Mudpie Fridays >> Halloween >> Rogate Pumpkin Patch – What you need to know before you go

Rogate Pumpkin Patch – What you need to know before you go

It is pumpkin season and this year we decided to try out a new pumpkin patch. Looking for pumpkin picking in Sussex we opted to try out Rogate Pumpkin Patch. Having heard great things about this particular pumpkin-picking field I was a little dubious to whether it would live up to expectations. After being disappointed by another high-profile pumpkin-picking experience this year. But it ended up being a wonderful day out and we will most definitely be back to this family-run pumpkin farm.

Where is Rogate Pumpkin Patch?

Rogate pumpkin patch is located between Trotton and Rogate on the A272 in the South Downs National Park. It is easy to find with various signs giving you directions. What I didn’t realise until we left is that it is opposite the Lupin Field I had previously visited in the Summer. The super fun pumpkin patch is a working farm owned by a family with children (you can really tell). The address of Rogate Pumpkin Parch is – ½ mile east of Rogate Village on the Rogate Road, A272, Rogate, Petersfield GU31 5EG.

Parking at Rogate Pumpkin Patch?

Rogate is a popular PYO pumpkin patch with acres of pumpkins. Quite often they sell out. So I was pleased to see that they had a huge car park offering free parking. Our tickets were 10.40 am and the car park was only around a quarter full. There were metal tracks that lead from the road and wood chips all over. Which made driving easy and avoided the worry about getting stuck in the mud. There were parking attendants on hand to point you in the right direction. The car park is located right next to the pumpkin field and attractions giving easy access for little ones.

Pumpkin picking at Rogate Pumpkin Picking Patch

There are so many additional activities to do at Rogate Pumpkin Patch that for the boys the patch of pumpkins came second. Which is unusual for them. As normally the pumpkins are all they are interested in. As you enter the Halloween site the pumpkins field is off to the left. With plenty of wheelbarrows on hand to help find your perfect pumpkin. They also have some little trollies which are really cute for the photos. And you will definitely need the wheelbarrows as I am not sure I have ever seen such monster-size pumpkins at a pick-your-own.

What I really like is that the pumpkins in the field are ones that they have grown themselves. Some are still attached to plants which is nice to see. Growing over 200,000 over 25 different varieties of pumpkin some have been added to the field to ensure there are plenty of choices. You can see the difference with many of the larger pumpkins being grown on the farm. Most are Jack O Lantern pumpkins although the boys also chose a cinderella pumpkin. Which is not ideal for carving because it’s flatter. But that was the one Harry had set his heart on.

Unlike much of the rest of the pumpkin patch, there is no wood chip added so it will get muddy underfoot. You can pay for your pumpkins before going to enjoy all th other activities. Near the tills, there are various boxes full of different types of pumpkins. Varies colours, sizes and textures are all grown on the farm and packaged up into crates in September ready for buying in October. I really like that the different names are included in little signs above the boxes. Which is the first time I have seen this before.

Food and facilities at Rogate Pumpkin Patch

There is so much to do you will need at least two hours to really take it all in. I am sure we missed some of it. Because of the massive area, the site takes up you do not feel like it is too crowded which I much prefer.

Food Options

There is a wide array of delicious local street food, with so many different caterers that you are completely spoilt for choice. We ate lunch at Rogate pumpkin patch eagerly eying up the street food options. The boys had burgers and hot dogs which were reasonably priced at £4.50 each. I opted for a chicken flatbread that was delicious. And easily the best food I have had at a pumpkin patch in the UK. We also spotted pulled pork baps and wood-fired pizzas. With plenty for the children’s tastes.

Naturally, there was also somewhere to buy sweet treats, including doughnuts and candy floss. The coffee was readily available and well-priced. We found it as low as £2 for a black Americano. It was nice to find that the pricing generally was reasonable. Unlike some of the other commercial pumpkin patches, we have visited. You didn’t feel like you were being ripped off.

Most of the high-traffic areas are covered in wood chips to try and minimise the mud. There are also toilets of the portaloo variety available. This is also good as you will be spending more time there than you imagine as there is so much to do and lots of fabulous photo opportunities all included in the price of your ticket. Plus near the food areas, there are tents set up with hay bales and tables set up. So you can eat in the dry. We did have rain during our trip so I was very grateful for this forethought.

Merlin’s Wood

The first thing you see other than the hay bales and good options is a large area full of little houses. This is Merlin’s wood. The little houses and structures all have something for the kids to explore. Some have swings others are set up like wendy’s houses. There is a lot for the kids to explore. The boys were perhaps a little old for some of these that seemed to be aimed at the preschool age. Just beyond the wood, there was a black spider’s web to negotiate which was more popular with the slightly older children.

Bubble Witch

Possibly the boy’s favourite activity. Five families are allowed in at a time and all the children and adults if they want are given bubble wands. These make really big bubbles using ropes. Full instructions are given and it is well-controlled so that many families can have a go. The boys loved it.

Mazie & spooky sunflower trail

As well as the pumpkin field there was also what remained of a sunflower field and a corn field. From their annual sunflower PYO. Both had been left to die back creating a perfect backdrop for spooky fun. There were several photo setups to explore including Dorothy’s house and a Dracula’s estate castle. There is even a pumpkin slingshot which Charlie had a go at,.

Fairground rides

The mazie lead to an area with some fairground rides, barrel rides and bouncy castles. This was the only area where you had to pay extra. The rides are operated by tokens which you could buy. They cost £3 each or you could buy 4 for £10. Each ride cost 1 token. Other than the mini land rovers and the bungee trampolines which cost two tokens each.

Slides, tractors and a pumpkin shy

If you are wanting to stick to free things to do. Then behind the sunflowers, there is a play area. With three large tube slides and a selection of ride-ons. Plus some hay bales to climb and a pumpkin shy. Think coconut shy but with small pumpkins. The boys thought this most excellent. Although w quickly discovered they need to work on their aim!

Face painting

Next to the pumpkin field, there is a large white marque. Inside you can get your face painted for £4. They offer various different spooky designs. There is also a spooky shop selling all sorts of pumpkin-themed gifts, Halloween decor and a huge choice of pumpkin decorations.

Opening times and prices for Rogate Pumpkin Patch

Opening Times – Open daily from Friday 13th of October to the Sunday 29th October.
Booking Requirements & Costs – Booking does need to be made in advance via their website where you select a date and ten-minute time slot for arrival. Slots are available from 10 am, with the last entry at 15.30 pm. You can stay as long as you want. It costs £5 per entry ticket, with free entry for under 2s.
Pumpkin Prices – pumpkin prices seem really well priced compared to other pumpkin patches we have visited. The largest pumpkin costs £10 with prices starting from £2 for a small carvable pumpkin. The mini pumpkins cost £1 each. They also sell various pumpkin carving kits for £3 each and packets of sweets for £1. They accept card and cash.