Family Adventures in Swindon - Lotmead Pick Your Own

If you are looking for something fun to do with your kids on a budget, that Sian Jack has some great suggestions for a low cost fun family day out...

On Sunday we only had the little one until lunchtime, and with it being such a lovely day we decided that we needed to get outside and find something different to do rather than the normal option of the park etc. So we headed on over to Lotmead Pick your Own just outside of Swindon. I’ve been before, but a very long time ago. As an adult I’d heard good things from friends and family so we thought why not take him to pick some strawberries.

We got there about 10:30 and it was surprisingly busy but we headed over to the strawberry fields (rather than the table top plants) and started filling up our punnets. We decided to let the monster have his own so that he could take some home with him - and also let him have his own little streak of independence. There were plenty of strawberries to choose from and we all loved rummaging through the plants trying to see how many we could find – alongside the cheeky munch as we went! After all, that is part of the fun!

After filling up our punnets we headed on over and paid for the weight we’d collected and also grabbed some asparagus and rhubarb from the shop. Lotmead have the process down to a tee, you simply grab a sized container you like and then pay for the weight. It works out slightly more than the supermarkets (due to the crazy offers they always hold) but they are so yummy, fresh and I think it’s great to encourage children to find their own food, and it makes eating fruit far more exciting.

We then had a play in the park on site, which someone absolutely loved as they have a variety of equipment for all ages and numerous slides and old tractors for them to climb on. After a good old run around, we headed into the café and grabbed some sandwiches and a kiddies lunch bag to sit outside and enjoy the sun.

Unfortunately for us, it was then time to head back home and we didn’t get a chance to do the nature walk and see the animals. But I have to say it was a great morning. We are already planning our next visit and could have easily spent a lot longer there exploring. There is something so fun about picking your own fruit and veg and it tastes so scrummy when you get them home. We all experienced the fun as kids and this definitely took us back to our childhood.

If you are after a low cost day out I thoroughly recommend it. You pay for what you pick and the animals and adventure walk is only £1 per person (with under 2’s going free)! There were also families taking their own picnics so it really could be a bargain day out.  I also have to add that as an adult we had a ball.