It now boasts an indoor beach that you can book for kids, as well as an outdoor play area
An indoor beach in a farm barn has opened at popular farm shop The Lambing Shed in Cheshire(Image: Lambing Shed)
An award-winning farm shop near Manchester has opened a huge indoor beach for the summer holidays.
Kids can play in the vast sand pit that has been created in a barn space at the Lambing Shed Farm Shop near Knutsford in Cheshire, with a whole host of buckets and spades that are provided at the venue.
Families can buy tickets for children to use the beach for £4.95 – and can stay as long as they like on the day booked. There are also games set up in the beach area for families to have a go at.
Deck chairs have been set up alongside the beach, while there’s also a pop up food shack where visitors can get jacket potatoes, salads and sandwiches, as well as an ice cream cart serving up locally-made Wallings ice creams too.
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Plenty of bucket and spades for kids to play with at the farm beach(Image: Lambing Shed)
The Lambing Shed is known for its array of food in its farm shop, as well as the award-winning home-made treats in its on-site cafe.
The family-run business was named the UK’s Best Farm Shop Cafe at the prestigious Farm Retail Association Awards in 2022, and has been growing in success ever since.
The cafe and shop are based inside what was, yes, once the lambing shed at Moseley Hall Farm just off Chelford Road on the outskirts of Knutsford.
The farm is run by Sue and Michael Mitchell, with son Rob now helping on the farming side, while daughter Kathryn is director of the farm shop and cafe.
The Lambing Shed farm shop near Knutsford(Image: MEN/Dianne Bourne)
They decided to transform the shed into the shop nine years ago to diversify and showcase what farmers were doing in the local area.
Kathryn said they’ve been overwhelmed by the interest in the beach since launching it just a week ago. She said: “It’s been so popular already. We are running it all summer long, but maybe longer if there is a call for it.”
The farm is also making the beach area available for private parties too, and will make sure plenty of notice is given on social media if it’s not open for the day.
The farm shop cafe remains a busy destination, with its most popular dishes including their big farmers breakfast and vegetarian version – while lunch options include the hand-reared beef and lamb burgers and home made beef shin pie.
Lots of deck chairs for parents at the farm shop beach(Image: Lambing Shed)
There’s also a daily changing array of home-baked cakes and sweet treats on offer too.
The site continues to be a working sheep farm – and every spring they host lambing weekends to allow the public to come and meet the baby lambs for themselves.
In the autumn they host popular pumpkin picking in the fields, while this year they’re also planning their own “Farm Fest” in September to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
The cafe is open daily offering breakfast and lunch, but doesn’t take bookings.
But it boasts a large indoor cafe area as well as the conservatory section where families with dogs can also sit.
The free play area outside The Lambing Shed farm shop features play frame, mini tractors and slides(Image: Lambing Shed)
There’s also an outdoor seating area with picnic tables next to a free children’s play area for families to use.
The play area now features a wooden adventure play frame, as well as swings and mini tractors for kids to play on.
The Lambing Shed Farm Shop is on Chelford Road, Knutsford WA16 8RB
The barn beach is now open from 9.30am to 4pm daily. There’s no need to book a ticket currently, just turn up and buy a wristband from the farm shop on the day.
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