Ready for Halloween? These are Devon and Cornwall’s Most Instragrammable Pumpkin Patches
Halloween is just around the corner. And while extravagant celebrations might be off the cards for many families amid the cost-of-living crisis, there’s nothing like a bit of pumpkin carving to get you in the mood for the spooky season.
Ahead of the October half-term, My Favourite Cottages investigated which of Devon and Cornwall’s family-friendly destinations with pumpkin patches were the most Instagrammable.
In first place is The Lost Gardens of Heligan in St Austell, Cornwall – with 35,500 people tagging themselves posing at the location.
Lost in time after WW1, the gardens of 200 acres were restored in 1990. With events all year round, guests can enjoy a stroll through the gardens and the UK’s only outdoor jungle, where they can take in the farm, wood and wildlife. Plus, it’s dog friendly and you can enjoy a variety of pumpkin-themed events at the Heligan Harvest throughout October.
Darts Farm in Topsham, near Exeter, is the second most Instagrammable place with a pumpkin patch where you can pick your own to take home with you - with 'dartsfarm’ collecting 22,600 hashtags.
Home to one of the first ‘pick your own’ businesses, Darts Farm is an award-winning farm and farm shop featuring animal enclosures, fishing ponds, a nature trail, an artisan school, seasonal events and multiple places to eat and drink. Their Pumpkin Festival begins at the start of October, where a range of different-sized pumpkins are available to pick and take home to carve.
The third place is Pennywell Farm, in Buckfastleigh, Devon, with 12,600 posts containing #pennywellfarm.
A great day out for all the family, Pennywell offers an assortment of activities, animals and rides, plenty to eat and drink and seasonal events, such as Halloween pumpkin picking.
Completing the top five places to visit with pumpkin patches is the Eden Project in Boldeva and Flambards in Helston, both in Cornwall.
The Eden Project has 11,500 hashtags to #edenprojectcornwall and 679 to #halloweden, their annual Halloween event, where guests can grab a pumpkin.
Meanwhile, Flambards has 8,400 posts containing #flambards, 806 to #flambardsthemepark and 194 to #flambardscornwall.
Both Halloween events will run between the 22nd and 30th of October 2022.
If you’re planning to head off on your own pumpkin-picking adventure this October, follow these tips to secure the most perfect pumpkins and ensure they stay in top condition for Halloween:
1. The firmer and heavier the pumpkin, the better.
2. A consistent colouring and texture will indicate the pumpkin is in good health and will make for the best photos.
3. Slap your pumpkin. If it sounds hollow, it’s ripe and ready to harvest.
4. Check the stalk. A pumpkin that is ready to be picked will have a brown or golden stalk and will feel hard and dry.
5. Leave the stalk long to slow rotting – avoid cutting the stalk shorter than three inches.
6. Store them away from direct sunlight and avoid any wet areas.
7. Save carving until a few days before Halloween.
Harry Roberts, Managing Director of My Favourite Cottages, commented:
"As we enter the colder months, it's important we promote a variety of activities for our guests to enjoy that don't prove too costly.
“Pumpkin picking is not only cost-effective, but it will also provide hours of entertainment for the whole family and, as the study reveals, makes for a great selfie opportunity.”
You can view the full dataset here.
