Mudchute Farm is one of the largest city farms in London, covering a beautiful area on the Isle of Dogs in East London just next to Canary Wharf. It’s a thriving admission-free community farm where you can meet a wide range of animals and take part in activities like animal feeding or join the young farmers club.
Mudchute offers a fantastic way for children and adults to experience genuine farm life in the middle of London juxtapositioned next to the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. Actually, Mudchute is on top of the list of all the city farms that we reviewed. This is also the most popular farm in London, with more than 1000 volunteers helping out running the farm and organising activities and events.
Happy farm animals
A great thing about the farm is that there is a lot more space compared to other city farms, covering a total of 32 acres. The farm is actually built on top of soil excavated in the 19th century when the surrounding docks were constructed. Mudchute also has more animals than any other city farm in London, so everyone gets to meet their favourite animal.
Our experience visiting the farm has always been excellent. And we usually end up spending a lot more time than we had planned for! From all the animals on the farm, our favourites are probably the smallest animals as well as the horses. The farm also hosts a variety of seasonal events throughout the year that we try to attend. We can recommend the Easter Parade, Summer Open Day, Christmas Fair as well as Spooky Halloween. Throughout school holiday periods, lookout for various children’s activities.
Mudchute Farm Horseriding
Horseriding is the principal activity on Mudchute farm. The Mudchute Equestrian Centre is offering horse riding lessons for local school children as well as for the general public. Lessons are suited for beginners to advanced riders, conducted by a team of qualified instructors. See their webpage for more information and how to book.
Muddy Boots Nursery
The farm runs its own nursery which is also very popular with a long waiting list. The children that are lucky enough to get a place here will get to enjoy outside play as an essential part of their days with the park and farm right on its doorstep.
The farm cafe
Placed right next to the horse stables, Mudchute Kitchen is offering hearty warm food. It’s an excellent spot for brunch in the weekend, servicing delicious breakfasts as well as a good selection of cakes. There is even a small play area for kids, which is great news for parents looking for a little break.
Parking and planning your visit to the farm
By car
There is no visitor parking available on-site, so the official recommendation is to find parking on neighbouring streets. We assume that many also take advantage of the free Asda carpark.
DLR
Most people arrive by DLR to Island Gardens station where the signs are well marked to the entrance. Note that not all the smaller entrances are well suited for wheelchairs or pushchairs, so we would recommend using the main gate.
By foot
If you are coming from Greenwich, merely walking through the Thames foot tunnel is the best way to reach the farm. The walk from Canary Wharf is also quite nice and will take you around half an hour.
By river taxi
Living in Rotherhithe on the other side of the river, we take the Thames Clippers river service stopping to Masthouse Terrace and walk around 10 min from there.
Getting to Mudchute Farm
Address: Pier St, Isle of Dogs, London E14 3HP
Web: https://www.mudchute.org/
Attractions nearby
If you are looking to add more activities to your day, walking to Greenwich through the Thames foot tunnel could be a good option. While in Greenwich, you can enjoy several child-friendly activities, such as visiting the Maritime Museum or enjoying the Greenwich Park Playground. In North Greenwich, a ride with the cable car can be quite exciting for kids. Located within the O2 arena, we can recommend testing out the Oxygen Trampoline Park. A bit further east in Stratford, we really like the Children’s Story Centre as well as the Olympic Swimming pool. Also, don’t forget to check our list of the best playground in London!
Check the rest of the London City Farms we have rated