Laura Nightingale visited the famous pumpkin patch for the very first time, and this is what she thought
I only ever go to Crawley if I am catching a flight from Gatwick Airport. However, with no sunny holiday looming, this week I made my way down the M25 and M23 for an autumnal day out.
I’d heard of Tulley’s Pumpkin Farm before, but never visited. Now, as a mum and constantly on the lookout for fun ways to not only entertain my child but to create wholesome family memories for us, I thought I’d give it a try.
Surrounded by rolling fields deep in the Sussex countryside, the venue was well signposted and easy to locate, and I’d expect that, given that it is Europe’s largest pumpkin festival.
Open daily until November 1, you can choose to visit either during the daytime or at night. Since I was bringing my nearly three-year-old, I made the safest decision to get there first thing.
While the sky wasn’t the dazzling bright blue I envisaged for my perfect autumn selfie, it was mild and dry, so I can’t complain.
And let’s be honest, a toddler doesn’t care if it’s raining. In fact, they would prefer if there were muddy puddles.
The event was very well organised when we turned up at 10am. With no queue, we walked straight through the ticket cabin to reach a fabulous market full of troughs piled high with every kind of pumpkin, gourd and squash you could ever imagine.
There were red, white, green, orange, yellow and even black pumpkins. Some smooth, others knobbly, stripey, long and dangly – it was a remarkable selection.
After a quick pit stop in the portable loos, we ventured through Pumpkin Valley – a new feature for 2026 – and it was like a piece of artwork.
Winding paths and wooden bridges led us across gentle streams and peaceful ponds lined with giant pumpkin sculptures and displays.
There was a charming Pumpkin Farm House, a picturesque Hobbit House and a magical walkway to an enchanting forest where you could enjoy a warm spiced apple juice or cider (£12 served inside an actual pumpkin) under a canopy of trees.
We had a go on the merry-go-round (£5 per person) in the new land before exploring the food court.
It was abundant with options. From savouries such as burgers, hot dogs, pasta, pizza, wraps and chips, to sweets including cinnamon doughnuts, apple crumble, popcorn, pumpkin pie, cakes and chocolate-coated apples.
There were crackling fire pits for marshmallow toasting (1 stick for £1.50) and camembert roasting (£3 per portion), and, of course, an opportunity to buy a pumpkin spice latte (£5.50), which I did.
During my four hours there, I also bought a burger from one of the street food vendors (£8) and made a dent in a row of freshly baked doughnuts (£5).
While the burger wasn’t the best in my opinion, the doughnuts were incredible. Lightly dusted with sweet cinnamon sugar, they were fluffy, soft and dangerously moreish.
We didn’t ride the huge 33m-tall observation wheel overlooking the 100-acre pumpkin patch, but we did run through the pumpkin fields, where we picked our own pumpkin and popped it into a wheelbarrow to take to the car.
Evening ticket holders can do this under the shimmering moonlight and enjoy even more autumnal entertainment, which is why tickets are slightly more expensive at night.
However, there was still plenty to keep us occupied until the early afternoon, and we had a really wonderful time making the magical memories I hoped for.
How to visit Tulley’s Pumpkin Farm
- Opening dates: September 19 to October 31.
- Opening times: 9:30am to 5:30pm (selected late-season dates close at 5pm).
- Remaining ticket prices: From £16.95 per person. Free for under 2s.
- Pumpkin Nights opening dates: September 26 to October 31.
- Pumpkin Nights opening times: 5:30pm to 10pm
- Remaining Pumpkin Nights ticket prices: From £20.95. Free for under 2s.
- Book all tickets: Visit pumpkinfarm.co.uk.
- Address: Tulleys Farm, Turners Hill Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4PE.
- Parking: Large, free car park on site.
