Headley children's adventure farm re-opens

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Situated off the A339 in Headley and previously known as the Family Adventure Farm and prior to that, the Children’s Adventure Farm, the farm reopened as 4 Kingdoms.
Co-director Darren Lamb, aged 42, who lives on the site, said that he took the business over in December last year, on a 20-year lease.
Also the owner of children’s nursery and indoor activity centre JJ’s Play, in Basingstoke, Mr Lamb said that they needed space to expand into outdoor activities, but heavy rain earlier this year scotched plans to open in July.
“We cleared part of the land running down the side of the farm of rubbish and top soiled in March – then the River Enborne rose up and washed it away,” he said.
Only two acres of the 40-acre site were liable to flooding.
“It doesn’t flood anywhere else on the site, for example where the children’s play areas are,” said father-of-two Mr Lamb.
The major works to strengthen Knights Bridge, over the River Enborne at Headley, which had reduced the A339 near the site’s entrance to a single lane had, he said, only caused traffic problems at rush hour, mostly affecting staff.
“Most visitors to the farm arrive outside rush hour times, usually at weekends, when traffic is not a problem.”
Adventure farm attractions include a mini village, complete with post office, pub, fire and police stations, with chance for children to write a letter to Santa or walk through an indoor winter wonderland to meet him and receive either a goodie bag, or Christmas present.
Also available are indoor ice skating, a fun train, animal barn and nativity scene with baby donkeys,and soft play frame, along with crazy golf, electric go-karts, indoor racing and pedal cars and a Christmas market, with hot chocolate, or mulled wine.
4 Kingdoms will close temporarily from 4.30pm on Christmas Eve, and is set to reopen in March, prior to the Easter holidays.
There will be safari-style tours of the farm during lambing time, with baby chicks to see, alongside farm animals including 200 sheep, long-horn cattle and pigs. The farm also includes two fishing lakes.
“We will try and have a different selection of animals you would have on a UK farm and may partner up with other breeds such as Alpacas and sugar gliders (similar to a flying squirrel) and add a reptile centre,” said Mr Lamb, who was born in Darlington and who has farming family in Ripon, North Yorkshire.
For more information visit www.4-kingdoms.com