Pumpkin Picking at Cairnie Fruit Farm

Every year I say I’m going to go pumpkin picking but then it gets booked up before I get the chance. Not this time! There are quite a few places nearby offering this seasonal activity, but Cairnie Fruit Farm is where we chose to go as I know their cafe serves vegan treats so it meant we could make an afternoon of it.

Cairnie Fruit Farm is under a 30-minute drive from Dundee. From June to September (but mostly July), you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, cherries, and sunflowers. You don’t need to book for those, but you do for the pumpkin patch. You can choose from a morning or afternoon slot, it costs £1.50 per adult then you pay for the pumpkins you pick, priced by their size.

It was super busy when we got there but it’s such a lovely atmosphere. They went all out with the decorations and the wee shop is stocked to the brim with autumn treats and accessories. There are loads of backdrops set up for photo opportunities; from spooky hay bales to face-in-the-hole scenes, and crates filled with pumpkins.

We walked around to the ‘pumpkin patch’ which is actually two massive fields filled with a wonderful variety of pumpkins in all different sizes and colours. You can grab a wheelbarrow or cart (another photo op if you have a wee one!), and fill it up with your haul. It’s actually really hard to choose but we ended up getting a giant warty orange one, medium green, and a couple of tiny white ones. We shared a wheelbarrow with our friends and when it came to payment there was a bit of confusion so we accidentally got charged twice for some of theirs but didn’t notice at the time - might just be easier to have your own wheelbarrow if you can.

We then stopped at the cafe for a quick bite to eat. We had the spiced butternut soup which was delicious and warming, just what we needed after a slightly chilly walk around the fields. We finished up with some chocolate cake which was absolutely perfect - it reminded us of how you'd imagine the one from Matilda tastes - properly sticky and fudgy, yum! There was also a vegan toastie and carrot cake available, though you’ll need to check the specials on the day. I totally forgot to photograph lunch but you can see a peek of the chocolate cake in this video.

Next year Cairnie’s Pick Your Own Pumpkin Patch will be celebrating 25 years! Make sure to follow @cairnie_fruitfarm so you can get your slot booked in. We had such a lovely time, it’s just a really wholesome activity.

Find Cairnie Fruit Farm at Cairnie, Cupar, KY15 4QD
www.cairniefruitfarm.co.uk