City farms in London: Where to get your farmyard fix in London

Farmyard fun: A feathered friend at Hackney City Farm
Ailis Brennan26 June 2018

The lure of lush green pastures can be pretty strong for city-dwellers this time of the year.

If you’re longing for a taste (or a sniff) of the countryside, then London’s city farms are a perfect pitstop for those looking to pet a pig or get to know a goat.

Whether you’re entertaining the kids or just looking to make fluffy new friends, this is where to head in the capital for farmyard fun.

Mudchute Park and Farm

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It may be in the shadow of Canary Wharf, but this 32 acre farm on the Isle of Dogs is far from an asphalt jungle. As well as introducing Londoners to its menagerie of residents, its popular riding stables run lessons for both adults and children. Events are many and varied at Mudchute, including arts workshops and even a summer dog show which invites visitors to bring along their own furry friend.

Pier Street, Isle of Dogs, E14 3HP, mudchute.org

Kentish Town City Farm

In this corner of North London, they’re doing it for the kids. Weekends mean pony rides, with riding therapy sessions also available for young people with disabilities. Kentish Town City Farm also runs after-school sessions aplenty, with activities including gardening, pottery and cooking with fresh ingredients from the farm garden.

1 Cressfield Close, Kentish Town, NW5 4BN, ktcityfarm.org.uk

Hackney City Farm

A stone’s throw from Colombia Road Flower Market, Hackney City Farm is home to another taste of the great outdoors. Larry the Donkey has been the star of Westminster Cathedral’s nativity plays for years, and kids can even meet a real life Pepper the Pig. Community is key at this farm, where activities include intergenerational projects and yoga classes for women asylum seekers and refugees.

1a Goldsmiths Row, Hackney, E2 8QA, hackneycityfarm.co.uk

Hounslow Urban Farm

On this 22 acre farm, you’ll find a fair few surprises. Daily activities include a meet and greet with the pigs (both micro and full-sized) and a display from the farm’s majestic owls. Hounslow Urban Farm also has a penchant for the exotic: cattle and chickens share the farm with reptilian friends, including a boa constrictor, bearded dragons and a blue-tongued skink – yes, that’s a real thing.

Faggs Road, Feltham, TW14 0LZ, hounslowurbanfarm.co.uk

Spitalfields City Farm

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You thought you’d seen it all in Shoreditch? A short walk from the area’s hipster havens, you’ll find a full-on farm. Spitalfields City Farm started out as a community allotment site 40 years ago, before welcoming animals into the space shortly after. The farm focuses on supporting rare breeds, with residents ranging from donkeys to ferrets, pigs to parrots, and there's even a bug hotel for those curious about creepy crawlies. The farm also holds an annual Goat Race on the same day as the Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race.

Buxton Street, Shoreditch, E1 5AR, spitalfieldscityfarm.org

Vauxhall City Farm

This city centre farm was started in 1977 by locals looking to create a community space, and is still going strong today. Around the corner from Vauxhall’s bustling station, you'll find turkeys, alpacas, chickens and more residing in this improbable spot. The riding school offers lessons for disabled riders, and children can also “own a pony” during half term – so they'll learn how to muck them out as well as ride them. An incubating scheme also allows local schools and nurseries to watch chicks hatch in their very own classroom.

165 Tyers Street, Lambeth, SE11 5HS, vauxhallcityfarm.org

Deen City Farm

Tennis isn’t the only grass-fuelled fun you’ll find in SW19 this summer. At Deen City Farm, meet alpacas and owls, pigs guinea and otherwise at this farm next door to the National Trust’s Morden Hall Park. As well as paying a visit to more than 120 animals – including Daisy, Fenix and Poppy the cows – visitors can also get their fingers green in the community garden.

Deen City Farm, 39 Windsor Avenue, Wimbledon, SW19 2RR, deencityfarm.co.uk

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