Brogdale Collections is the home of the National Fruit Collection, our orchards are a living history & heritage of fruit

  Went to visit Brogdale Farm, mainly for the miniature train for the children 4yr and 1yr. This wasnt working, played in the park for 10mins then went to find someone... read more to help us as nothing/no-one was about, no entrance hut. Found the Tour Shop who very rudely told me "you cant walk around here for free you know" thank you that's why I was asking where the orchard walks were, then her response "well when you pay we give you a map" would have been nice to tell me your prices and how things work before snapping at me. Even when I told her we have never been here before she still didn't change her attitude. So we promptly left.
If you dont want people walking around then it shouldn't be so open, have boundaries, put them up and have an entrance hut.
I would not recommend this place.

  We attended as a family of 4, (two adults 2 children) it was our first time here, hadn't heard of it before, but saw an ad for the easter egg... read more hunt that was taking place and looked at reviews which were all positive so booked it and was all looking forward to it. It cost us £15 for a family of four... The first and last time we pay for a walk! Literally just a walk around the orchard looking for wooden eggs hanging in trees, might not have been so bad if entry times were more staggered, as groups of us were finding the eggs at the same time making 'finding' the eggs less exciting for the kids as people in front of us were giving it away... Also the children's 'prize' for completing the wooden egg hunt was not even worth the £15 FAMILY entry fee, choices were, ONLY ONE EACH(was made very clear by rude member of staff) a mini packet of harbios, a tiny lolly, a little malteaser chocolate or mini chocolate eggs from Aldis...£15 for a walk and not even a small easter egg rewarded at the end.

  Hanami Festival Waste of Money - £23 for a family to, sit on a tractor, ride around a lot of 5ft trees not yet flowering, while expecting a Japanese Drum display, Quick Draw display, Sword Demonstration,... read more and Japanese cultural enlightenment.

Instead there wes some food vans, not bad, but they found it hard to consistently give the correct prices even though they were posted. They lady even threw the wrong change at me, when I told here she gave me too much, she told me it's mine, so I kept it.

The demonstrations were pittiful. A guy in a cheap samurai costume, with a number of locals banging drums poorly. It looked like they had just learnt off you tube. There was not passion and the timing was bad. And they weren't even Japanese.

A tent with some writings about Japanese samurai committing sepuku in front of a cherry tree, a kimono display rack where you can try on a kimono, a leaf bashing stand, yes a stand where you gamer leaves into fabric, free sweets from Wagamama and a short yea display, a short bonsai trees display a quick calligraphy display, and sushi to try.

For £23 completed the lot in 45 minutes.

Looking at the website it sounds grander than it is. It is over priced and leaving in any real cultural authenticity, except that the Japanese mother and daughter helped their English father teach calligraphy.

I was so disappointed. My son even commented that he could have sat at home while I waved my own katana collection around, it would have been more entertaining.

Seriously, if you want to go somewhere, visit the local castles, Leeds castle is better, or visit Dover castle, or Hever Castle, or anything other place for that money in Kent.

  A collection of different apple, pear and fruit trees along with what is the market place. This is a collection of farm type shops and cafes. There is a miniature... read more railway and a small playground for children. There is also about six walks around the farm. Plenty of parking

  A collection of different apple, pear and fruit trees along with what is the market place. This is a collection of farm type shops and cafes. There is a miniature... read more railway and a small playground for children. There is also about six walks around the farm. Plenty of parking

  The fruit festivals they hold here at the national fruit collection are really special because you get to sample a number of varieties. They can taste so different - so... read more it's really helpful to sample the fruit before you buy the tree. Great cherries - I bought some Hertford and Napoleon, both really good.