Heads of Ayr Farm Park

Nestled in the scenic coastal town of Ayr in South Ayrshire, Scotland, Heads of Ayr Farm Park is a beloved destination that has captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike. With a rich history dating back to its establishment in the early 1990s, the farm park has become more than just a place to see animals; it's a comprehensive family experience.

Located only a short drive from the town centre, Heads of Ayr Farm Park overlooks the breathtaking Firth of Clyde, offering unparalleled views and an atmosphere of tranquillity and natural beauty. The site occupies 80 acres of land, providing ample space for animal enclosures and recreational facilities.

The park's significance to the local community extends beyond its status as a tourist attraction. It is an educational hub where children and adults can learn about farming, animal care, and sustainability. With diverse attractions ranging from exotic animals to adventure play areas, it's designed to entertain and educate visitors of all ages.

While staying at Craig Tara, directly next door to the farm park, my family visited and had a fantastic time!

 

What is Heads of Ayr Farm Park?

Heads of Ayr Farm Park has many attractions, including animals, rides, play areas and soft play areas. It reminded me of Wynford Park, closer to home in Aberdeenshire, but this park is much bigger and has more exotic animals.

History of Heads of Ayr Farm Park

The story of Heads of Ayr Farm Park began with Craig and Edna Rankin, who once owned a humble sheep farm. The birth of their children brought a delightful twist to the farm with the acquisition of a llama and peacocks, marking the beginning of an incredible journey. Since first opening its doors to the public in May 1993, the park has grown exponentially.

Originally featuring just a playground and a modest selection of animals, including chickens, peacocks, sheep, and the family's pet llama, the farm park now offers a rich and diverse experience. Today's visitors can encounter over 80 species of animals, including endangered ones. Children can enjoy various attractions, from expansive themed play areas to quad bikes, train rides, jumping pillows, and an enormous indoor soft play area.

The farm park now welcomes 170,000 visitors each year.

Our visit to Heads of Ayr Farm Park

We were staying just next door to the farm park at the Craig Tara caravan site, so we decided to take the very short trip next door and investigate. The tickets were pretty expensive, although not the most expensive tickets we've purchased for a park in Scotland - it cost just shy of £75 for two adults and three children.

We arrived at 10 am on a Wednesday, and it was BUSY! We had thought we would beat the crowds by not visiting at the weekend; I guess it would be even busier then. I would arrive before the opening time (10 am) so you can ensure a parking space, or if you're staying at Craig Tara, it isn't too far to walk.

Queuing for about 10 minutes at the theme park-style ticket office, a short distance from the car park, we gained access to the farm park. The staff were lovely, and we had no problem using our pre-booked tickets.

 

 

 

Entering the park is quite overwhelming with the sheer number of attractions and directions you can go.

 

The animals of Heads of Ayr Farm Park

We first decided to tour the animal enclosures, starting with the aviary and meerkats. There is good visibility into the enclosures. We walked around this area, viewing fennec foxes, raccoons, squirrel monkeys, lemurs, rabbits and giant tortoises.

Little Critters Animal Barn

This indoor area is full of small animals; my kids enjoyed this area the most due to the large enclosure full of guinea pigs! This barn was also home to mice, rats, ferrets and two loud parrots. If you have a sensitive nose, this area also smells quite strongly.

At the rear of the critter's barn, there is a dark area called the "Aztec Reptile Zone", where we saw giant snails, snakes, Chinese water dragons, lizards, scorpions, tarantula, insects and a really cool spectacled caiman.

Toilets can also be found at the Little Critters Animal Barn entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal paddocks

From the barn, we looped down to the main animal paddock areas, first seeing the goats and donkeys, then walking through the extensive site dedicated to the wallabies. We then said hello to the alpacas and highland cows and then followed the path past the deer paddocks and up to the camels.

This was the best part of the park for my wife and me; my 13-year-old daughter also liked seeing the animals the most. My younger two were eager to check out the play areas, so we headed there next!

 

 

 

Outdoor Play Areas

There are so many different play areas for kids who won't know what to do first. The main areas of interest are:

• The pirate ship with sandpit - tokens can be found to win a prize.

• Many trampolines.

• A combine harvester with a tunnel and a water spout.

• Quad bikes - just the basic kid's version, not real quad bikes.

• General climbing frames, swings and roundabouts.

• Jumping pillows.

• Zip lines.

• A rubber ring slide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indoor Play Areas

The majority of the attractions in the park are outdoors, but there are also many interior soft play zones:

• Frontier Fort

• Super Diggers

• Fowl Play

• Play 'n' Wild Adventure Barn

• Shooting Gallery

• Pre School Soft Play and Power Tower

Our youngest daughter was wearing shorts to the indoor adventure barn; a kind member of staff loaned her a pair of trousers so she could go down the slides properly - fantastic customer service.

 

 

 

 

The train ride

The Tam O' Shanter train station is an excellent feature of the park; a small blue train with bright red carriages collects you and takes you around a short loop of the park. This loop doesn't go around the park's perimeter, just a short section close to the main road and car park, then back to the train station.

It costs £2 per person, not the best value for money, but the kids loved it.

 

Stopping for lunch

The farm park has three different areas offering hot and cold food:

• The Stone House Kitchen

• Grazer's Grill

• Stables Coffee Bar

On this visit, we tried out Grazer's Grill, found in the park's central area. We ordered burgers, hotdogs and chips. It was fine, just your standard food, not too bad but not amazing; I think the Stone House Kitchen may have better but slightly more expensive food.

Menus can be seen on their website.

Visitor Information:

Pricing:

Adults: £15.50
Kids: £14.00 / £6 for a one year old.
Under 12 months: Free.
Concessions: £9.50.
Carers: Free.

Opening hours:

Open March to October from 10 am until 5 pm. Open 7 days per week. 

Address:
Heads of Ayr Farm Park
Dunure Road
Alloway by Ayr
Scotland
KA7 4LD

01292 441210 / info@headsofayrfarmpark.co.uk
headsofayrtickets.co.uk

The park is very accessible; most areas seem accessible via wheelchair. Areas like the little critter's barn have windows built into the side so the animals can be seen from a lower perspective.

FAQs on Heads of Ayr Farm Park

Here are a few frequently asked questions about Heads of Ayr Farm Park.

Who owns Heads of Ayr Farm Park?

The Rankin family, who owned the original sheep farm, still owns and runs the park today.

What animals do Heads of Ayr Farm Park have?

Too many to list here, but my favourites were the otters, wallabies, donkeys and the speckled caiman.

Are dogs allowed at Heads of Ayr Farm?

Only guide dogs are allowed within the park.

What age is Heads of Ayr Farm Park for?

All ages can enjoy this park; there is something for all the family. Adults and older kids will love the animals; the younger ones are well-catered, with numerous outdoor and indoor play areas.

Should I visit Ayr Farm Park when it's raining?

It would be best if you planned for a dry day; most of the best parts of the park are outside. There is an indoor soft play area, but you will not get value for money with this alone.

Videos

Here are a few short video clips of our visit to Heads of Ayr Farm Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key information on Heads of Ayr Farm Park

• Heads of Ayr Farm Park is located between Dunure and Alloway in Southwest Scotland.

• The park is an award-winning farm and adventure park, ideal for families.

• Farmyard favourites such as donkeys and goats can be found at the park, but also more exotic species like spectacled caiman and camels.

• Outdoors there are many rides, trampolines, climbing frames and even bumper boats.

• Indoor soft play areas can be found left on the entrance; they are large and impressive.

• There are three separate places to eat.

• You could easily spend an entire day at this park.

 

Conclusion

We had an absolutely fantastic day at Heads of Ayr Farm Park; the kids loved seeing the different animals and playing on the many different attractions available. It was very busy, but with the size of the park and many picnic benches, it never felt stifling.

My only criticism is that everything in the park also costs you money. After paying £75 to enter the park, paying to use the items within the park feels a little mean; for example, the train costs £2 per person. There is still plenty to see for your cost of entry if you don't want to pay for the other activities.

If you are in the Ayrshire area or staying at Craig Tara, the price of admission to this farm park is well worth it, and although expensive, it is value for money if you spend the day there.