We hobbled down to Hobbledown Adventure Farm recently to check out this essential family day out: the only place near London where you can combine meerkats, fairies, aerial adventures, jumping pillows and underground tunnels all in one fun-packed hit.
All the fun in a nutshell
Play equipment
Willow maze
Dual zip lines
Hobbledown Village
Zorbs
High ropes
Jumping pillow (x 2)
Fenn's Castle
Water Pillow
Hoddler Huts
Crystallite Mine
Wicker Basket Swing
Teepee
Yurt
Courtyard Play Village
Playbarn and restaurant (indoors)
Tag Archery Arena
Animals
Camels
Nilgai
Birds of prey (including a raptor show!)
Rhea
Wallabies
Mara
Lorikeets
Lemurs
Meerkats
Coatis
Otters
Giant tortoises
Goats
Sheep
Rabbits
Prairie Dogs
Pigs
Alpacas
Ponies
Donkeys
Zebras
As you can see from the extensive lists above, there's a LOT to see and do at Hobbledown, so make sure you come armed with comfy footwear and that the whole fam is kitted out in clothes you can climb, run and have fun in! We had an absolute blast checking it all out, but our personal highlights, as voted for by the kids and grownups alike were:
Hobbledown Village
This is an adventure playground on steroids, folks, and it'll keep the offspring amused for a long ol' time, so make sure you grab a snack and a coffee from the onsite restaurant before parking your bottom and watching the kids go wild. Think slides, climbing walls, tunnels, rope bridges and plenty more. There are also some super cool, smaller playgrounds for younger tots to keep busy with.
Archery
We all had a go at this nifty activity, which is free and run by super friendly staff who are on hand to help you pick up your Robin Hood/Katniss skills.
High Ropes
At just £2 extra per person this 70 metre long sky trail, nestling 3.5 metres above the ground, is a high jinks adventure comprising wobbly bridges, rickety crossings and a whopping 40m zipline to finish. Laughter guaranteed. Note: kiddos need to be 1.3 metres or taller to navigate the High Ropes, and the course is only open during weekends and school hollibobs.
The animals
We love a farm, and this one doesn't disappoint with its plethora of familiar and exotic animals. We can't pick a fave, but we did have a huge soft spot for the giant bunnies...
Jumping and water pillows
Covid-safe restrictions are in safe so we did have to queue a little while for the jumping pillows and the water pillow, but the whole family agreed that this was a stack load of fun!
Crystallite Mine
Not only did the tunnels around the Crystallite Mine prove quite the expedition, but putting Mr.9 in the stocks and then hiding around the corner was a huge source of merriment for us all! Disclaimer: we did come back for him.
Essential deets
Address: Hobbledown, Horton Lane, Horton, KT19 8PT
Opening times: Monday - Friday during term time, 9am - 5.30pm (last entry 4.30pm). Weekends and Holidays, 8.30am - 6.30pm (last entry 5.30pm).
Ticket costs: Tickets start at £15 when arriving after 2pm on weekdays and £18 after 3pm on weekends. Tickets are valid for a four hour stay in the Park. If it is not busy you may be permitted to stay longer. Tickets are non-refundable but the date of admission can be changed if you are self-isolating. Disabled guests may bring a carer free of charge.
Website: www.hobbledown.com
Now all you need to do is book, go, and have the most of awesome of days!
* Disclaimer: Tickets for Hobbledown were gifted to London for Kidz for the purposes of this guide.
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