Johnsons of Old Hurst, Huntingdon

Where else can you find a family attraction with a farm shop, café, steak house, zoo and tropical house, play ground and two ginormous crocodiles called Cuddles and Kisses? Only at Johnsons of Old Hurst – a totally unique experience in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

18 March 2024Add to My FavouritesSave

Is it a farm, a crocodile ranch, a tea room, a farm shop, a restaurant, a zoo or a woodland reserve? Well, Johnsons of Old Hurst in Cambridgeshire is all of these things and more, making it a completely unique attraction and incredible day out for the whole family. No wonder then that it has won a Muddy Award for the last FIVE years!

Johnsons of Old Hurst is first and foremost a carbon neutral farm near Huntingdon that has been in the Johnson family for over 100 years. The family are passionate about refining and developing traditional farming methods, serving customers the finest fresh meat and home grown products and the conservation of native breeds (and non-native breeds like crocodiles!). Opening up the farm and zoo is part of the owners’ desire to help people understand where their food comes from so they can better appreciate what matters when it comes to taste, animal welfare, provenance and service.

The large farm shop is a foodie’s heaven with meat sourced from the farm in the butchery, a deli, cheese counter, bakery, and fruit and veg, all sourced from Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties. Plus, there’s wine, beer, speciality gins, and fizz too. They also have a great gift section with birthday cards, interiors bits, and quality locally made pieces that you’ll love.

Johnsons of Old Hurst is one of the few crocodile farms in the country. The ranch is Andy Johnson’s passion and started with a couple of Nile crocodiles – Cuddles and Kisses (we kid you not!) and has now expanded to include 15 different alligators, crocs and caiman, with their own impressive purpose-built reptile house. As you can imagine, they are a great way of disposing of butchery waste which means that the farm and the shop can run a more environmentally friendly business whilst also working to conserve these endangered animals.

So, what else can you find at this unique farm? Well the zoo is also home to lions, sloth bears, pumas, macaws, owls, meerkats, skunks and porcupines, while the tropical house is full of exotic creatures such as iguanas, pythons, tortoises and turtles. If just looking at these creatures isn’t enough for any daring kids, there are plenty of animal experiences to book – mini keeper days, junior keeper days, crocodilian feeding and lion feeding. Traditional farm/ native animals more your thing? You can also see deer, goats, cows and peacocks as you wander through the acres of picturesque woodland and fields.

Children will love the adventure playground and excellent themed events throughout the year, such as Easter egg hunts, pumpkin carving and Christmas markets. The whole place is kitted out perfectly for kids, with children’s menus in the café and steakhouse and plenty of space to tire little legs out. In fact, Johnsons of Old Hurst is so ideal for families that you can book birthday parties here if you’re after a non-commercialised party with space for the kids to play in, a safari trip that allows them to get up and personal with some of the larger animals and a lovely tea in the cutesy pine lodge. Expect to get dirty – it’s all about good wholesome messy fun!

After all that lovely fresh fenland air, you’ll be ready for some good food, and there’s a choice of the tea room, serving home made cakes and light snacks as well as the impressive Steak House with its fabulous farm-to-fork menu. Days out for the whole family don’t get much better than this!


At a glance

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Address:
Church Street, Oldhurst, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE283AF

Website:
johnsonsofoldhurst.co.uk

Email:
sales@johnsonsofoldhurst.co.uk

Telephone:
01487 824658

Opening hours
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: Farm shop: 9am - 6pm; Zoo: 10am - 4:30pm; Tea room: 9am - 4:30pm; Steakhouse: 12pm - 9pm
Wednesday: Farm shop: 9am - 6pm; Zoo: 10am - 4:30pm; Tea room: 9am - 4:30pm; Steakhouse: 12pm - 9pm
Thursday: Farm shop: 9am - 6pm; Zoo: 10am - 4:30pm; Tea room: 9am - 4:30pm; Steakhouse: 12pm - 9pm
Friday: Farm shop: 9am - 6pm; Zoo: 10am - 4:30pm; Tea room: 9am - 4:30pm; Steakhouse: 12pm - 9pm
Saturday: Farm shop: 9am - 4pm; Zoo: 10am - 4:30pm; Tea room: 9am - 4:30pm; Steakhouse: 12pm onwards
Sunday: Farm shop: 9am - 4pm; Zoo: 10am - 4pm; Tea room: 10am - 4pm; Steakhouse: 12pm - 4pm

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