Dorset: Putlake Farm Review
When you think of an adventure farm in Dorset, thoughts always turn to Farmer Palmers near Poole, but there is also one based in Swanage and it is the perfect day out for younger visitors.
Putlake Adventure Farm is set in the pretty village of Langton Matravers and features a children’s soft play centre, a small farm with a good range of animals, Go-Karts, children’s outdoor play area and sand pit.
Where Farmer Palmer’s is a large and expansive site, Putlake Farm is small and perfectly formed, just the right size for little legs.
Off the main courtyard is a large barn, with goats, sheep, calves horses and pigs.
The farm offers a timetable of animal feeding, horse grooming and tractor trailer rides to keep little ones interested and involved.
Next to this barn are the ride on tractors and diggers – all undercover, so the perfect place to escape to if the weather turns.
Also off the courtyard, is another building with exotic birds, including a talking parrot, plus rabbits and guinea pigs.
Outside there is plenty to explore, with a large outdoor play area with climbing frame, play houses, small trampolines, sandpit and a go-kart track for older kids.
Other animals outside in the fields include alpaca, goats, donkey’s, horses, chicken’s and peacocks.
Sadly, due to the current COVID restrictions, the tractor trailer ride was not running during our visit, but it should be back in time for the summer holiday’s.
Once you have had your fill of animals, the indoor soft play features slides, ball pits, tunnels and obstacles.
There is also a smaller toddler area, with seating around it for parents to relax on.
As well as the adventure farm and indoor soft play area, Putlake’s Tearooms offer hot and cold food, cream teas, delicious cakes, a microwave to warm baby food and a variety of ice creams.
Entry to Putlake Farm is £8.95 for children and adults, with under 2’s free, which we found very reasonable with the amount of things on offer.
We really enjoyed our visit with Lilah, as it was lovely and quiet and we could explore at her pace. I would highly recommend a visit with younger children, although older children might struggle to find things to keep them entertained for more than a couple of hours.
Have you visited Putlake Farm before?
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
It sounds like it was really good fun there. Sounds like there was plenty to do there. Mine would love the go karts.