There’s something about pumpkin fields that makes us feel all autumnal and there’s plenty of wheelbarrow fun to be had near Brighton – read on for our top picks. Happily, they’re almost all free entry with plentiful parking and you don’t need to book in advance for most of them either. Although there will (almost) always be enough of the gourd stuff to go round, it’s still a good bet to turn up early if you want to beat the crowds.
Picking Patch
The only pumpkin patch that is, quite literally, in town is last year’s newbie, the Picking Patch. Brighton is home to what is said to be the most haunted house in Sussex, Preston Manor, so it’s only fitting that the house is the backdrop for a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, Halloween maze and pumpkin market. You’ll find several varieties of the orange (and not-so-orange) fruit, plus lantern-making, graffiti workshops, marshmallow toasting at the firepit, and plenty of photo opps, from ghostly apparitions to pumpkin houses and a spooky pet cemetery.
Thursday 23rd October – Sunday 2nd November; 10am – 7pm; from £6(under-twos go free; dogs not allowed
Manor Garden, Preston Road, Brighton, BN1 6SA
pickingpatch.com
Sompting Pumpkins
Sadly, the brilliant Slindon Pumpkins stopped trading in 2020 (remember their genius displays?) but we also love this pumpkin-picking patch in Sompting – near Lancing. There you can run wheelbarrow wild across 15 acres – avoiding The Pumpkin Slasher’s brilliant scarecrows – gathering up some of their 70,000 pumpkins featuring some 20 varieties in every shape and size. They’re operating as a family-run experience again this year with plenty of activities to get stuck into, including some Halloween-y crafts, tractor trailor rides, and plenty of local food and drink offerings (pumpkin-spiced cookies!).
10am – 4pm weekends from Saturday 4th October and daily from Sunday 26th – Friday 31st October; free entry, pumpkin prices start at £1; no dogs allowed in the pumpkin field, but they can be exercised in the large field by the car park
Halewick Lane, Sompting, Lancing BN15 0NE (next to the A27)
Somptingpumpkins.co.uk
Poynings Pumpkin Patch
We are big fans of newer kid on the block, the Poynings Pumpkin Patch, which has a wide selection of different varieties of squashes and pumpkins for cooking and carving to choose from. You won’t go hungry either with plenty of local food and drink treats on offer: as well as snacks made from their pumpkins (you need to try the fritters). Other sellers haven’t been announced yet, but last year included Fratello Pizza with wood-fired pizza and Crepcetera with crepes and galettes.
10am – 4pm weekends from Saturday 4th October and daily from Sunday 26th – Friday 31st October; free entry; pumpkin prices vary; no dogs allowed
Poynings Road, Poynings, Brighton BN45 7AP
Poynings Pumpkin Patch
South Farm
Just outside Lewes in the small village of Rodmell, you’ll find South Farm, a family-run working farm where all the pumpkins are grown on site. They haven’t announced their 2025 dates yet, but they are due to return this year. Last year, weather-permitting, they were open every day for picking from 14th October and until Halloween or until they sold out. There’s plenty of parking, but if you don’t drive, they’re also on the 123 bus route from Lewes. Need some (pumpk)inspiration? They’ve got some great recipes on their website, too.
2025 dates tbc; pumpkin prices vary; dogs on leads welcome
Cricketing Bottom (on the South Downs Way), South Farm Rodmell, BN7 3FE
southfarmrodmell.co.uk
Goddenwick Farm
You might know Goddenwick as the farm just outside Haywards Heath that runs Sussex Christmas Trees, but they added pumpkin patches for the first time in 2024. They’ve got two: one by the car park and a more adventurous one past their woodland walk. Because of those trees, the second one’s a bit of a different experience: you’ll find thousands of pumpkins in at least seven varieties, from monsters and carvers to gem squashes, all nestled in between some beautiful festive firs. It’s a great spot to get your Halloween on, too: they’ve got a spooky trail and a surprise-filled bus to explore, plus you can practise your pumpkin-slinging in the games field. Fuel up and keep the Halloween theme going with a themed drink from their new bar – with live music on Saturdays, or dig into something more substantial like Halloweenie hot dogs, loaded fries, or hot drinks. Book a free ticket online or just turn up.
Weekends (Friday to Sunday) from Friday 10th October and daily from Friday 24th until Friday 31st October; from free; pumpkins from £2 – £12; dogs on leads welcome
Goddenwick Farm, Ardingly Road, Lindfield, West Sussex, RH16 2QX
goddenwickfarm.co.uk
Tulleys Farm
Ok, it’s a more commercial experience, but for a fun-filled day out, photo opps a-plenty, and more squashes of all shapes and sizes than you can shake a pumpkin pie at, Tulleys Farm (of Shocktober fame) is always a good shout. This year, they’ve grown 100 varieties across over 100 acres of farmland, producing a mammoth one million pumpkins. And, in typical Tulleys fashion, there are live roaming ’pumpkin folk’ characters, offering a more immersive experience, if that’s your bag. Prefer to pick under the light of the moon? Then you need Pumpkin Nights where you can pick your own with a side of food, drinks and live music.
Weekends from Saturday 4th October, plus 10th, 11th, 12th, 16th to 19th October, and daily from 22nd October until 31st October; 9.30am – 5.30pm (or 6pm – 10pm for Pumpkin Nights); from £8 for daytime picking and from £11.95 for the nights; pumpkin prices vary from £1 – £25; free parking; dogs on a lead welcome
Unit 5, Turners Hill, Crawley, RH10 4PD
pumpkinfarm.co.uk
