A taste of Cornwall. (Callestock Cider Farm)

Member Name: Lunah_C

Product:	Callestock Cider Farm
Date:	12/03/06 (1064 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Educational, free samples, great food.

Disadvantages: Might get a bit tipsy.

It was 1986, and we were on our honeymoon in Cornwall. We had gone out exploring and sampling the country. Out in the middle of nowhere we found a small little farm. It seemed no different to other farms, but it did have the added bonus of having a cider production going on. So we decided to stop for a while and enjoyed a meal in the small restaurant.

Around the back a few animals were housed and empty barns had been used to give a brief tour into the Cider making business.

It was, quiet, it was lovely, and it was memorable.

Loving it so much we returned two years later with our twins. The restaurant had expanded, and a car park had been made on the opposite field. A couple of years after that, a shop appeared, then the tour became more sophisticated and a charge was added. Now ten years on it is a booming tourist attraction.

It is noisy, it is crowded, but it is still memorable.

But despite its fame, when you flick through the leaflets left in your self catering accommodation, it is very rare you will come across one for the Cyder Farm. So here is the low down and all you need to know.


***History***

The Farm was bought by the current owners in 1986. They bought it simply in order to revive the almost forgotten art of cider making. They planted Orchards, renovated and adapted buildings and in 1988 converted a former cowshed into a Jam kitchen. They adopted the phrase ‘Legless but smiling’ and this is now their famous logo. They have won a number of awards and are ‘The nations favourite farm attraction’ and are one of the top tourist attractions in Corwall. During this renovation the name also got changed from Callestock Cider Farm, to The Cornish Cyder Farm.



***Getting There***

The Farm is situated near the villages of callestick and Penhallow.

To get there You can either come off the A3075 redruth/Newquay Road or the main A30 which runs the length of Cornwall. For both roads take the road sign posted Callestick. There are some brown tourist signs dotted about apparently, but on each occasion we have visited we have failed to spot them.

The only way to get there is by Car or on an organised coach trip. Public transport is just not an option!


***Opening Times and prices***

The Farm is open from Mid January to the end of December. Though can be closed some weekends in the Winter. They are open from 10am to 5pm, but this may be extended during the warmer and lighter months.

The Farm, shop and Restaurant are all Free to enter.

For the Guided Tour, the prices are:-

Adults £5.00
Seniors £4.00
Children £3.00

Under 6 years are free.


***Arriving***

When you get there you will be directed to the free car park. This is simply just a field opposite with a bit of tarmac in places. It can get very muddy so be prepared. There are some toilets here which are very handy.

The entrance to the Farm is across the track you enter on, It is also the pick up/drop off point for the tractor ride, so keeping young children close is ideal. The tractor ride costs around £1 for adults and 50p for children and takes you all around the Orchards.

At the Entrance you can walk straight through to the free areas. Or you can stop and pay for the Tour and/or tractor ride at the desk. For this you will get a bright coloured stickers to proudly wear. You can come back at any time to this desk at any time therefore on busy days it could be worth going off and doing the free parts first rather than queuing for your sticker straight away.

You are now in the front courtyard that has plenty of picnic tables both under cover and in the open. Plenty of farming articles and gadgetry with information are scattered about for your perusal. From here you can either go into the shop, Restaurant or around the back to the farm.


***The Farm***

The Farm is where the tour and museum can be found, these being in the converted barns. However you are free to walk around the courtyard area where you can find a couple of horses and pigs. In the warmer weather shows can also be seen on the small arena in the centre.

According to the website there is also a small pottery shop allows you to throw your own pot for a small charge. I don’t remember seeing this on our last visit so it is either new or wasn’t open at the time.

With the addition of the superior tour, it seems it was the animals that had to go. On our first visit there was also a number of small animals and several horses, but these have sadly dwindled over the years.


***The Tour***

As I said the Tour has been improved over time. When we first went you simply walked around the areas at your own pace looking at all the artefacts used in Cider making. This is now a guided tour and also includes the jam making. People are now at work and so you get a much better idea of what is going on. The tour is divided into areas that show you had the cider is fermented, pressed and bottled; the jam kitchen, as well as a sampling area (Yummy!); the distillery, where an 1800 litre copper pot with a special viewing glass allows visitors to see inside the still as it boils the cider; and the museum which gives an insight into the history & art of cider making. Also on display are a full Cooper's Workshop, Horse drawn Granite Mills and a Scratter Mill. Plus exhibit pieces showing the evolution of the Press, from the rather crude Cornish Beam Press, the Single Screw Press (500 years old) the Twin Screw Press (from the 1830's) and finally the Twin Screwed Geared Press of the late Victorian era.

So much more could be said about the tours, however it would make the review very long so if you would like to know more simply pop along to the website.


***The Restaurant***

The restaurant is in the top half of a large converted barn and seats 150 people. It can be reached either by a slope from the front or steps from the rear courtyard.
On our first visit this area was the restaurant, sampling area and shop so you can see how much they have expanded.
The food is all homemade and it truly delicious. Of course their products are featured in many of the dishes and since they are just so tasty you are then tempted to buy and take home.
The restaurant has a selection of snacks and meals and includes a number of healthy children’s meals. (Highchairs available) I would recommend the Cidermakers Lunch which is their version of a Ploughmans. As well as around half a kilo of various cheeses, you get a selection of chutneys and a delicious home made coleslaw. I have heard that the Scrumpy Pie goes down well too.

More toilets can be found off the Restaurant as well as a baby change area.


***The Shop***

Again reached from the front courtyard or from the connecting restaurant. Here you will find all the goodies that you expect plus all the products that they produce. With over 40 varieties of fruit products, that includes cider, fruit wine, jam, marmalades and chutneys, there has to be something for everyone. Expect to pay around £2.25 for a 0.5kg jar of jam/marmalade/chutney and £3 for a 2kg bottle of cider. Slightly more than in the shops but the jars and bottles are very decorative so have plenty of uses even when the contents are finished.

If you don’t fancy filling your suitcase with the contents of the shop you can always order online when you get home.

If you do the tour you will get a chance to try the jams and chutneys and here in the shop you can sample the wines, cider and the newly addition, apple brandy. They can be quite strong so maybe advisable to do this when you arrive rather than just before you are about to drive home. If you prefer you can always try the fruit juices, which are just as nice.


***The Family’s thoughts***

Obviously we like the place, otherwise we would not have returned several times. We have gone around the tour a few times. This was due to the fact that it has been improved and also because the children got to the age they could appreciate it more. They learnt so much and the fact that you can really get up close and see things in action is a wonderful experience. Of course the delightful smells are just a huge bonus. However on our last visit we were happy enough just to have a bite and then collect goodies from the shop.

You can easily spend a day here if the weather is good. Although the tour is in converted barns, a lot are open fronted so you can get wet still. Plus you have to go in and out of each one to reach the next as they do not all join together.

The Jams are full of fruit and contain little sugar which in my opinion makes them much better. The cider, or as it is traditionally called in Cornwall, Scrumpy, is above all others and a must have to bring home. Even the chutneys have me drooling and yet normally this is something I would not be bothered with. On our last visit we simply went to buy some Scrumpy apple Chutney, though I believe we came out with quite a bit more. (I need some more so if I do tempt you to visit…….)

I am sure though, that if we ever return to Cornwall, which I am sure we will, the Cyder Farm will certainly be on our list of places to visit.

Summary: A great Day out for the family, with plenty for all to see and do.