Sitting pretty on the outskirts of the wild and dramatic Brecon
Beacons National Park, Aberbran Fawr is as much a
campsite as it is a farm. Framed by some 800km of mountain range,
dense forests and verdant valleys, this is the perfect base for
thrill-seeking adventurers. Plan your visit between June and
September, when strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants are ready
to be picked – and scoffed. Be sure to make time in your activity
schedule for a daily pilgrimage to the farm shop, where shelves are
packed with local honey and countertops are overflowing with plates
of sausages.

Located in the heart of Oxford, the family-run Medley Manor Farm has
been delivering the goods since its first harvest in 1958. Today,
it attracts crowds not just for its award-winning strawberries, but
for its thriving community spirit. After introducing a successful
riverside garden, the team has since added a delicious cocktail
menu bursting with all sorts of farm-grown ingredients. It’s worth
noting that most berries aren’t ripe until June, but there are
plenty of vegetables in season now – think asparagus, beetroot and
rhubarb.

Just over an hour’s drive from London, Crockford Bridge Farm is
set among 80 acres of lush greenery. While its berries aren’t ready
until mid-summer, plenty of ready-to-eat veggies are available now.
The real draw though, is the farm’s ice-cream parlour and tea
shack, which serve 24 fruity flavours and steaming hot brews
respectively, year-round. Party people should look to visit on 30
April, when the Avant Garden opening party is set to take place.
Proving that farms can be about much more than just hay bales and
tractors, the event will showcase a live DJ set from the iconic
OFFCUT collective, dishes from the popular Poor Boys and rum
cocktails rustled up from on-site produce. The farm also flaunts
quite a résumé, with the likes of This Morning, Made in Chelsea and
The Apprentice regularly filming here.

Brought to us by fun-loving brothers Toby and Max Williams,
Stanhill Farm sprawls across some 150 acres, growing 30 different
varieties of fruit and vegetables at any given time. The
pick-your-own season is short and sweet, but this Kent-based farm
is keen to offer fresh produce whatever the time of year. Following
the success of its 2009-launched honesty box (a basket crammed with
locally sourced goods), the Stanhill Farm Shop was born. Locals
queue patiently to get their mitts on farmhouse cheeses, fresh
bread and free-range eggs. Up for a challenge? Visit the on-site
maze. Insider tip: bring a pair of secateurs to take a cutting or
two of the dinner plate-sized sunflowers.

Just a stone’s throw from the picturesque fishing village of
Port Isaac, Trevathan Farm is situated on
Cornwall’s north coast. With 11 charming, well-equipped cottages on
the property, we suggest extending your picking extravaganza with
an overnighter on the family-run farm. Unlike most other
pick-your-own patches, this place is a proper working farm, so
don’t be surprised if you find yourself brushing shoulders with the
odd sheep or cow. Our favourite thing about it is the one-acre
fishing lake, stocked with ready-to-catch (and chuck on the BBQ)
rainbow trout – lines and rods available on request.

If you’re looking for a no-frills picking go-to, Roundstone Farm
is it. Love strawberries? Look to visit in May, when the PYO season
officially begins. With daily tractor-train services available, you
can pick to your heart’s content, before taking a scenic ride
through the farm’s West Sussex surrounds.