SUMMER IN ST. FLORENCE WITH COASTAL COTTAGES: FOLLY FARM

Sharing is caring!

When we awoke on our third day of the holiday, we knew just where we were headed – Folly Farm.  It had been recommended to us by so many local people before we set off for our holiday and we were so excited to set off.  Looking back – even as we left the Farm, I was annoyed.  I have so many regrets.

I was so naïve.  It feels even worse typing it.  We were quite literally smacking our heads as we made our way to the exit at closing time.  I had no idea. Just like Hero, right here.

Folly Farm is amazing – and HUGE.  If you’re spending just one day here with children, you really need to do your research and plan your day, because there will not be enough time to do everything.  Did I?  No.  I assumed it was a fun little farm where our boys could meet some piglets [we did] and see some chicks [we did that too, and a whole lot more].

Having no idea of all of the fantastic things the boys could do beyond the zoo and farm areas, we started our day off by spending around an hour in the barn with the animals, which mistakenly was what we thought was the main attraction.  They fed the ponies, watched all different kinds of baby chicks dashing about and tried their hands at milking.

  
The barn was brilliant and full of information about the animals, and so large that if it rained there would be plenty of room for everyone to still move about freely.

  I fell in love with the huge Shire horse, I adore them.  He was so proud and dignified.  Jensen discovered that he was just as tall as a miniature pony.

We were impressed to find out that we were coal merchants too.

Afterwards we went to find some lunch and the boys enjoyed having a Happy Meal style box with chicken breast nuggets and then the skies opened on us.  The rain lasted all through our lunchtime and the boys had a little play on the indoor soft play whilst we got ourselves together and headed out into the sunshine which had broken through, for a little ride on the land train to see the piggies.

  We bumped our way through the fields back to the zoo part of the farm and for some ice creams.

We saw the giraffes and the zebra, which were so close to us – people were feeding the giraffes and they were so relaxed, striding about and eating the leaves.
  Lyoto wanted to find the penguins to match his class name…
But nothing compared to the hilarity of Hero’s lion watching.  Yes, Mr. Lion needed a wee.
This was about when I realised the enormity of the Farm.  We found the other side, around two hours before closing.  There was so much for the boys to do and they were so excited – we found the tractors first and hopped on to ride around the track.
 Whilst Hero was visiting the little boys’ room, the two bigger boys ran back to the barn with me to get their faces painted at the Folly Farm barn as promised to them – and although they were just closing up, the lovely ladies said that they would love to paint a little tiger and lion.  I was so relieved, and so grateful.  When they were all made up, we headed over to the enormous wooden play forts that were surrounded by huge grassy picnic areas.
  By the time Hero was back with us, it was closing time for Folly Farm.  The boys were exhausted and delighted, and ready for the ride home and a little snooze back to Rosemary Cottage, and all I could think was that I should have done my research, planned our day, time wise, so much better.  There was so much that we didn’t see that our boys would all have loved to have tried out.  Folly Farm isn’t a quiet, quaint Welsh farm – there are so many amazing reasons that it’s so highly rated by its visitors.  This is a brilliant day out – days out even – that’s worth every penny when you have little ones.