We’ve been coming to Healeys Cyder Farm since we first visited Cornwall over 10 years ago, although back then it was just called the ‘Cornish Cyder Farm’! It’s always been one of our favourite places to visit, so much so that even when we were staying in South Cornwall we made a trip to the farm on the way back home.
Created in the late ’80s under the name of ‘Callestock Cyder Farm’ the farm has certainly developed over the years, but despite this it is still polite in size and has a warm family feel to it.
Here’s what we got up to when we visited recently during our trip to Cornwall…
Located 20 minutes from Newquay and FREE to enter, Healeys Cyder Farm is home to a visitor centre (which offers a number of guided tours), a large and well-stocked farm shop where you can purchase a variety of ciders and wines straight from their farm (as well as a selection of conserves), a restaurant, which was a new addition to our tour this year offering their famous cream teas, as well as a mouth-watering Sunday roasts, lunches, and sweet treats.
In addition, there’s also a small museum detailing the work that goes on at the farm, farm animals to pet – who have also been gifted an extension recently – and lots of other buildings to explore, such as their ‘jamming’ station.
Arriving just as it opened, we arrived at the visitor centre, which still takes my breath away even today thanks to the knowledge of knowing what it looked like before. We were greeted and offered a number of guided tours, but while it’s definitely something we would like to do another time, we opted not to go on a tour this time as we weren’t sure how engaged T would be.
Tours range from 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes and can include going behind the scenes at the farm, instead of the full tour, we decided to book ourselves onto the guided tractor ride that took us around their historic orchards and detailed the farm’s history.
After our tour, which lasted longer than we realised and was incredibly detailed, we made our way round the farm and explored the animal enclosures. This is where T fell in love with a goat called ‘Freddie’, and wouldn’t leave his side, and we watched a peacock try his hardest in wooing two female peahens. Although the farm is quite small, it’s still a wonderful side to the main attraction; the cider (and the cream teas).
Next we took a walk around the jam station and tasted several of their conserves, condiments, and sauces, as well as watched how it’s all made. This place is lethal, as everything is available to try – although no double dipping! This then made us incredibly hungry, so we made our way to the restaurant where we sat down and enjoyed a cream tea.
Jam or cream first?
Healeys Cyder Farm take their cream teas very seriously, what with their scones being made fresh on site (they’re even warm when they arrive at your table) and the inclusion of their very own jam and locally sourced clotted cream. They also offer a range of cream teas if you don’t fancy a traditional one, from their ‘apple scones’ topped with scrumpy apple and bramble jam, to their savoury ‘cheese scones’ that come with apple chutney and crème fraîche, as well as other cakes and tray bakes. There’s also a wonderful selection of hot drinks and a generous menu with lots of dairy and gluten free options (including their scones!).
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Once staff had to roll us out the restaurant we then made our way to the farm shop where we browsed wines and ciders (and tasted a few too!) and purchased a few of our favourite jams and marmalade. We had to restrain ourselves as our car didn’t have our usual available room, but we still treated ourselves to a few bottles of Rattler and some jars of jams and chutneys.
Although the farm is small (we’d also love it if it had a play area), we easily spent the whole morning here, which was a good few hours from opening. Thanks to the farm constantly growing and events throughout the year, there’s always something new to see and do, but even if developments were to pause, we still think we would keep going back to the farm. Call it loyalty, call it good jam, but either way we would absolutely recommend giving the farm a visit if you’re in the area.
