I feel old saying this, but I remember going to Cannon Hall Farm when I was a child myself, so it’s strange to think I’m now visiting with my own baby! We really enjoyed our day at Cannon Hall Farm – it turns out Spring is an excellent time to visit as they have SO MANY baby animals – we saw piglets, lambs, baby donkeys, goats and foals. We also happened to spot Helen Skelton on the farm, doing a spot of filming for ‘Spring on the Farm’.
Cannon Hall Farm is much bigger than I remember it being (though it’s probably been about 15 years since I last visited) and I was really impressed with the facilities for young families. Here is the lowdown on the logistics to help make your trip a bit smoother.
Parking
First of all, you want to make sure you’re following the road signs so you end up in the car parks by the farm, farm shop and restaurant – not the house and gardens as you’ll have quite a trek walking from there!
While most of Cannon Hall Farm is brilliant for accessibility, the parking situation is not so great. There isn’t any dedicated parent-and-child parking, and the spaces are quite narrow. Trying to squeeze a baby out of the car when you’ve only got a two-inch gap between you and the next vehicle is a pain, especially if you’re on your own. I’d reccommend arriving as early as possible so you can find a good spot!
You can either pay online before you visit or just use the machine when you arrive. The price is the same either way, so we just paid at the machine. It takes both cash and card; it was a bit slow to load, but it got there in the end.
The Farm & Animals
The farm is really well planned out for pram access, the indoor barns all have a pram-friendly elevated walkway so you can see all the animals. We found it a little tricky with a younger baby as they struggle to see down into the pens when in a pram, but it would be great for slightly older children who can stand independently and look down. They also use a fun tube and wheel system for feeding the animals, which was a little disappointing as I used to love feeding the animals by hand as a child, but it does mean it’s safer for tiny fingers.They even have vending machines in the barns to buy animal feed!
Hungry Llama Soft Play
There are two play areas; the large outdoor play area (we didn’t explore this, but it looked great for bigger kids, with huge slides!) and the Hungry Llama Indoor Play and Cafe.
Inside the Hungry Llama there is a dedicated section for younger children with a ball pit, small frame, and slide. We visited mid-week and it was lovely and quiet, perfect for younger babies, though I can imagine at weekends it might get a bit more rowdy with older children.
As it was quiet, we also snuck into the big play area and found a fun little sensory area – if you head into the big play area and go down the corridor to the right of the big slide, there is an area with sensory lights. I don’t think babies are technically allowed in this specific bit, but when it’s quiet nobody seems to mind as long as you’re supervising them closely.
There is also the cafe, which is really well equipped for babies and children; they have a vending machine with baby-friendly snacks like Melty Sticks, and inside the cafe they also have Ellas Kitchen baby food pouches.. They have IKEA Antilop high chairs which are a favourite as they are so easy to use and clean.
Baby Changing Facilities
There are plenty of changing facilities throughout the farm:
Just before you enter the farm, past the restaurant, there is a little cabin down a ramp on your left. This is the only facility we found with an adult toilet and baby changing in the same space—absolutely ideal if you’re solo parenting. We didn’t check the mens to see if there is also baby changing in there however, so there may not be.
There is a standalone baby changing room next to the reptile house, with two changing tables. All genders are welcome, but there’s no adult toilet in the room, so if you also need the loo you’ll have to go separately. There is also a larger standalone changing facility inside the Hungry Llama, accessible for all genders. Just like the one by the reptile house, there’s no adult toilet in the room so if you also need the loo you’ll have to go separately.
Eating Out
There are loads of places to eat, depending on what you’re after:
Hungry Llama Cafe: this would be my pick for lunch with babies – they have everything you need; a microwave to heat up baby food, weaning-friendly snacks, Ellas Kitchen pouches and IKEA high chairs. The baby changing in here is a dedicated baby changing room so all genders can use it.
The White Bull: This is the main restaurant. It has baby changing, but it’s poorly signposted and the door signage could definitely be better. It’s a standalone room (so you can’t use the loo at the same time) and it’s a very cramped space. You can fit a pram in, but it’s a tight squeeze.
The Lucky Pup: Right next door to the White Bull and shares the same menu, but it’s dog-friendly. Just note there’s no baby changing in here, so you’ll have to nip back to The White Bull if you need to change baby.
Farm Shop & Ice Cream Parlour: If the weather is nice, grab some bits from the farm shop for a picnic or treat yourself to a cone!
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