7 Best Pumpkin Patches near Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I was born in Newcastle, and I’ve lived a lot of my life in the place.

I’ve spent much of my time there in the remote and rural outskirts, where you can hike, camp, tackle bike rides, find secluded beaches… and pick your own taste-packed servings of super-fresh fruits and vegetables.

So in this guide, I’ve brought you the 7 best pumpkin patches near Newcastle.

Whack out your wheelbarrow and come join the fun!

Best Pumpkin Patches for Pumpkin Picking Near Newcastle

Before we get going, here’s a quick disclaimer: pumpkin picking and pumpkin patches are of course pretty seasonal. So we made sure to make this guide completely accurate at the time of writing and to update it frequently. But in general, make sure you double-check before you visit any places—we don’t want to be responsible for your debilitating disappointment.

And another (probably unnecessary) disclaimer: as is pretty obvious, all of these places only offer pumpkin picking in the run-up to Halloween.

1. Brocksbushes

• Address: Bywell, Stocksfield, NE43 7UB
• Entrance fees: £2 per person—and you then pay for each pumpkin according to its weight
• Website: https://www.brocksbushes.co.uk/

Brocksbushes is Newcastle’s most famous pumpkin-picking spot by a long way. Sitting west of Newcastle, it’s plonked right between the Northumberland towns of Hexham and Prudhoe.

A real-life farm, they offer pick-your-own pumpkin fun on a super-spacious field. After you pick your pumpkins, each one gets weighed—and you pay according to this weight.

They have 20 different varieties of pumpkins, with a whole range of different colors. On-site, you’ll also find face painting, fairground rides, pumpkin-bowling, and loads of tasty home-cooked eats and treats.

During other times of the year, Brocksbushes offer more pick-your-own experiences (including the chance to get your hands on plums, strawberries and raspberries). Other non-Halloween attractions include a tea room, an artisan farm shop, and an annual Christmas fayre.

But most popular of all, the place often hosts alpaca treks in summer. During these experiences, you wander around the farm accompanied by a big pack of hairy friends.

Wholesome, charming, and run by a family, Brocksbushes is welcoming whatever time of year you visit, and you’ll absolutely fall in love with this place.

2. Down at the Farm

• Address: Stoneygate Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, DH5 8JG
• Entrance fees: £8.50 for both adults and children, free for under-2s. Pumpkins cost £3 each
• Website: https://www.downatthefarm.co.uk/

Fun-packed family farm Down at the Farm sits close to Houghton-le-Spring, in a rural area just south of Sunderland.

Every year, they run a Halloween-themed pumpkin-picking week, and it’s a massively popular family-fun day out (so make sure you book in advance). The outdoor pumpkin patch is one of the biggest and best near Newcastle, so this place is one of my top recommendations.

Apart from pumpkin-picking, there’s way more Halloween stuff on offer. They have a kid-friendly spooky stroll, pumpkin-carving kits, a ghost train, a ghoul-finding activity, scarecrow-making sessions, and plenty more themed fun.

When Down at the Farm isn’t hosting pumpkin-related activities and entertainment, it’s packed with plenty of other stuff. No matter when you come, you’ll find tractor rides, play areas, picnic spots, and a whole bunch of varied animals.

On-site creatures and critters include rabbits, chicks, guinea pigs, donkeys, lambs, reindeer, racoons, reptiles and more. You can pet, feed, and learn about most of these animals—great for some hands-on fun!

Even if you don’t visit this place at Halloween, I recommend checking it out whenever you can.

3. Whitehouse Farm

• Address: Whitehouse Farm Center, North Whitehouse Farm, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 6AW
• Entrance fees: Admission is £13.45 for adults and children, and free for under-2s
• Website: https://www.whitehousefarmcentre.co.uk/

One of the most popular and impressive family hangouts in Northumberland, Whitehouse Farm sits just south of the lovely town of Morpeth (which I also recommend visiting).

During any time of year, this place is always packed with stuff to do. You get a big bunch of animals, loads of which you can touch and feed. Some of the most impressive beasts and birds include tortoises, bearded dragons, geckos, pythons, parrots, owls, kestrels, horses, donkeys, sheep, pigs, llamas, monkeys, skunks, and giant snails.

They also have smaller animals for cutesy cuddling, such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

But in the run-up to Halloween, you can (of course!) pick your own pumpkins here. Each full-paying child gets to pick a pumpkin for free, while there’s also a pumpkin-carving station.

Other spooky spectacles usually include a witches and wizards school, a magic-themed horror show, a clown house, a sinister labyrinth, and lots more fearsome fun.

And on top of all the terror, the farm hosts other events and activities year-round (and even during the Halloween period). Highlights include goat grooming, pony grooming, meerkat feeding, insect handling, soft play, a go-kart track, performances, play areas, tractor rides, and plenty more.

4. East Grange Farm

• Address: Grange Farm, High Shincliffe, Durham, DH1 2TB
• Entrance fees: £5 per car, which includes access to the pumpkin patch. You then pay for the pumpkins you pick according to their weight (but the £5 you pay to enter entitles you to a £5 discount)
• Website: https://www.eastgrange.com/

Just south of the super-pretty city of Durham, you’ll find the always-changing charm of East Grange Farm.

Most famous for recently being the proud owner (and grower) of the ‘the biggest sunflower field in the North East’ (which featured 12 acres of yellow-faced fun), the place is always packed with a whole range of different stuff. And amongst it all, it annually offers one of the region’s biggest pumpkin patches.

In 2022, the hefty pumpkin patch will measure in at over 20 acres, which will (probably) feature over 50,000 pumpkins. Expect a whole range of different varieties and colors, and some pretty massive specimens.

For a slightly spookier experience, you can come after dark, and get knee-deep in muddy mayhem during the special Twilight and Torchlight Pumpkin Picking sessions.

No matter what time you pick your pumpkins, other fun will include fairground rides, fairground stalls, artisan craft markets, and hot and cold food and drinks.

In the run-up to Christmas, East Grange Farm also offers freshly-cut real Christmas trees, along with stands, decorations, wreaths, and other festive fun.

5. Adventure Valley

• Address: Union Hall Farm, Durham, DH1 5SG
• Entrance fees: Admission is £13.45 for adults and children, and free for under-2s. All paying children receive a free pumpkin
• Website: http://www.adventurevalley.co.uk/

Just north of East Grange Farm, on the other side of the city of Durham, you’ll find the excitement-packed funfest of Adventure Valley.

During any time of year, this place hosts all sorts of activities and adventures… including indoor and outdoor soft play areas, a whole bunch of cute farm animals (some of which you can touch and feed), a roller disco, crazy golf, go-karts, slides, a Wild West playbarn, fairground-style rides, a zipline, birds of prey displays, and a whole lot more.

But if you come here for their annual Pumpkin Festival, you can enjoy much more interesting and immersive action. Aside from pumpkin picking, other themed fun includes a corn cob catapult, a terrifying labyrinth, a ghastly ghost hunt, and some brilliant magic shows (hosted by the ever-kooky Crazy Colin).

And best of all, Adventure Valley’s pumpkin patch is indoors… so you never have to worry about getting muddy or dirty, or trying to time your trip for good weather. If you’re with young kids who can’t be trusted to not roll around in the muck, this is one of the best pumpkin patches near Newcastle.

6. Walby Farm Park

• Address: Walby Farm Park, Walby, Crosby-on-Eden, Carlisle, CA6 4QL
• Entrance fees: £12.45 for adults, £13.95 for children, and between £0 and £2.50 for children under 1
• Website: http://www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk/

Alright, Walby Farm Park is pretty far from Newcastle… but because the ride is mainly along the major A69 road, it should only take you an hour (or just over) to reach the place.

Here, the pumpkin picking can be a muddy affair—so make sure you take some good boots! Each paying child gets a free pumpkin, while other horrifying Halloween events and activities include pumpkin carving, a corn cannon, and some themed meals and morsels.

Aside from the pumpkin-based fun, you can also enjoy the farm’s year-round offerings. Some of the highlights include mini quads, indoor and outdoor play areas (including Cumbria’s biggest indoor adventure play area!), a barrel train, a digger area, pony grooming, maze-based ferret racing, and a bunch of animals.

These animals include sheep, lambs, pigs, horses, rabbits, goats, ducks, chickens, alpacas, and lots of loveable baby beasts. The most famous animal residents are the farm’s four reindeer.

Because Walby Farm Park’s pumpkin-picking events are on offer for an entire month, the place shouldn’t be as busy as some of the other options on our list. So if you’re looking for a quiet farm to do your picking, this is one of the best pumpkin patches near Newcastle.

While you’re driving between Newcastle and Walby Farm Park, you might want to check out some of the en-route highlights of Hadrian’s Wall.

7. Pontac Pumpkins

• Address: Pontac Farm, Redcar, TS11 8LD
• Entrance fees: £10 per car—and you can take unlimited pumpkins per car (but, obviously, only within reason)
• Website: https://www.pontacpumpkins.co.uk/

Last up on our list is another far-from-Newcastle option. 

Pontac Pumpkins sits in Redcar, just past Middlesbrough. Just like Walby Farm Park, it’ll take you around one hour to reach the place by car.

This is a good option if you’re gonna be pumpkin-picking with older kids—this isn’t the same fun-packed frenzy you’ll enjoy at the other options on our list.

Instead, it’s more of an educational experience—while you’re here, the family who own the farm will tell you all about the pumpkins and the growing process (while photos of the process are also displayed in the on-site marquee area… and there’s even a small amount of information on the official site!).

There are many colors and varieties of pumpkins on offer—and because this is a fuss-free and no-frills farm experience, it’s muddy, rustic and rural. Perfect if you want to get all grimy and grubby!

Aside from the pumpkin-picking, there are a couple of selfie stations and photo-op spots, but there’s not a great deal more on offer.

While you’re here, you might want to make a day of your adventure, by heading to the lovely nearby sands of Saltburn Beach.

Best Pumpkin Patches Near Newcastle: Final Thoughts and Further Reading

And just like that, we’ve plucked and picked our way to the end of our guide on the 7 best pumpkin patches near Newcastle.

If you want to know anything else about exploring and adventuring around my hometown, check out my guides on the top 22 things to do in Newcastle and all my favorite reasons you should visit the place. 

Thanks for reading, thanks for picking us, and thanks for checking out Travelness!