“I am a cider drinker,” sang seminal Westcountry pop idols The Wurzels in 1977. Ever since that chart-topper hit the airwaves, we’ve all been cider drinkers in Cornwall. Or, at least, we all know a cider drinker or 10. And this entire scrumpy-loving culture is celebrated in buckets at Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm. Prepare for an experience at Healey’s in Cornwall.
In a piece of smashing countryside near the city of Truro and the town of Perranporth is Penhallow, an idyllic little hamlet that’s home to this barnstormer of a cider farm. Healeys, established in 1980, is billed as ‘a world of apples, imagination and adventure’, with a plethora of activities and venues at the attraction for both kids and adults. This is the home of Rattler Cornish Cloudy Cyder, a tipple that’s garnered fame across the UK in recent years for its mild, sweet and slightly acidic taste.
There’s just so much to do during a day out here, so we’re just going to list the recommended highlights: there’s an interactive Tasting Room with more than 60 tastings of cider, spirits, wine, jam and soft drinks. There’s a farmyard with Cornish black pigs, donkeys and pygmy goats. There’s the Healey Museum that ‘unlocks the secrets’ of traditional cider-making. There’s the production halls in the cider factory where Rattler is bottled and kegged. There’s the Apple Press House where thousands of tonnes of apples are pressed every autumn.
Then there’s the Jam Kitchen which takes visitors through the copper pot processes of making traditional conserves, with plenty of free tastings on offer. There’s Cornwall’s first gin distillery in more than 300 years that deserves a serious tour. There are cellars containing barrels of England’s oldest whiskey. There are relaxing walks around the orchards. There are Cornish cream teas on offer. There are rides on the Big Bertha 1950s tractor and there are regular tours around all of the above.
And there’s more for both young and old but we suggest you head down to the farm and explore it all yourself. Since the first trees were planted at Healeys in 1986, this place, which is owned and run by a Cornish family, has grown to become the largest independent cider-maker in Cornwall. Every admission ticket is instantly upgraded to include free entry to the farm at any time over the following year. And, if all this wasn’t enough, there are plenty of cider-drinking and music concerts held on the grounds here throughout the year. So, whether you come for the cider, the gin, the jam, the pigs, the tractor or The Wurzels – yes, they’ve played at music festivals here – a trip to Healeys means a fab day out for all the family. Just don’t think about tomorrow’s hangover…