This morning we went to one of our favourite places near Cheltenham: Primrose Vale PYO near Brockworth, Gloucestershire. We’ve visited Primrose Vale many many times before usually picking strawberries and doing the holiday trails with friends, but this year, as with most places which have reopened, days out must be booked online.
Here, you have to book a time slot the day before (slots become available at 5pm each day for the next day), so we grabbed an early slot and went for it!
It was a lovely morning, we spent around 1.5 hours there picking strawberries and blackberries, and wandering the length and breadth of the farm doing the summer trail. There isn’t a reward for completing the trail, but it was fun and at £1, it’s a really cheap activity.
Pre-book online – Play park and PYO
You MUST book a time slot for PYO and a separate slot for the play park as that is the only way you are allowed in to either.
* Book Primrose Vale PYO or Play Park (or both!) here *
You can actually book the same day if there is availability, but you do have to book online before hand.
Summer Trail
You can’t book this before hand, and you are only allowed to do the trail if you have a booking for either the PYO or the play park.
We paid £1 as we booked into our PYO slot to do their ‘no touch’ summer trail.
Our PYO and Summer Trail experience
I am really glad we booked the first PYO slot of the day, 9.00-9.30 am, it was really quiet, I think there was only other family picking before us, and from looking in I’m sure there were only 2 families (about 4 people total) in the play park -we didn’t manage to get tickets it was fully booked! I wonder how many people just don’t turn up as it’s free to book PYO and the play park. Also, my main reason for booking early is it’s very hot right now (where is that thunder storm???!) so poor B, who insisted on wearing leggings and no hat was getting so hot, sweaty and miserable. Seriously, why didn’t I follow my own tips in my how to get a toddler to wear a hat post suggests?!
I’m very surprised she didn’t fall asleep in the car on the way home. I was also very hot and bothered leaving as I had carried her a few times…. oh how I miss our Out n’ About which flew round those PYO rows many a time!
Arrival
On booking in we were told which bay to go to. I’d heard we’d be assigned a row to pick from, but we weren’t but as there was only one family there before us and very few as we left, I assume they didn’t see a need.
Anyway, there were plenty of strawberries, in the bay we were using (bay 2) and lots of blackberries too when we headed across to the other field.
The strawberries seemed higher than in previous years as B struggled to reach them, something I don’t remember her doing last year. But, being a typical 3 year old, she just did her usual and bossed H and I around to pick the ones she wanted.
Summer Trail
Primrose Vale trails are usually very interactive building things, sliding things, opened boxes etc. but because of covid-19 and social distancing precautiona they have created a ‘no touch’ trail’ with clues leading you around the farm. Clues such as ‘you might go on holiday here’ or ‘among the fruit trees…’ and you can find quizzes and find lots of fruits. We were getting really hot so loved finding the fruits.
At only £1 it’s great value and really something to keep you going this summer holidays.
Social Distancing PYO Pick Your Own and Summer Trail – August 2020*
- Online booking – limiting numbers
- One way system – Primrose Vale have done a lot to make a one was system to enter the PYO and a way out as well.
- Perspex screen – On the way out you pay for your strawberries, and there is a large perspex screen between the till and you.
- Hand sanitiser at the entrance to the PYO/play park marquee (open sided)
- ‘No touch’ Summer trail – the summer trail isn’t their usual boxes to open, things to build. It felt very safe and was fun looking for the different things – largest Christmas tree, tunnel number 4…
* obviously these things may change, but this is the way it currently is 11th August 2020.
Website: https://primrosevale.com/
Visiting Primrose Vale – Summer 2020 Social distancing
Address
Shurdington Rd, Bentham, Cheltenham GL51 4UA
Parking
Lots – their car park is currently divided as ‘tarmac’ for the farm shop, and the grass areas among the fruit trees fro PYO/playpark.
Pushchair friendly?
I have taken a stroller and normal pushchair around before, and it’s a bit bumpy across the grass, I definitely preferred the Out’n’About off-roader and would recommend that or a carrier if you can.
How long would you spend there?
1 hour – maybe 2.5 hours
Opening Times:
June to September (inclusive), see website for winter opening times.
- PYO opening times – book online!
- Mon – Sat 9am – 5.30pm
- Sun 10am – 5pm
Primrose Vale also offer a farm shop, click and collect shopping and ‘drive through strawberries!… their opening times are:
- Shop
- Mon – Sat 9am – 5pm
- Sun 10am – 4.30pm
- Click and Collect & Drive Through Strawberries
- Weds – Sat 9am – 5pm
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