With so many things to do for kids young and old, Chatsworth Farmyard and Adventure Playground makes for a fun day out for all the family.
In the farmyard you'll meet our friendly animals, from pigs and horses to our mischievous goats and guinea pigs. We're also delighted to be home to a number of rare breeds including Suffolk Punch horses, Shire horses, Albion cattle, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Bagot goats and Cream Legbar chickens.
From the farmyard, take the secret tunnel to the children's playground for exciting adventures, where your young ones will enjoy burning off some energy on the swings, zip wire and climbing walls. There's also an Archimedes screw to fetch water from the stream, as well as a huge sand play area.
We can't wait to welcome you
Everything you need to plan your day
01 Tickets and pricing
We strongly recommend booking in advance. Book your tickets online and enjoy free car parking.
02 Daily activities
Not sure what you can do when you're here? Make the most of your visit with our daily activities in the farmyard.
03 Opening times
Check the opening times for the attractions, shops and restaurants at Chatsworth.
04 Accessibility in the farmyard & playground
We pride ourselves on the welcome we offer to all our visitors.
05 How to find us
Chatsworth is located in central England, in the heart of the Peak District in Derbyshire. It is north of Derby and south of Sheffield.
06 Visiting with your dog
Please be aware that dogs are not allowed in the farmyard or adventure playground, for their safety as well as the safety of our farmyard animals. There are posts where dogs can be left outside the farmyard.
About the farmyard
The farmyard at Chatsworth has been a favourite day out for children of all ages since 1973, when it opened with a variety of animals including cows, sheep and lambs, pigs, horses, goats and poultry, as well as a milking parlour for demonstrations.
Since then we've introduced the adventure playground and more exciting activities for children to get involved in, as well as developing our breeding programme for rare and sometimes critically endangered breeds.
In 2021, we were thrilled to be awarded Rare Breeds Survival Trust accreditation, recognising our important contribution to the conservation of some of the rarest livestock and equine breeds native to the UK, from Suffolk Punch horses and Shire horses to British Landrace pigs and Eriskay ponies.
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Muck in at the farmyard
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Meet our farmyard friends
View a few of our friendly faces before your visit
01 Eugenie and Huxley
Hello, I'm Eugenie, a Suffolk Punch mare and a rare breed, and this is my foal Huxley.
My ancestors used to pull carts and work the fields, but the arrival of machines meant I wasn't needed any more and my breed nearly became extinct.
Come and say hello, we're very friendly.
02 Seamus
Let me introduce myself, I'm Seamus, one of the donkeys.
I love it at Chatsworth because I get my nose stroked a lot.
Sometimes you'll hear me braying loudly when it's time for tea.
03 Ariel
Hello everyone, I'm April. My nickname is 'smiler', can you see why?
I was born here with my twin brother Arthur. I like my visits to the farmyard because I get to see my other farmyard friends.
You'll get to meet them too.
04 Custard
Hello, I'm Custard, a guinea pig who loves sitting on knees.
I like being stroked, I like vegetables, I like being stroked, I like fruit, I like being stroked... You get the idea!
When I'm excited, I make a noise called a wheek.
The rustle of a vegetable bag makes me wheek. Did I mention that I like vegetables?
05 Grace and friend
Hello, hello, hello
We're pygmy goats, which is why we're so small.
Being small means you can have lots of fun. When no one's looking, we squeeze through the bars of our pen and go and explore the barn.
People think we're very sweet when they meet us, we have no idea why?
What's on?
Events in the farmyard
Goats galore: milking and feeding experience
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A special opportunity to bottle feed and cuddle our goat kids, and help the farmyard team with our goat milking demonstration. Includes access to the farmyard and playground.
Read MoreKeeping chickens
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Whether you've always wanted to keep your own birds or just want a fun day out with a difference, this workshop is a great hands-on experience.
Read More
