Quote: Little Farthingloe Farm, Dover, Kent

Situated in a valley just outside of Dover, Kent, Little Farthingloe Farm is a historic site that was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. Nowadays the farm is a beautiful oasis of calm in a busy world. Access is easy; the farm lies directly off the B2011 Folkestone to Dover main road around 1 mile form Dover town centre.

The farm has many acres of woodland and arable farmland which is open for the public to enjoy rambling through. Some of the paths are steep and a little rough underfoot, so more suited to the adventurous walker, although there are several that are much easier to negotiate. The paths are natural as in not tarmacked or slabbed, so in wet weather they can be muddy.
The woodland is a mixture of deciduous and ever green trees and is a delight to walk through. My favourite season for a visit to Little Farthingloe is late summer when the blackberries are ripe, you are allowed to pick these and local people with bulging bags of blackberries are a common sight!

If walking is not your ‘thing’ there are other attractions to appeal to all the family. My grandchildren love the animal area where there are a couple of friendly Shetland ponies and a beautiful donkey to pet and stroke. The chickens, rabbits and goats are also a big attraction to children too. The farm is home to a world War 11 Land Army museum, this is a small centre dedicated to the Land Army girls who came to the aid of British farming communities during the war. The exhibitions within the museum are interesting and informative, although a small museum; there is enough to hold your attention.
Little Farthingloe has a small children play area, set on grass this consist of a large climbing frame with scramble nets, a slide and poles to walk across, a couple of swings and some decommissioned farm machinery, tractors and so on, that little ones can climb on and pretend to drive.

Farthingloe has a lovely restaurant located in a restored and converted barn. The restaurant caters for individuals, coach parties and even weddings. The lofty barn roof is amazing and it is a truly stately building. The restaurant serves teas, coffees, snacks and lunches, all prepared to order. The prices are fair although I have to say that on my last visit, the sponge cake my partner ordered was not as fresh as I would have liked. On hindsight, we should have complained, but hindsight is a wonderful thing!

We often visit Little Farthingloe to walk our dog and to shop in the farm shop on site. The farm shop is huge and sells mainly local produce. The fruit and vegetables are always of excellent quality and the prices are reasonable. The eggs sold in the farm shop come from the chickens that are kept on the farm and it is lovely to watch them scratching around in the barnyard, you know your eggs will be fresh! Within the farm shop is a traditional butchers which sells meats from the local area farms and also a bakery. The bread from this bakery is second to none!
Kentish cider and honey are also sold within the farm shop and these too are of a very high standard.
There are 2 car parks available, one close to the shopping area and the other nearer the walks and fields. There is no entry fee to Little Farthingloe and the car parks are free too, although there is a small entrance fee to the Land Army Museum, I believe this is just a couple of £’s per person.
This is a lovely place to visit and there are plenty of places to picnic should you not wish to eat in the restaurant. I would recommend Little Farthingloe to others and it makes a nice afternoon out if in the Dover area.

Thank you for reading.
Brittle1906