious food and drinks in the beautiful surroundings."
Tickets for The Patchworks can be booked on its website, with updates available on its Facebook page.
