Last Updated on 16 June 2025 by Colette
You all know that Amy, our youngest, is absolutely obsessed with cows and has been for as long as I can remember so we’re always on the look out for new cow experiences to try. Ridiculously we’d never been to Mrs Dowsons Farm before but I spotted they were doing calf-feeding at the moment so I knew we had to take Amy.
Mrs Dowsons Farm is a fun, hands-on, family-friendly farm in Blackburn offering a range of seasonal attractions including lambing, calf feeding, goat yoga and pumpkin picking.
Calf Feeding at Mrs Dowsons
Bottle feeding the calves at Mrs Dowsons is really well organised – you book your entry slot to the farm and are given a token for the next feeding slot (ours was at 11.30am). Shortly before 11.30am we headed over to the cow barn and queued up for our milk.
Each calf is currently on around three litres of milk for each feed and the bottles hold one litre which means there’s enough bottles to go around (and as it was quiet Amy actually got to feed two calves). The staff will direct you to which calf to feed so that nobody gets over fed (apparently the calves are greedy and don’t stop when they’re full so it could be easy – and dangerous – to over feed them).
All the staff we spoke to were really friendly and knowledgeable and obviously really care about the cows. They were happy to chat and tell us about the herd, about the mix of breeds and about various personality traits of some of the calves.
I would say the only downside of our calf feeding experience at Mrs Dowsons was that we didn’t get to see any of the adult herd and, for that reason, I think Amy would choose to visit Smithills Farm instead.
Calf feeding at Mrs Dowson’s is obviously a seasonal event so do check online before you book.
What is there to do at Mrs Dowsons Farm Park
Beyond the calves, there are plenty of animals to meet and feed, including sheep, goats, llamas and rabbits. Animal feed is sold at the entrance for £1.50 a bag, and if you arrive early in the day, the animals are especially keen to be fed and will come straight over to see you.
There is a “Wallaby Walk” where you can get in the pen with the wallabies and complete a circuit around their space – the wallabies were unimpressed by us though and either stared at us from a distance or hopped away.
There are multiple play areas at Mrs Downsons with everything from sand play and a huge wooden climbing frame to a free-to use pedal go-kart track and an impressive indoor wooden play space. Even at 11, Amy had a great time on this and would probably have played for even longer with a friend or sibling to play with.
Facilities and Accessibility at Mrs Dowsons
This was our first visit to Mrs Dowsons and we were really impressed at how clean, modern and spacious everywhere is (I would still recommend dressing for a mucky day out though as there’s sand play in, lots of woodchip on the floor of the indoor play area and generally plenty of opportunities to get grubby).
There are lots of new and very clean concrete paths around the site making it really accessible – there’s also plenty of chances to go “off road” and walk around the fields through the grass so don’t wear your best shoes!
Handwashing stations are dotted around, including in the rabbit hut and near the cow barn so that you can wash your hands after feeding or handling the animals.
The toilets are near the entrance and unisex – which I think makes life much easier for families.
Eating at Mrs Dowsons
In terms of options for food, the courtyard area hosts a “Farm Grill” serving up chips, burgers, nuggets and hot dogs, a Pizza Hut serving 12-inch stone-baked pizzas which we had planned to try but unfortunately it was closed during our visit. There is also a small indoor café serving sandwiches etc and of course the ice cream parlour which is not to be missed!
There’s plenty of space to sit down in the courtyard are with lots of picnic tables and a huge covered space for when the weather is not really serving picnic vibes!
Tips for Visiting Mrs Dowsons Farm near Blackburn
- Bring wellies and waterproofs – Mrs Dowson’s is a working farm and whilst there is a lovely indoor play area, much of this attraction is outside. There’s lots of new concrete walkways to keep things clean and accessible but there’s also plenty of chances to get wet and muddy!
- Arrive early for animal feeding sessions – these are ticketed and so you’ll be given a ticket for the next available feeding slot.
- If you visit Mrs Dowson’s first thing, you’ll find the goats, sheep and llamas are very pleased to see you and will enjoy being hand fed.
- Wash your hands regularly! There are several places to do this on site.
- Don’t forget to pack snacks or a picnic – or take advantage of the food vendors on site.
- Make sure you have room in your tummies (and budget) for ice cream!
- Check the website or socials before visiting for updates on events or weather-related changes.
Tickets and Pricing at Mrs Dowsons Farm Park
Mrs Dowsons Farm is currently open for general admission on weekends, school holidays, and bank holidays (but do check with the website to confirm!) During the week, the farm welcomes local schools for educational visits.
Entry to Mrs Dowsons Farm Park is by pre-booked slots – and although you can pay on the gate, I’d recommend pre-booking to avoid disappointment.
We booked the 10am slot with an eye on the 11.30am calf feeding session. We always like to head out first thing for days out so as we tend to find places are a little quieter and it’s easier to feel you’ve had your money’s worth!
Online tickets are up to 20% cheaper compared to on the gate prices. Under 12 months go free.
Where is Mrs Dowsons Farm?
You’ll find Mrs Dowsons Farm at Hawkshaw Fold, Longsight Rd, Blackburn -use postcode BB2 7JA for your sat nav
Parking is available on site and is free of charge.
This was our first visit to Mrs Dowsons, and we were genuinely impressed – it’s the kind of place we’d have easily spent a full day at when the kids were younger. Now that Amy’s older, farm days out are a bit more hit and miss but anywhere with cows is still a win for her! We only stayed a couple of hours this time, but there’s plenty to see and do if you want to make a day of it.
You can watch a couple of reels from our trip here: Calf-feeding at Mrs Dowsons | A day out at Mrs Dowsons
Have a read of these posts next:
The best places to see cows near Manchester
Cow experiences for adults and children in the UK
The best farms for children in Manchester
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