Salt Pig the Farm (formerly Putlake Farm) is a wonderful family friendly attraction near Swanage.

We visited during half term with nanny and were greeted at the gate by a couple of roaming hens.  They looked like they were having a lovers tiff and caught my daughter off guard so we had to politely ask them to step aside haha.

The reception can be found on the left, the café and toilets on the right and the animal barns are straight ahead.  The children were peckish although they’d had lunch so I ordered some chips while we discussed which part of the farm we’d start in.  The Salt Pig has an outstanding reputation for fresh local food and this can be found in the café.  From snacks to hot or cold lunches, kids lunch boxes to delicious treats, you’ll find something to please everyone.

I was desperate to see the animals and in the barn we found the most adorable kids (baby goats, not random children) and I could of happily curled up with them in the hay.  We spent quite some time watching them play and also spotted guinea pigs, rabbits, a horse and a pig.  Outside the barn we found some very loud donkeys plus goats, horses, alpacas, hens and a duck pond.

Behind the café is a wonderful large play area with a big play frame, play house, sandpit with diggers and a go kart track which the kids enjoyed whizzing around on.  The children played quite happily but boy was it a cold day and my poor mum was freezing so I suggested we head to the soft play to warm up.

The multi-level soft play is a great size and seating can be found all around the edge so you can easily see where the children are.  Down one side is a toy shop and some games and you’ll also find a tots area for little ones on the other side.  Once we were settled on a nice comfy sofa I went and got us some hot drinks and the kids had a cannoli each.  We’ve become addicted to buying these from The Salt Pig at Holme Farm and they begged for one as soon as they saw them.

I knew there was some animal activities that the children wanted to do so we left the soft play for cuddle time with the guinea pigs and then just before we left we fed the baby goats which were super cute.  I’m always amazed at how fast they can guzzle a bottle before running away for a snooze.

Animal activities vary depending on the time of year but on the day we visited you could feed the adult and baby goats, feed and cuddle the guinea pigs and pony grooming.  Sadly we arrived too late for the latter but we’ll do it next time.

While we were there we were told there are big plans for future play installations, activities and camping so this is very exciting for local families and visitors to the area.

I can thoroughly recommend a trip to Salt Pig The Farm, the new owners and staff are very welcoming, and the animals and play areas will keep children amused for hours.

For more information and ticket prices, please visit Putlake Farm.

Good to know:

• Pre-booking is not required.

• A hand washing station is located by the animal barn.

• You do not need to pay for farm entry if you only wish to visit the café.

• Every Friday morning there is a Toddler Group with reduced entry fee.*

• Entry for under 1’s is free.  Annual pass holders receive a reduced entry price.*

• Outside catering is available if you are organising a celebration.

*Any specific details were correct at the time of writing in February 2025.

There’s nothing better than a delicious roast dinner on a dreary cold day and Key West’s 'Roast by the Coast' menu definitely delivers.

Key West is situated on the end of Bournemouth Pier and offers stunning panoramic views of the coastline.  The staff are very friendly and children are warmly welcomed.  You’ll find some activity sheets and crayons for younger children to use and this kept our daughter amused while we waited for food to arrive.

My husband chose the 3 course menu while I chose the 2 course menu.  Children can choose from a smaller roast dinner or they can have an alternative dish like cheeseburger, giant fish finger, sausages or chicken goujons which are all served with a side of chips.  There was 4 starters to choose from and my husband went with the smoked salmon and avocado ciabatta which is said was really fresh and tasty.  Other options included soup of the day with ciabatta, crispy chicken wings and a goats cheese and beetroot salad.

For main course, myself and the children chose to have the chicken while my husband had the roast beef with horseradish sauce.  All of our dishes were perfect and were served with a generous portion of roast potatoes (always my favourite part of a roast) plus cabbage, roasted carrots and parsnips, a huge Yorkshire pudding and homemade gravy.  There was clean plates all round and everyone really enjoyed their meals.  I will say though that if your children are a little fussy like mine, it might be worth asking for the gravy to be served separately.  The children had chicken gravy which was a first for them, one loved it and the other would have rather had the beef gravy.  If you prefer not to have roast chicken or beef then there is also the option to have honey roast ham or leek and mushroom pie.

Not long after finishing our meals, our puddings arrived and these we had planned to mostly share with the children.  We chose a warm chocolate brownie which was served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce plus a banoffee sundae which had banana and salted caramel ice cream, toffee sauce and little chewy bits, whipped cream and a biscoff crumble.  Both were divine and not a crumb was left.  Other options include a waffle with vanilla ice cream and sticky toffee pudding.

The restaurant is very spacious so you don’t need to worry about having a pushchair close by.  If you’re sat by the window (which I recommend) then you’ll enjoy watching the world go by and on a summers day you’ll be able to see for miles.

Good to know:

• There are plenty of highchairs and a baby change table is located in a communal area in the toilets.

• Gluten free options are available.

• A water bottle and cups is located near the bar area for you to help yourself.

• Avoid the pier toll charge by booking in advance.

• Sign up to Pier Perks and you’ll receive a huge amount of discounts which include RockReek & Pier Zip, Key West Bar & Grill and more businesses which are located on the Pier.

• Key West Restaurant hosts lots of family friendly events and also evening entertainment so keep an eye on the website and socials for upcoming news.

For more information including menus and to book, please visit Key West Restaurant.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday Roast and braced ourselves for heading back outside in the wind.  The kids had a great time in the arcade which is situated at the entrance to the Pier.  You also have several attractions nearby including RockReef which is an indoor activity with 28 Clip ‘n Climb walls, a Vertical Slide drop, a Leap of Faith jump, a Highline high ropes aerial obstacle course and the Pier Cave which is a 65-linear metre indoor fun cave experience.  If you’re feeling really adventurous then I can recommend the Pier Zip on a nice day.  I’m not great with heights and was petrified walking up to the leaving platform but once you step off, fear turns to extreme enjoyment as you ride over the sea to land on the beach.

For more information and booking, please visit RockReef.