Fruit & Flower Picking

Jul 31

3 min read

Flower and Fruit Picking

There's something rather satisfying about handing a wild child a basket and letting them loose in a field, particularly when the end result is a punnet of strawberries or an armful of dahlias to bring home. The North East isn't short of proper working farms happy to let you do exactly that, from soft fruit fields near Corbridge to a flower garden growing in the shadow of a medieval priory. Here are a few of our favourites.

Brocksbushes Farm, Corbridge

Just off the A69 roundabout outside Corbridge, Brocksbushes has become something of an institution for North East families, with over 125,000 strawberry plants across the fields come peak season. A good number are now grown on raised tabletops, which makes picking considerably easier for smaller children and anyone who struggles to bend down, and there's a dedicated block of lower "toddler tops" too.

Where: Brocksbushes Farm Shop, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7UB, around 16 miles west of Newcastle
When: Strawberries typically ready from mid-June through to late August, with July as peak season. PYO tickets are released weekly online, so it's worth signing up to the mailing list for alerts.
Cost: A small entry fee applies per person, plus a refundable deposit on your picking basket, then you pay by weight at the end
Good to know: The ground is uneven in places, being a working farm, so pushchairs are best left at the end of each row

Lanchester Fruit Co, County Durham

A family-run soft fruit farm on the Durham Road just outside Lanchester, growing strawberries alongside raspberries, blackcurrants and other seasonal berries, plus their own apple juice. It's a smaller, more low-key operation than some of the bigger PYO farms, which some families much prefer.

Where: Durham Road, Lanchester, County Durham, DH7 0TQ
When: Traditionally open daily from late June through to early September, though it's worth calling ahead as hours can vary year to year
Cost: Pay by weight for whatever you pick
Good to know: They also keep geese and ducks on site, always a hit with younger visitors

Rowes at Priory Gardens, Guisborough

For something a little different, Rowes at Priory Gardens offers pick your own flowers rather than fruit, set within the grounds of the twelfth-century Gisborough Priory. Now in its eighth year, the PYO season moves through cornflowers and cosmos in early summer to a spectacular sea of dahlias, more than sixty varieties, by late season. It's a genuinely lovely way to spend an hour, and popular with brides picking their own wedding flowers too.

Where: Priory Gardens, Bow Street, Guisborough, TS14 6PR
When: Set PYO dates run through the summer, announced on the website as the season develops. Booking in advance is essential.
Cost: From around £12.50 for 15 individual stems
Good to know: Bring your own secateurs or sharp kitchen scissors if you have them, along with wellies or old trainers, as a few pairs of scissors are available on site but not guaranteed

Vallum Farm, near Corbridge (new for 2026)

Vallum, the lifestyle and food destination on Military Road near Corbridge, home to Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine, an artisan bakery and its own kitchen garden, has just added pick your own wildflowers to the mix. It's brand new territory for them, with their first PYO Wildflowers Weekend pencilled in for 8th and 9th August. Given how much care Vallum puts into everything else it does, from the cabins to the coffee, this is one worth keeping an eye on.

Where: Vallum Farm, Military Road, East Wallhouses, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18 0LL
When: First PYO Wildflowers Weekend is 8th to 9th August, with more dates likely to follow through the season as the flowers establish
Cost: Not yet confirmed at time of writing, check Vallum's website or social media closer to the date
Good to know: As this is a first-time event, details on times, tickets and whether booking is required are still being finalised, so it's well worth following @vallumfarm on Instagram or Facebook for the latest before planning a trip. Vallum's Restaurant Pine and coffee house make a very good reason to linger afterwards regardless.

Oxford Farm, Ancroft, near Berwick

Tucked away near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Oxford Farm grows strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants for picking, alongside a farm shop selling home baking and preserves made on site. It's a lovely detour if you're exploring the Northumberland coast further north.

Where: Ancroft, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland
When: Strawberry season typically runs from mid-summer, usually starting a little later than farms further south given the coastal climate
Cost: Pay by weight
Good to know: It's worth calling ahead to check the picking fields are open on the day, as availability depends on how the crops are coming along