Tulleys Farm — Attraction in Mid Sussex

Pumpkins, Performers, and a Path That Fights Back.

Michelle on Wheels: Tulleys Farm Pumpkin Picking 🎃 Gravel, Gourds, and Grit—A Night of Autumnal Chaos

Last night we swapped Reading’s pavements for pumpkin paradise at Tulleys Farm in West Sussex. Known for hosting the UK’s number one pumpkin festival, Tulleys transforms its working farm into a glowing autumn spectacle—with over 1.5 million pumpkins and gourds spread across 100 acres. It’s a place that promises magic, and in many ways, delivers.

Let’s start with the good:

Pumpkins galore: Thousands of them, stacked like autumn’s answer to Jenga. Squashes in every shape and shade. Wheelbarrows are free to grab, and you can pile them high. They’re priced by size and surprisingly cheap—I got carried away, and so did everyone else. Food & fun: Food is a big thing at Tulleys. If you want it, they probably have it. From marshmallow roasting pits to themed snacks and endless stalls, it’s a feast for every craving. We bought marshmallows there—you can grab a generous bag or opt for a s’mores kit. The kit was a joke: two marshmallows and four of the tiniest chocolate-covered digestives I’ve ever seen. We laughed, we toasted, we got sticky. Worth it? No. Memorable? Absolutely. Live entertainment: Scattered throughout the site are different sections with live music and performances. The singers we had the pleasure of seeing were genuinely amazing—talented, engaging, and the perfect soundtrack to a chilly night of pumpkin chaos. Light show walk: Twinkly, photo-ready, and slightly chaotic. Snap your shot and move on unless you fancy a queue. Staff & cleanliness: Top marks. Friendly, helpful, and constantly cleaning. The place is spotless.

Important to know: After dark, you can’t go into the massive pumpkin field to pick your own straight from the ground. The field is closed, so all the pumpkins are pre-picked and beautifully displayed. You still get a fantastic selection—but if you’re dreaming of a moonlit forage through the vines, think again.

Now the part that made me want to scream into a pumpkin: the terrain.

Tulleys is a working farm, and while they’ve clearly tried to be inclusive, it’s just not manual wheelchair friendly. The ground is covered in large, tough gravel—chunky stones that scoff at standard wheelchair wheels. I swapped mine for all-terrain wheels and still couldn’t push myself. My partner tried and struggled. I’m lucky (ish) to be a little mobile with crutches, so I had to use those for stints. It was exhausting, frustrating, and frankly humiliating.

If you’ve got an electric wheelchair, you might manage. A mobility scooter would be better. But for manual chair users? It’s a no. And that’s heartbreaking, because the rest of the experience is beautiful.

Tulleys has a rich farming history dating back to 1911, and today it’s known for seasonal events like Shocktober Fest, Pumpkin Nights, and Christmas experiences. They’ve built something truly special—but accessibility needs to be part of that magic.

Final verdict: Tulleys Farm delivers on pumpkins, vibes, and festive fun. But for me, the physical toll outweighed the joy. I left with a wheelbarrow full of squash, a heart full of mixed feelings, and a playlist in my head thanks to the brilliant live singers. Beautiful place, but not built for me.

Would I go again? Only if someone invents hover-wheelchairs, gravel-repelling boots, and s’mores kits that don’t look like they were packed by a dieting squirrel. Until then—Michelle on Wheels, signing off with sticky fingers, sore arms, and one very judgmental pumpkin staring at me from the kitchen...

I’ve been looking forward to Tully’s Shocktober Fest for months, so I’m really disappointed to say it didn’t live up to expectations this year. The event itself looks amazing — the scale, the set design, and the overall atmosphere are all top-notch. You can tell a lot of effort goes into the layout and visuals, and it really does feel like a massive Halloween celebration when you first arrive.

Unfortunately, once we started going through the attractions, things began to feel quite unorganised. I have an accessibility card, and every attraction seemed to handle it differently. Every attraction we went too did something different, and that inconsistency made things really stressful and confusing. I had even contacted Tully’s beforehand to go over how their access arrangements work to ensure I didn’t get overwhelmed, but when we arrived, it felt like the stewards weren’t properly informed or trained on the process. Some of them didn’t even seem aware of the attraction they were stood outside of, which made things even more confusing and uncoordinated.

Because of that, I’d definitely say to be mindful if you require access support — while the intentions might be good, the organisation and communication really need improvement to make the experience smoother and more inclusive.

Another big letdown was the energy from the actors. It felt like there were hardly any around, and those we did encounter didn’t seem fully engaged or enthusiastic. Maybe this was because we went on a quieter “off peak” day, but it really affected the atmosphere inside the mazes. A few attractions even felt awkward because of how little interaction there was.

Even some of the roaming characters, who I was really excited to meet, made me feel like a bit of a burden when I tried to speak to them — which was disheartening. However, I do want to mention two roaming characters dressed in old-fashioned dresses who absolutely made my night. They took the time to stop, chat, and really engage with me, which meant a lot. I didn’t catch their names, but their kindness stood out and was one of the few highlights of the evening.

Overall, the event looks incredible from the outside, but the experience itself didn’t match that first impression. Considering how far we had travelled and how much we had spent I left feeling a bit disappointed and overwhelmed. I’m sure it was a blip night and I hope they can rectify themselves for the rest of...

Decided to relive my teenage nostalgia and return to Shocktober for the first time in seven years. Previously it was the place to go and made for a tremendous experience. This time round, it's sadly lost its touch.

Massively oversold and overcrowded, it's clear profit is put before experience whereas it once was the other way round. Thankfully I’d purchased some fast track in advance as queue times were obscene. Even still, I had to queue for 10/15 mins in fast track lanes at times.

Pros -Purgatory was quality and my favourite of all time. "Free Roaming" actors like the Skinfluencers were very funny and entertaining. Set design was absolutely fantastic as always.

Cons - Far too many people allowed into haunts at a time/with too little time between groups. You'd either be caught up by the group behind or catchup the one infront. This KILLED the immersion and enjoyment massively.

The flouting of their own rules was not enforced? There are clear rules that say no smoking/vaping, no face masks etc yet I saw people lighting up in the queues and a fair few road men in their finest bin bag attire (to impress their underage girlfriend) walking round ballied up like they've just robbed a bank. I know it's close proximity to Crawley but come on now...

Better still was “security” where only those with a bag would be searched. If you hadn’t a bag, you were free to walk in with whatever you fancied! Knife? Acid in a lucozade bottle? Drugs? Must be part of your costume eh lad. Maybe that’s a critique due to my line of work but it did feel a bit pointless.

All in all a shadow of its former self. I still had fun however and glad I returned, but think this'll be the last trip full stop. Kudos to the actors and event staff, they all work hard and probably for minimum wage. Sadly I don’t think the experience will be salvageable unless they actually cap ticket numbers...