Priory Farm - Redhill

Priory Farm

Sandy Lane

South Nutfield

Redhill

RH1 4EJ

I decided to start by sharing my views on this place because I love it here and I had never even heard of it until last year.  I first visited in winter last year and straight away knew it was somewhere I would return to again and again.  For a start there is a large free car park and its only 20 minutes drive from Coulsdon.
 
The place itself is free and there is lots of open green space for kids to run around with a large pirate ship play area.  There is a big nature trail that only costs £3 per person (kids also £3) and it is excellent - although its quite a long trail and very hilly, so when I have done it I took the buggy and Oliver walked some and sat for some.  There are also parts where I don't trust him not to roll off down the hill so the buggy and backpack with reins come in handy.  There are play areas and things to explore along the way although I'd say most are aimed at older children (than a 2 year old) but he still enjoyed it.  The place is very close to Redhill aerodrome and so a bonus (if you and your kids like that kind of thing) is lots of aeroplanes and helicopters to spot flying over!

At the end of the trail is a pond where you can feed the fish (you can buy food from the kiosk for £1) and Oliver loved that, the fish go crazy and there are hundreds of them! They also have chickens at the beginning of the trail. Its a shame if you want to just see the chickens you still have to pay the entry fee, but a tip - if you are lucky a whole herd of Guinea fowl who roam freely will at some point enter the main areas and that is enough for Ollie as he goes crazy chasing them around!

Oliver's favourite part of Priory farm without a doubt is the duck run.  You can buy a plastic duck from the kiosk for £1 (or bring your own) and there is a small fenced area with a running water trough that you can race the ducks down.  We can spend an hour in there, I can sit down, Oliver cant run off and he loves it.  Be prepared for your child to get soaked and bring spare clothes.  Its so lovely to see their faces as their duck shoots off in the water and they run after it again and again.  We have essentially come to Priory farm for the morning just for this simple activity that costs nothing.

 

In the garden centre there is a lovely café.  It is expensive but the food is really good.  Its a nice treat but if you want to save money then there is a picnic area by the pirate ship.  I usually treat myself to lunch and bring Oliver a packed lunch as I'd only end up buying him an expensive version of what I'd make at home.  The bonus of the café is that there is another play area with swings, slide etc. and a tractor to sit on near the café tables, so when they get bored of sitting at the table you can keep an eye on them.  The toilets are actually nicer on the side by the nature trail, behind the duck run especially the baby changing. Its much bigger and cleaner than the one in the garden centre (probably because not many people realise it is there).

This is a great place to come for some fresh air and an alternative if you're bored of going to the park.  You can come here and spend very little money and have a whole day out.  I have been in both term time and holidays and it does get busier in the holidays but because there is so much space it never feels crazy busy.  On a chilly drizzly day this place is perfect, nice and quiet.  Stick their wellies on and your sorted.

https://www.prioryfarm.co.uk/discovery-walk/