Things to do at Swan Barn Farm

Discover the woodlands 

The woodlands at Swan Barn Farm are characterised by mature oak with different aged copses of sweet chestnut and hazel.

Autumn is a particularly fruitful season to explore this habitat, as the trees all put on their mantels and light up the paths in a crackling auburn glow. 

Towards winter, traditional coppicing starts in the woodlands, with fogged breath, the sound of the saw and the crack of a fire all drifting on the still crisp air.

The woodland wildlife

The chestnut and hazel coppices are cut on rotation, producing fencing and building materials which are used in the local area.  

With the land located so close to Haslemere high street, these woodlands are also a retreat for wildlife. They're rich with birds, moths and mammals, including an array of specialist species such as dormice and nightingales.  

Visiting with your dog 

You're very welcome to walk your dog at Swan Barn Farm, and there are lots of footpaths for you and your furry friend to explore. You can enjoy a walk in the woodland and pasture at any time of year.  

The Canine Code

We’ve worked with our partner Forthglade to come up with this Canine Code, which helps to make sure everyone can enjoy their day:

• Keep them close: using a short lead helps to keep your dog from disturbing ground-nesting birds and farm animals. It's essential to use a short lead around sheep. But if cattle approach you, it's best to let your dog off the lead, and call them back when it's safe to do so.
• Pick up the poo: please always clear up after your dog. If you can't find a bin nearby, take the poo bags home with you.
• Watch the signs: keep an eye on local signs and notices wherever you're walking. They'll tell you if a beach has a dog ban, for instance, or if a path has been diverted, or if you're in an area where dogs can run off-lead.
• Stay on the ball: remember that not everyone loves dogs, and some people fear them. So make sure your dog doesn't run up to other people, especially children.

Plentiful orchards 

Take a walk through the orchards, one of which is over 100 years old. The team have been restoring it over many years, including planting traditional varieties of fruit. 

The newer orchard was planted in 2010 and has a mix of old and new varieties. As tempting as it may be, please resist trying an apple in this orchard as our trees are young and still growing. 

Apple trees

We have over 35 varieties of apples in total. Team favourites include Court Pendu Plat, Cornish Gilliflower (an old Truro native), Newton cooking apples – named after the mathematician himself – and Tom Putt for cider making. 

In autumn, watch out for small mammals hiding their ripe autumn bounty to tide them over the cold winter months. 

Foraging

No matter the time of year there’s always something to forage from Swan Barn Farm. 

Early on you’ll find nettle tips for tasty soups and beer, before succulent blackberries and crisp apples ripen in late summer, providing a seasonal treat for nocturnal badgers and tipsy red admiral butterflies that gorge on fallen fruit. 

The autumn months see a bounty of hazelnuts, chestnuts and a host of fungi, while even the winter yields sloes for a warming tot of sloe gin. 

Meet the animals 

Livestock

A hungry herd of Sussex cattle often graze the fields to ensure the pastures stay rich in flowers and scrub doesn't take over. In the orchard, South Downs sheep - a traditional breed for the area - are brought in to manage the grassland.   

Wildlife watching

Birds

Look out for birds while visiting Swan Barn Farm. In late spring, chiffchaffs add their voices to the the dawn chorus joining blackbirds, robins and song thrushes in their early morning song. The trees provide food and shelter for a wide range of species including nuthatch and greater spotted woodpecker.

Dragonflies and butterflies  

In winter, the team will start checking for brown hairstreak butterfly eggs, searching in the nooks and crannies of the bare hedgerow twigs.

As spring comes around, watch out for orange-tip butterflies around the delicate pink of the lady's smock flowers. 

Summertime insects

In the summer, the pastures buzz with insects like the fast-flying golden-ringed dragonfly, the second largest to the emperor dragonfly.

Below the cool green dappled canopy and along the winding stream you’ll see them hawking up and down the river in search of food.