Hollow Trees Farm near Hadleigh review: Here is what we thought of half term Holloween week and farm café

Armed with my brave band of helpers aged: two, eight, 31 and 61, I headed to Holloween at Hollow Trees Farm on the first day of October half term.

Having visited Hollow Trees before for Halloween I thought I knew what to expect but this year the farm in Semer near Hadleigh has gone all out for spooky season!

From a creepy cabin to slithering snake sledges and a maze of mystery - here is what we thought.

The Holloween trail

The Hollow Trees team took a whole day setting up for the Holloween trail this year and to me it seemed like they had a lot of fun getting the farm ready for Halloween and all its little visitors.

You walk past a pumpkin patch on the way in and a friendly lady at the entry kiosk took a look at our pre-booked tickets and encouraged us to head straight for the creepy cabin.

Though from the outside it might look like a creepy chalet the cabin was certainly spooky and also included some laughs as well.

I would say it was just the right amount of scary for a farm which is popular with toddlers and it was something families were chatting about around the trail.

For my daughter (aged 8) and a new friend she made on the day (aged 4) it became a bit of a challenge to see how many times they could brave the creepy cabin.

All around the trail there were lots of Halloween decorations, with a curious creatures theme, we had fun trying to spot them all and the rocket really impressed my two-year-old!

As well as the creepy cabin, the children in our group loved the slithering snake sledges and beasties barrel train.

My daughter said the sledges were 'amazing' and it took a lot of effort to persuade her and my nephew to move on to something else.

The barrel train, which was running between 11am - 3pm, was also a massive hit and it was heartwarming to see all the children arriving back from the their ride around the fields waving and smiling.

Another highlight on the trail was the maze of mystery, which was home to quite a few prehistoric creatures.

If you are brave enough to venture into the maze I would strongly recognise you don't wear your favourite shoes!

Those with older children could keep them busy with a game of goblins golf which is close to maze.

Farm café

Due to the exhaustion caused by chasing three very lively children around the farm we had to make two stops at the farm café, the second time for an emergency caffeine and sugar boost for the adults.

At lunchtime we sat inside the café, you have to go the counter to order and Molly who worked there was very patient putting up with my dithering as I ordered and also with my daughter who was eagerly pressing her nose up at the cake counter.

Not only was I impressed with the welcoming staff, but also the speed in which our food and drinks were brought to our table - the team in the café know what they are doing.

My daughter and nephew happily opted for sausages, chips and beans (their sausages looked delicious) but I wasn't sure what to do about my son, who is a bit of a picky eater to put it mildly!

In the end I opted for a picnic plate which cost £3.95, I am glad I did as it gave him lots of different foods to try and he had plenty to share with his cousin and sister.

My mum chose a cheese scone with a cup of tea which were apparently delicious and my sister picked one of the specials, a pork roll which I was rather envious of.

I went for the slightly boring choice of a tuna and cheese panini which I could not fault and the iced coffee I had it was much needed.

Compared to other similar cafes I would say the pricing was reasonable and the customer service and quality of the food was worth paying for.

When we returned to the farm cafe later in the day we sat in the outside courtyard which was really lovely and everyone enjoyed their sweet Halloween themed treats and caffeine, by this point I was too exhausted to take photos.

But what about the animals?

With all the Halloween excitement I forgot to mention all the animals you can meet at Hollow Trees Farm.

On the day my son kept reminding us about them and loved feeding the goats which were very gentle with him.

Around the farm there are lots of feeding tubes which made giving the animals their lunch a bit more fun and are ideal if your a children are a little bit wary.

Goat mountain has always been a hit at the farm and is definitely something you don't see everyday!

Since I last visited Hollow Trees in summer 2021 there have been lots of new additions including a cow feeding platform and the routes around the farm have also been made much more accessible, especially for pushchairs.

Dates it is open - how to book

The Holloween Curious Creatures trail runs until Monday, October 31, tickets cost £9 per person but children two years and under are free.

A pizza van is also on site during Halloween and hot drinks and snacks are available from the kiosk.

Booking via the Hollow Trees website is very strongly advised and any walk-ins will be charged at £10 per person.

More information about the farm and their special events can be found on their Facebook page.