Name: Rare Breeds Centre
Rating: 5.0

Rare Breeds Centre

South of England Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch, Ashford TN26 3RJ, UK

1-90 Years

Paid

1110
0
0

Description

At the Rare Breeds Centre in Kent, explore our 100-acre conservation farm and meet a variety of rare and native farm animals, including pigs, sheep, goats, horses, turkeys, chickens, and geese. As an RBST-approved centre, we focus on preserving 26 different rare breeds while giving visitors a chance to get up close to the animals and learn about their care. Kids will especially enjoy the Children’s Barn, guinea pigs, ferrets, and colourful birds in the aviary, while tropical butterfly tunnel adds a magical touch in summer

. The farm is open year-round, every day in summer and most days in winter (closed Mondays and Tuesdays except during school holidays). Day tickets are available for £17.50 for adults (16+), £15.00 for children (3–15) and seniors (60+), and soft play tickets cost £5.00 for the first child, £3.00 for additional children (0–15), and £1.00 for adults.

If you are looking for Best Children's Farms in Ashford , Kent then you can visit Rare Breeds Centre. Rare Breeds Centre is one of the places in Ashford Kent for day out with kids and families. If you are searching for Best Children's Farms near me, then you can get all the information here.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Meet the Animals: As you visit our barns, stables, pens, paddocks and meadows, keep an eye out for special rare breed icons on the signs to learn more about these special animals. You’ll also see pigs snoozing or snuffling about in their sties, and in spring, don’t miss a visit to our lambing tunnel, where you can meet some of newborn lambs. And if you’re lucky, you might just spot our cattle grazing peacefully in the meadows. To See More Animals Visit.
Adventure Play Parks: Three brilliant adventure play parks for all ages. Sammy’s Playpen is specially designed for littlest adventurers a bright, friendly spot where they can climb, swing and explore to their heart’s content. Set right in the heart of the farm, it’s just a short toddle from all the animal encounters and hands-on activities. It includes swings, climbing frames.
- Hill Fort, Tube Maze Assault Course is perfect for older children or teens looking to burn off energy. Mysterious Marsh is hidden in the woods and offers a balance and adventure course for kids and adults, with wobbly bridges, tyre swings, and balance beams, accessible within a short walk or trailer ride from the main farm.
Aviary: Step into colourful aviary to meet a vibrant collection of birds, including budgerigars, cockatiels, zebra finches, and Java sparrows. This walk-in experience allows visitors to get close to the birds as they flutter about. Budgerigars are playful and mimic sounds, cockatiels are cheerful with distinctive yellow crests and orange cheek patches, zebra finches are tiny and lively, and Java Sparrows have soft grey or fawn plumage with pink feet.
Butterfly Tunnel: Tropical butterfly tunnel is open from mid-May to October, creating a warm, plant-filled haven where butterflies from South America, Africa, India, the Philippines and Australasia fly freely around you. Visitors can observe the butterfly life cycle, including real pupae attached to sticks in warm cabinets until they hatch, and released butterflies flying around the tunnel.
Children’s Barn: The Children’s Barn offers hands-on encounters with friendly farmyard animals including Huckleberry the Highland bull, cheeky goats George, Charlie, and Marley, bouncy rabbits, piglets, and Rhona the Shire horse. Children can hold newborn chicks, pet Rodney the giant rabbit, stroke guinea pigs, and meet pygmy goats.
Discovery Garden: The Discovery Garden is a peaceful space where edible and ornamental plants grow side by side. Children can see how fruits and vegetables are grown, from seeds to harvest, including strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins, herbs, lettuces, and cabbages. The garden is also home to Life Skills areas where students practice sustainable gardening and composting. Kids can hunt for bugs, explore wormeries, and discover the importance of bees, butterflies, and weeds. The garden also features willow tunnels, wildlife-friendly planting, and a tranquil pond.
Indoor Soft Play: Indoor soft play area offers year-round fun, with a ball pit, slides, climbing areas, and padded building blocks to exercise imagination and muscles. Soft play is included with farm day tickets or available as a separate activity for a few hours, perfect for rainy days.
Pig Racing: Pig Racing is one of our most popular regular events, where visitors can watch pigs race on the track and cheer for their favourites.
Rhyme & Sign with Siana: Every Friday at 11:30 am and 1:00 pm, join 20–30-minute Rhyme & Sign sessions with storyteller Siana, learning Makaton through songs and fun activities. Sessions are included in the entry fee and no advance booking is required.
Storytelling Wednesdays: During term time, Storytelling Wednesdays at 11:30 am and 1:00 pm feature Siana sharing three stories with interactive activities, puppet guests, and movement breaks to engage children under 5 (all ages welcome). Sessions are included in the entry fee and require no advance booking.
Trailer Rides: Trailer rides are temporarily unavailable. Normally, the accessible rides include a ramp, space for a wheelchair, stops at meadows and adventure play parks, and protection from sun and rain.
Woodland Walks: 100-acre farm features three marked trails through ancient woodland. The Green Walk (15 mins, 900m) passes grazing pastures, woodland, and picnic areas. The Red Walk (30 mins, 1,400m) extends further into woodland with boardwalks, seasonal wildflowers, Secret Lake, and Parsley Meadow. The Blue Walk (45 mins, 2,000m) leads to Rainbow Wood, featuring thousands of native trees planted in memory of loved ones, a pond, and wildlife spotting opportunities. Trails are mostly buggy-friendly in dry weather, but sensible shoes are recommended.
What’s on: http://www.canterburyoasttrust.org.uk/rare-breeds-centre/whats-on/

Facilities

Free Parking onsite
Toilets, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities
You can bring a picnic
Onsite restaurant and snacks are available

Website

Contact

Video

Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Day Tickets
- Child (3–15): £15.00
- Member Pass: Free
- Adult (16+): £17.50
- Senior (60+): £15.00
- Family: £55.00
- Under 3: Free
Soft Play Tickets
- First Child (0–15): £5.00
- Additional Child (0–15): £3.00
- Adult (16+): £1.00

Pricing URL: https://rarebreedscentre.digitickets.co.uk/tickets

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Opening Hours

Summer Season (March 31 – October 31)
- Open 7 days per week
- Hours: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Winter Season (November 1 – March 30)
- Open Wednesday – Sunday
- Also open Monday and Tuesday during school holidays
- Hours: 10:00 am – 4:30 pm

Address: South of England Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch, Ashford TN26 3RJ, UK

Post Code: TN26 3RJ

Council: Ashford

County: Kent

The Rare Breeds Centre is situated near Ashford, about fifteen minutes from Junction 10 of the M20 between Hamstreet and Woodchurch village on the B2067.
Directions from Junction 9 of the M20
- Follow the signs onto the A28 signposted to Tenterden
- Stay on the road for about six miles
- Take a left at the sign towards the village of Woodchurch .You are on Bethersden Road
- Stay on Bethersden Road and follow it through the village of Woodchurch
- At the T junction turn left.
- Take the next turning left onto the B2067 to Hamstreet
- The Rare Breeds Centre is on the left hand side after about one mile.
Directions from junction 10 of the M20
- Follow the signs onto the A2070 to Hastings
- Stay on this road and take the turning right signposted to the village of Hamstreet
- Take a left and follow the road past the school which is on your right
- You will see a railway bridge. Pass beneath the bridge and take the next turning right onto the
- B2067 towards Warehorne and Tenterden
- The Rare Breeds Centre is on the right hand side of the road after about three miles
Public transportation to the Rare Breeds Centre
- Unfortunately the Rare Breeds Centre is not well-served by public transport or taxi. The nearest major train station is Ashford International.*
- *(There is a station at Hamstreet and trains from Ashford and from Rye stop there. But they are infrequent. Most taxi services operate from Ashford.)