A Walk through the Orchard and Pumpkin Patch at Ballycross Apple Farm

Pumpkin patch
(Image: Sinead Fox)

There are things that are only done at certain times of the year, and a visit to Ballycross Apple Farm is one of those places that I remember about when the leaves turn golden and the air gets colder. My friend Jennie tends to remind me about it, it’s her “ultimate favourite fall destination” (she’s American so is all about the pumpkins), what better recommendation could be had.

Ballycross is just outside the village of Bridgetown in south county Wexford, about 15 minutes from Wexford town. It’s only open during the season, and even then only on Saturdays and Sundays (11am – 6pm) so there’s a short window to get your visit in. You’ll find all the details on their website (linked above).

We’d been once before and we’d remarked then, that really they must want to keep the crowds away as there’s no sign on the road from Bridgetown village that leads to Ballycross, so either everyone knows where it is, or everyone stops to ask. For the record how you get there as you approach from Wexford is to turn left at the t-junction at Centra in Bridgetown and then take the immediate right, you’ll pass St David’s Well housing estate, Ballycross is on this road on the right hand side.

There’s lots of parking, a farm shop, farm animals and woodland trails on offer. Today we decided to try out the woodland trails, the last day we were there it was raining so we’d given it a miss.

Cathal getting to grips with a pumpkin in the courtyard
(Image: Sinead Fox)

Entry to the farm and shop is free, but the trails attract an admission charge (see below) and you get a trail map to follow.

Here’s all the info…it saves me typing it
(Image: Sinead Fox)

My small boys love maps and play Dora and Diego all the time so they were delighted to have a real map in their hands. (Usually P and I are told that we are Diego’s field journal and Dora’s backpack, which makes sense as I carry everything for them and he answers their questions about how things work).

There are four trails to choose from, all colour coded and well signposted, we did both the red and yellow trails, both were fine with the three wheeled buggy, but I think a double would have difficulty as our Phil & Ted Vibe was just the right width to fit on the many narrow bridges that bring you from orchard to orchard.

“I’M THE LEADER NOW!”(Image: Sinead Fox)

The Yellow trail, which was our favourite brings you through a wooded area to orchards, then on to the pumpkin patch and on to blackcurrant fields and back to the farmyard. The boys were thrilled to see the apple trees, heavily laden with apples and the windfalls on the ground. I’d never seen so many apples on trees, serious productivity, they walked through the groves of the orchard singing songs and marvelling at their surroundings.

Trees laden with apples
(Image: Sinead Fox)

I’m not remotely green fingered so I was amazed by the pumpkin patch, it just looks like the pumpkins all fell off the back of a lorry, but there they are growing. There’s two relatively small patches (I thought) full of pumpkins in between two orchards.

The boys loved the “adventuring” and we had a nice walk around the farm. The courtyard where the shop is has some farmyard animals around and the boys had fun there too and if you were inclined you could pay extra to go to the pumpkin patch in a horse and cart sitting on bales in the cart.

Oink
(Image: Sinead Fox)

After our second trail we went back to the farm shop- I’ve never seen as many types of pumpkin, orange and green, all different shapes and sizes. Of course, the main business is apples, and bags of the apples grown on the farm are on sale at €7-€8 euro for a 4kg bag. If you’re not familiar with the flavours on sale you can taste them at the counter.

Tasting apple varieties
(Image: Sinead Fox)

I’ve long been a fan of the Ballycross Apple juice and it’s also available- 3 bottles for €9, great bargain, and they have 2 litre cartons of freshly pressed juice for €4.50.

Juice
(Image: Sinead Fox)

Lots of different pumpkin varieties in the Farm Shop
(Image: Sinead Fox)

After our lovely day today we’ve promised ourselves that Ballycross Apple Farm will become an annual autumn trip.

Note: We paid our entrance fee ourselves and were not asked by any party to review Ballycross Apple Farm, we just enjoyed it and thought that you might too 🙂

If you go let me know!

Attempt at an autumnal photo of Laoise
(Image: Sinead Fox)