Cogge Manor Farm

Late finish on this post but Summer term in school is always a killer.

Anyway….imagine you’re transported back in time to May…

It’s been a pretty non-stop action month in the Webber household. We have had Ollievov’s second birthday, Pose’s <mumblemumble> birthday, SATs at my school, beginning of exam season at Poses school, Ollie has moved up to a new class at nursery, Dad had another operation (it was fine), garden renovations and all the other goings on you’d expect in a busy household. During May we have also, bizarrely, had two sunny May bank holidays…I know right? Two!

On this latest May Bank holiday Pose, Olephant and I, after a brief tour of Moreton Cricket grounds annual car boot, set off on a bit of a whim to investigate Cogges Manor Farm in Witney. Through the occasionally useful medium of Facebook, we noticed that they were having a bank holiday family fun day. Perhaps worryingly, this was rather an exciting find for us, I can’t help but feel that 18 year old me is bitterly disappointed that I wasn’t staking out an area of beer garden somewhere and getting thoroughly ‘relaxed’ all day. Sad as it may seem to my inner teenager, this type of event really is a great find, as it meant Ollie would be entertained and experiencing new things for a few hours. It’s hard to explain, but my current favourite past time, is watching Ollie have fun. This confuses me tremendously as he’s clearly ghastly, why would I find his screeching yells of joy so engaging? Admittedly, there is an element of self-preservation tied into this, as an extended period of time when Ollie isn’t being entertained, leads to him ostensibly bullying Pose and I in some obscure Toddler manner. Well, not actually bullying, more like a constant demand for things counterbalanced by then not wanting the things – all the while making an unpleasant noise. It does feel like bullying mind you. This pseudo-bullying is tied in with the fact that Ollievov determinedly uses us as climbing frame/crash mat. For whatever reason, all round, it’s better if we have external entertainment in place.

Anyway, we hadn’t ever been to Cogges Manor Farm, B&Q in Witney was perhaps our farthest ranging foray into the area in general. With this in mind we really had little idea of what to expect, we we’re thinking maybe a little farm park with a small play park attached. The May bank holiday celebrations might have a few stalls and a bouncy castle at a push. However, what we found was so much more than that!

Cogges Manor Farm is a tricky one to classify in a few words. To simplify you might call it a farm park/museum I would guess but that really doesn’t do it justice. It’s a wonderfully sprawling farmstead in a beautiful setting. There are animals aplenty that are more than happy to be fed with the snackages bought in the shops and I’ve got to say they seem a lot more relaxed and happier than a lot of the animals you see at other farm parks. Even Olephant trying to speak to them in their own languages didn’t seem to bother them!

There was a whole load of activities and events going on throughout the farm including a brilliant craft area where kids were happily getting arty and in Ollie’s case messy. It was also brilliant to see they’d thought about chill times as well with a reading area with a load of books and hay bales set out invitingly. The climbing frames and play park section were also a highlight and I’m not sure if it was Pose or Ollie who was put out the most upon leaving the climbing frame. They both pouted ridiculously either way. Their was also a lovely music/food area near the house, we didn’t explore this too much as Ollie was like a demented spinning top but for future events I imagine we will stake out a picnic blanket for whatever is on!

After a ramble around all the areas in a vague criss-crossing pattern, due to Ollie’s haphazard navigation, Ollie conked on his pushbike and we retreated.

Brilliant place and fully intend to go back soon! The next time we’ll remember a picnic.