Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford – Picking Apples and Playtime

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford

Ballycross Apple Farm is a family friendly destination in Bridgetown County Wexford. Perfect for a family day out, Ballycross Apple Farm has a number of activities on site to suit all ages from go-karting to walking trails. And of course when you visit at harvest time there’s always the option of picking some apples.

When to Visit Ballycross Apple Farm

General Admission: €22 for a family of four | Pick Your Own Apples, €5.50 per bag
Website: ballycross.com – for full details admission fees.
Address: Bridgetown Co. Wexford
Opening Hours:
- This year, 2022, Ballycross Apple Farm reopened on August 22nd
- Opening Times:
  - Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays: 12.00pm – 6.00pm

Further Reading: Duncannon Beach, A Family-Friendly Drive-On Beach in Wexford

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Donkeys - Winnie, Ned & Tilly

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford – Picking Apples and Playtime

We visited Ballycross Apple Farm in September and were greeted with a beautiful weather day. The perfect day for picking at a homemade picnic, and for apple picking.

The car ride from our home in Athy, Co. Kildare took about 1.5 hours, and so by the time we got there we were ready to eat. And with a lunchbox full of ‘hang sandwiches’ burning a hole in the boot, we settled for an impromptu lunch at a picnic table amongst the trees in the carpark of the farm. For future reference you are allowed to bring your own picnic onsite, just be sure to ‘leave no trace’ when you finish.

Further Reading: Captivated by Beautiful Curracloe Beach in Co. Wexford

Once inside the establishment, we swiftly paid for our tickets at reception. And saying hello to Winnie, Ned and Tilly the donkeys, we leisurely made our way around the farm.

I quickly noted the café. The boys quickly noted the ice cream van.

In the courtyard of the farm, we said another ‘good day’ to Bobby the horse, gently petted the Shetland ponies, heeding the sign that they may bite. Thankfully they didn’t.

We commented on how cute the bunnies were, and snorted at the pigs, Gertrud wasn’t impressed. And after listening to the birds chattering we made our way across the farmyard and over the bridge to the picnic area.

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Bobby the Horse

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Hens, Ducks and Geese

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Goats and Alpacas

En route, we clucked at the chickens, gandered at the geese, watched the goats and alpacas munching the grass, side tracked the picnic benches, and made our way to the go-kart race track instead.

There are in fact two Go-Kart Race Tracks at Ballycross Apple Farm. One for the bigger children and one for the smaller. Our two boys enjoyed both. On the bigger track Smith, seven, was well able to fly around unassisted.

Meanwhile, Cassidy, five, enlisted the expertise of our Race Engineer aka ‘Daddy’ to push him around. Five laps later, and under the health and safety guidance of the Team Specialist, aka me, I retired Patrick from his extreme sports duties, and welcomed him to sidelines with Team Management as we witnessed both boys flying around the Junior Go-Kart Race Track unaided, instead.

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Go Kart Track

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Junior Go Kart Track

Coaxing the boys from the track with the promise of apple picking and a ride in tractor trailer, we made our way once more to the farmyard. From here we took a short stroll to the wildflower garden and the buzzing of happy bees. The pumpkin patch was already harvested by the looks of things, but we spotted more in a different area later on, on our tractor ride trip around the farm.

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Wild Flower Garden

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Trailer Hay Bales

Soon it was time to go apple picking. We could have walked to the orchard but where’s the fun in that when you can climb aboard a tractor trailer with hay bales for seats!

We found our place along the hay bale couch and enjoyed the surprisingly smooth ride around the farm, witnessing the many apples trees, and their boxed harvests, elderflower trees ripe with berries, the aforementioned pumpkins, ripe and ready to eat or carve, and fields of hay bales.

We got straight to it when we disembarked the trailer, picking the finest apples we could reach. The boys got very serious about the quality control, and I about waste management – only pick what you’re keeping!

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Smith picking apples

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Smith & Cassidy picking apples

With some help from Patrick, whose new role was now ‘the human ladder’ we spent no more than 10 minutes filling two bags full of deliciously sweet ripe apples.

The option now was to either walk back to the farmyard, it’s a short stroll back, or take the tractor. We took the tractor, of course, which leaves every 20 minutes.

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Picking apples with Kids

Back at the farmyard, it was time for refreshments and treats. The boys opted for ice cream (€8 for three scoops) from the ice cream van.

I enjoyed coffee and a Ballycross Pink Lemonade, Patrick an award-winning Ballycross Apple Juice and we shared a slice of Apple Ricotta Cake (€10.65). We paid for our bags of apples (€11) and made our way back to Kildare.

A lovely day out for just a little over €50 – as I’ve said before you don’t have to break the bank to live life to the fullest!

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Ice Cream

Ballycross Apple Farm Wexford - Juice and Lemonade

On our next visit we’ll explore more walking trails, Ballycross have a number detailed on their website featuring local flowers, fauna and Irish wildlife, that take you ‘through areas of woodland, along the bank of the Bridgetown Canal’.