With 2020 drawing to a close, we’ve asked our writers to tell us about the moments that made the year for them.
My top moment of 2020 was visiting Arnprior Farm’s Pumpkin Patch at Arnprior, near Stirling. Since 2015 the farm’s owners have run the patch every October, growing year after year with tickets selling out well in advance. With pick your own vegetables, food trucks and craft stalls, as well as wood carving displays and plenty of cute photo opportunities, there is something there for everyone.
Having last visited in 2018, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but safety measures were sent out ahead of our allocated time slot and content shared on the farm’s social media pages made me feel confident that it would be both safe and fun to attend. Once there, following a scenic 45 minute drive from Glasgow, it was clear that the measures in place were plenty to feel safe, with masks compulsory in all indoor areas, and the six acres of land more than enough to allow for physical distancing. The limited number of cars allowed in for each time slot meant there was no queue to get into the car park or the patch itself, and nothing felt rushed or hectic – we were able to enjoy everything at our own pace.
Not only did it feel safe, it felt like a bit of normality in all the uncertainty of the year. The chance to get out of the city and do something different was really refreshing, and we got lucky with the weather so didn’t feel the need to rush. Within our time slot we had plenty of time to pick our pumpkins and enjoy the other offerings, including wood fired pizza, hot drinks, and churros from Loop & Scoop (plus some pumpkin spice ice cream to take home!).
I felt like it was exactly what I needed towards the end of this year, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for next year whatever the situation may be – it was a definite highlight of 2020.