Experiences at
Cross Bank Farm
A little less ordinary.
A lot more countryside.
GIFT EXPERIENCES & VOUCHERS
A little countryside time, for yourself or someone special.
Discover our hands-on experiences, meet the animals and enjoy a little time away from the everyday.
Not every worthwhile experience needs to be filled with activities.
Sometimes it's learning something you've always wanted to understand. Sometimes it's watching bats appear against the evening sky. And sometimes it's simply finding somewhere you can sit with a cup of tea while the world carries on without requiring your involvement.
Cross Bank Farm is a Victorian smallholding in the Shropshire countryside, home to rare-breed livestock, wildlife, old buildings and an assortment of rather opinionated animals.
We offer a small collection of thoughtfully arranged experiences centred around learning, nature and the simple pleasure of slowing down.
Each has its own character, but they all share something important: they're genuine, unhurried and refreshingly free of manufactured entertainment.
Not sure which experience they’d enjoy most? Let them choose their own adventure with a Cross Bank Farm gift voucher.
CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE
Bats, Stars & Still Evenings
Because some of the best things happen when you stop and wait.
Settle into the quiet of a Shropshire evening, listen for bats using our detectors and watch the countryside change as daylight fades. No organised spectacle, just nature doing what it does best.
Quiet Time
Two hours. No expectations. Just space to be.
Enjoy a peaceful corner of the countryside without a schedule to follow or conversation to maintain. A warm drink, fresh air, animals to observe and permission to do absolutely nothing in particular.
An Introduction to Smallholding
For those wondering whether the good life is quite as good as it looks.
An informative and down-to-earth day exploring what it really takes to establish and run a smallholding. Learn about livestock, land, practical decisions, running costs and realities.
Away From It All
For those who would rather escape the noise than add to it.
A private countryside day for a group seeking good food, open space and a change of pace. No organised games, no forced participation and no pressure to turn relaxation into another achievement.
A working smallholding, not a visitor attraction
Cross Bank Farm is first and foremost a home, a working smallholding and a place where animals live their everyday lives.
Our experiences aren't designed around feeding, cuddling, walking or handling animals. Depending on the experience, you may observe them in their usual surroundings and learn about their care, behaviour and place within the farm.
There are no staged encounters, performances or guaranteed animal interactions. The animals have their own routines, and we'd rather keep it that way.
Our facilities are simple, our setting is authentic and our approach is deliberately relaxed.
If you're looking for a traditional petting farm, we're probably not quite what you have in mind.
If you're looking for somewhere genuine, interesting and a little removed from the usual hustle and bustle, you may feel rather at home.