Surrey Docks Farm

This is the perfect farm for city children to meet the wonderful animals and chat with the knowledgeable, friendly staff to learn about life on a farm and what it takes to care for the furry friends.
Explore the lush green areas on the farm, such as the orchard and the herb garden.
The kids will love taking part in one of the educational community activities on offer.
Treat yourself with an organic (and tasty!) souvenir from the Farm Shop.

The grounds of this working South London farm was used as a smallpox and fever receiving station between 1883 and 1940, the present form of the community farm being established in 1975. Run by volunteers who have a passion for caring for animals and nature, Surrey Docks Farm is a brilliant city farm in London to bring the children for a taste of rural life without leaving the city.

Get in touch with nature as you walk around the petting farm and meet the special furry friends who call it their home. Kids will love meeting animals like goats, sheep, horses and more! This encounter with the animals will teach the children all about life cycles, farming and how to care for nature and all living creatures. The staff are always available to answer any questions you or your little ones may have about animal life on the farm.

As well as the cute furry friends, Surrey Docks Farm houses an apiary. Maintained by a volunteer beekeeper, these five beehives are set up in the orchard and have a key role in the pollination of all the plants on site. One of the Farm Shop's most popular products is the organic honey produced on-site. Kids will enjoy learning about the role of bees in the environment and seeing just how important these tiny creatures are the vast Eco-system we all inhabit.

Surrey Docks Farm is home to some wonderful green spaces that gives all visitors a lovely break from the hustle and bustle of London life. Enjoy the ambience of the orchard with flowering fruit trees. Delight your senses in the herb garden where ingredients such as rosemary, thyme, lavender and more are grown and harvested. The special permaculture garden replicates eco-systems seen in England's natural landscape, here is where plants such as strawberries, valerian, mulberries and more are grown for visitors to learn about and taste. The children will love exploring the lush natural areas and learning about how food is grown.

Surrey Docks Farm has a significant focus on community building, nurturing the relationships between people as well as the plants in the ground. Check out the plots to see how the local volunteers have transformed the landscape into a place to grow many different things. You could even join the team and take part in one of the gardening workshops to support the farm and learn critical skills you can take home to your own backyard. Keep an eye out for the family events and fundraisers such as the Spring Fair and the Harvest Festival, complete with fun activities to help raise money for the farm.

Children who have a passion for animals and nature will love taking part in one of the educational community activities on offer at Surrey Docks Farm. Catering from ages 5-13, these kids clubs encourage learning about the environment and animals through nature trails, arts and crafts activities, cooking, gardening and more! For teenagers there is the Youth Committee for people aged under 25, meeting nine times a year this group helps organise events and gives the organisers at the farm key advice on how to keep improving their experience for young people.

The Farm Shop, located on-site, is open to the public every day. Here you can purchase wares like eggs, vegetables and meat all grown and reared on the farm. If you want to take a piece of the country home, there's also vegetable seeds and house plants for sale so you can encourage your children to care for nature even in the city.

What to know before you go

Surrey Docks Farm is currently closed to the public; however, they plan to reopen sometime in September.
There are no food vendors on site. However, Surrey Docks Farm is working hard to bring the Surrey Docks Cafe facility back up and running on the premises.
There are toilets available on-site for visitors to use.
Surrey Docks Farm is wheelchair and buggy friendly with level tarmac paths around the farm.
Dogs are welcome, providing they are kept on a lead for the duration of your visit.

How to get there

The Tube Station closest to the farm is Canada Water (Jubilee line)
The closest Train Stations are Surrey Quays, Canada Water and Rotherhithe Station.
If you are taking the bus, routes 381 and C10 have stops nearby the farm.
For parking, Surrey Docks Farm does not have a designated car park; however, there is free parking available on the roads outside the premises.