Goddenwick Farm

Goddenwick Farm, near Lindfield and ten minutes from Haywards Heath, grows pumpkins and Christmas trees across 150 acres.

In October, on weekends and during school half term, the farm runs its Pumpkin Festival. You book a timed entry online (£5 per person, under 2s free; walk-ins are not accepted), which includes two pumpkin patches, a spooky woodland trail and maze, farm animals and, at weekends, live music, street food and a beer hall. Pumpkins are sold separately and priced by size. The Play Barn is charged extra and must also be booked online during the festival.

From late November, the farm sells Christmas trees from its fields and a covered barn. There are over 100,000 trees, including Nordmann fir, Norway spruce, Fraser fir and Farmer Tom’s Sussex fir. You choose a tree in the field and cut it yourself or have staff cut it, or pick a freshly cut tree from the barn. Trees are priced by height and no booking is needed. Staff net the tree and help load it into your car. Trees can be ordered online for delivery. A Santa’s Grotto runs on selected dates, booked separately through West Sussex Mind, and the Bauble Barn sells decorations and gifts.

The farm is open daily all year: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Roost Cafe serves food and coffee, the farm shop sells gifts and local produce, the one-kilometre woodland trail costs £3 per person, and the Play Barn runs 90-minute sessions for children (£7 for ages 3 to 10, £4 for under 3s). Dogs are welcome on leads.

What visitors say

In October the farm runs pick-your-own pumpkins. Entry to the patch is free, pumpkins are reasonably priced (three for around £16 in late October), and a decorated woodland trail leads to the fields. Dogs are welcome. In December it switches to pick-your-own Christmas trees. Weekends get very busy, with queues to park of half an hour or more, and the fields turn muddy, so wellies help. Netting machines are on hand and the barn serves food and hot drinks. Some December days include a visit to Father Christmas.

The play barn has slides and a ball pit and is a hit with young children. It can be hired for birthdays and runs on timed tickets, charged separately. The door checks have been patchy and the barn gets chaotic when full; a few parents have flagged safety worries about equipment left out. The cafe does excellent coffee and bacon baps, but on busy event days food can take a while.