Cogges Manor Farm
📍 Witney
🌿 Farm
💷 £2 - £12pp
⏰ 1/2 day
👣 Gentle excitement
☕ Café
May 2026 · Nature Aventures · Farm
Meeting the farm animals, spotting wildlife in the meadow and insects in the garden.
The reviews I'd read about Cogges Manor Farm before going weren't great. It seems that a lot don't think it offers value for money. I suppose it's a tricky thing charging for a farm experience when so many others locally offer a similar thing without the entry fee.
So it wasn't high on my list, until Little Leopard broke his wrist and I needed an adventure that was going to be less 8 mile hiking, and more gentle strolling round a kitchen garden.
We really enjoyed our half day at the farm. It was pretty quiet when we went (a showery May saturday), which meant we got to say hello to the animals at our leisure.
Little Leopard says:
"I liked the turkeys. I liked seeing the goats fight, I especially loved seeing the rabbits and lambs and I really liked the bit where you can pretend to milk the cow."
We got to cuddle up with a guinea pig, feed goats and sheep and watch a flock of fabulous heritage ducks waddle around. There's lots of fabulous breeds of animals, including Cotswold Lion sheep, Royal Golden Guernsey goats, and heritage chickens. The star of the farmyard for us was definitely Alan, the apparently grumpy turkey, who stood on the wall keeping lookout and ruffling his feathers if anyone got too close.
The house and the grounds are what sets this apart from other farm experiences. If you're a Downton fan then you'll love having a peek around 'Yew Tree Farm', with plenty of behind the scenes pictures and testimonies. Little Leopard wasn't that engaged with the house, but did enjoy spotting a picture of 'Professor Mcgonnagal'.
The walled gardens are fabulous to stroll round, we took our time checking all the flowers for insects. There's a picnic area in a lovely orchard, an adventure playground in the woods where we heard a woodpecker. There's also a meadow that we strolled around, watching tiny insects run away as we approached.
Little Leopard got really into feeding the goats and playing croquet, and including some coffee and cake at the cafe we were there 3.5 hours.
After that we went and explored Witney Lake and Country Park, a very short stroll away across a stream and down a lovely footpath.
Nature Notes
Turkey
The large bird with a surprisingly wild side
Turkeys are ground-dwelling birds that can run fast and fly short distances when startled
Wild turkeys can run up to 25 mph and fly into trees to roost at night
Male turkeys are called toms and use gobbling sounds and feather displays to attract mates
A turkey’s head changes colour depending on its mood, excitement, or stress levels
They have excellent eyesight and can spot movement from far away
Woodland Sage
The fragrant herb loved by pollinators
Woodland sage is a hardy flowering plant that grows in meadows, woodland edges, and cottage gardens
Its purple-blue flowers bloom through summer and attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
The leaves release a soft herbal scent when touched or warmed by the sun
Woodland sage belongs to the mint family and has square stems like many aromatic herbs
For centuries sage has been linked with healing, wisdom, and protection in folklore traditions
Royal Golden Guernsey Goat
The rare golden-coated goat from the Channel Islands
Their long silky coats become especially thick and warm during winter months
These gentle goats are known for producing rich, creamy milk with high butterfat content
Both males and females can have impressive curved horns and alert amber-coloured eyes
The breed nearly disappeared during the Second World War but was carefully preserved by dedicated breeders
An gentle adventure, meeting lots of farm animals, wandering through the orchard, woods and meadow.
Address: Church Lane, Witney, OX28 3LA
Parking: Free parking OX28 3FR
Opening Hours: 09.30 - 17.00 (summer hours) Check website for events and alterations.
Entry Fee: £2 - £12pp
Website: cogges.org.uk
More Nature Adventures
May 2026 · Nature Adventures · Parks and Gardens
Stonor Park
A fun-filled day spent exploring the adventure playground, spotting deer, getting up close with birds of prey and strolling round the gardens and arboretum.
April 2026 · Nature Adventures · Nature Reserves
Cothill Fen
A long walk with a distinctly Jurasic vibe through the most diverse area in Oxfordshire, taking in FIVE nature reserves. We saw solitary bees, fossils, woodpeckers and some impressive geology.
April 2026 · Nature Adventures · Nature Reserves
Thrupp Lake
A gorgeous walk from Radley Station to Abingdon under the sounding bridge, around the lake and through Barton Fields, hearing an astonishing number of birds.