Best Places for Apple Picking in Kent 2026
Kent’s orchards are at their best during late summer and autumn, when thousands of apples begin to ripen across the Garden of England.
From enormous heritage collections containing hundreds of unusual varieties to smaller family-run orchards where you can fill a basket straight from the tree, apple picking is one of Kent’s most traditional autumn days out.
Whether you are looking for a family activity in September, searching for unusual heritage apples or simply want to enjoy fresh Kentish fruit straight from the orchard, here is our guide to the best places for apple picking in Kent in 2026.
Last updated: 9 August 2026
1. Brogdale Collections - Faversham
One of the best places for apples in Kent: Brogdales
Address: Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8XZ
Picking type: Heritage apples and pears
2026 season: PYO weekends until 1 November 2026, with apples particularly available during September and October
Opening times: PYO weekends, 10am to 4pm; last entry 3pm
Admission: £10 adults; under-16s and Orchard Pass holders free; picked fruit charged separately by the punnet
Booking: Available online, with on-the-day admission subject to availability
Best for: The biggest choice of unusual and heritage apple varieties
Why visit: Brogdale Collections is the standout apple-picking destination in Kent and home to the National Fruit Collection.
The orchards contain one of the world's most significant collections of cultivated fruit, including thousands of varieties of apples, pears, cherries, plums and other fruits. During Brogdale's Pick Your Own weekends, visitors can enter selected orchards and harvest varieties that are rarely found in supermarkets or conventional farm shops.
The 2026 PYO season runs at weekends until 1 November, except on selected event days. Early apples begin appearing during summer, while September and October are the main periods for apples and pears. Fruit availability changes as individual varieties ripen.
One of Brogdale's biggest attractions is the opportunity to discover apples you may never have seen before. Rather than choosing only between familiar supermarket varieties, visitors can encounter unusual shapes, colours, flavours and historic cultivars from the National Fruit Collection.
There is free parking, accessible parking and toilets, together with food and drink facilities at Brogdale Farm. Personal picking containers are not permitted for the PYO experience, with punnets supplied on arrival.
Visit Kent Guide tip: September and October are the months to target if apples are the main reason for your visit. Check Brogdale's current picking update before travelling because different varieties become ready throughout the season.
2. Castle Farm Apple Orchard - Shoreham
Address: Castle Farm, Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7UB
Picking type: Traditional pick your own apple orchard
2026 season: September, subject to ripening and crop availability
Opening times: Exact PYO orchard dates announced seasonally
Apple varieties: Norfolk Royal, with other apples and seasonal produce available
Booking: Check the farm's latest announcement before travelling
Best for: A picturesque autumn orchard experience in West Kent
Why visit: Castle Farm is already one of Kent's best-known seasonal farms thanks to its lavender fields, but in September attention turns to its small pick your own apple orchard.
The farm specialises in the Norfolk Royal, a large, sweet red eating apple that thrives on the chalky soils of the North Downs. Castle Farm says it is the only commercial grower it knows of producing this rare variety. Cox apples, local Bramleys, pears, corn on the cob and Kentish cobnuts may also be available around the apple-picking season.
The orchard normally opens around the first or second weekend of September once the fruit is sufficiently ripe, before operating on selected weekends until the apples have been picked. Exact 2026 dates have not yet been published, so visitors should check the farm's latest update before setting out.
A dedicated grass car park is provided beside the apple orchard. The farm shop is also worth visiting for Castle Farm's own produce, juice and seasonal products.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Don't wait until October if you specifically want Norfolk Royal apples. Castle Farm's apple season is short and can finish once the orchard has been picked out.
Our favourite place for apple picking: Castle Farm near Sevenoaks
3. Meopham PYO
Address: Broomfield Fruit Farm, Ifield Road, Meopham, Kent DA13 0QH
Picking type: Family-run PYO farm with apples, pears and other seasonal crops
2026 season: PYO season runs from mid-June until the end of October, with apples available in autumn
Opening times: Seasonal - check the latest picking update before travelling
Booking: Usually not required for general PYO, but check current farm information
Best for: Apple picking in North Kent and combining several autumn crops
Why visit: Meopham PYO is a traditional family-run pick your own farm close to Gravesend, with apples forming part of its later-season harvest.
The farm grows apples alongside pears, plums, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, sunflowers, sweetcorn, squash and pumpkins. Its main PYO season runs from mid-June until the end of October, with the farm advising visitors to check its social channels for the crops currently available.
Meopham is particularly useful later in the season because a visit can potentially combine apple picking with pears, squash or pumpkins as the farm moves towards autumn.
There is also a tearoom at the farm serving drinks, cakes, brunch and light food, making it easy to turn a picking trip into a longer family visit. Unlike several PYO farms, Meopham describes itself as dog friendly.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Check exactly which apple varieties are ready before leaving home. Meopham grows several seasonal crops, but availability can change significantly from one weekend to the next.
4. Felderland Pick Your Own
Address: 20 Deal Rd, Sandwich, Deal CT14 0BE
Picking type: Large multi-fruit pick your own farm
2026 season: Apples available during the later part of the June to September PYO season
Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with additional Tuesday opening from late July during the main summer season
Admission: Parking and general entrance free; adults entering fruit areas must purchase the appropriate picking punnet
Booking: General fruit picking normally does not require advance booking unless specified
Best for: Apple picking near Deal, Sandwich and the east Kent coast
Why visit: Felderland is one of Kent's largest pick your own farms and provides an excellent option for visitors in East Kent.
Its apple orchard includes varieties such as Bramley, Russet, Cox, Spartan, Worcester and Falstaff, giving visitors a mixture of eating and cooking apples as the crop ripens towards the end of summer.
Felderland's 2026 PYO operation also includes strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and plums at different points in the season. The farm stresses that all fruit is weather and season dependent, so individual crops can temporarily become picked out.
Visitors purchase a pre-priced empty punnet before entering the relevant picking area and then fill it with that fruit, meaning there is no need for produce to be weighed again when leaving.
Free parking is available and the farm has an on-site coffee hut, children's play area, accessible toilets and baby-changing facilities. Dogs are not permitted other than registered assistance dogs.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Felderland is particularly easy to combine with a day in Deal or Sandwich. Go apple picking in the morning before heading to the coast for lunch.
5. Garden House Orchards
Address: Garden House Orchards, Castle Road, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent CT21 4EH
Picking type: Small family-run orchard and PYO farm
2026 season: Seasonal PYO generally runs into autumn; check apple availability directly before visiting
Apple varieties: Cox is the main crop, alongside other apple varieties
Booking: Check the orchard's current opening information before travelling
Best for: A quieter traditional orchard near Hythe and Folkestone
Why visit: Garden House Orchards offers a smaller and more traditional alternative to some of Kent's larger pick your own farms.
The family-run farm grows a range of seasonal fruit, with apples forming an important part of the autumn crop and Cox being its principal apple variety. Current listings for the orchard describe pick your own fruit as running from summer into October.
Alongside apples, the farm has historically grown plums, raspberries, blackberries, currants and other soft fruit, while the wider site also hosts seasonal flower picking, workshops and Christmas tree activities later in the year.
Its location in Saltwood makes it particularly convenient for visitors staying around Hythe, Folkestone and the Kent coast.
Because Garden House is a smaller seasonal operation, apple availability can change quickly and 2026 picking dates should be checked before making a special journey.
Visit Kent Guide tip: Combine apple picking with a visit to nearby Hythe. Saltwood is only a short distance inland, making this one of the easiest orchards to incorporate into a coastal autumn day out.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Brogdale Collections near Faversham is one of the best places for apple picking in Kent because visitors can access selected orchards within the National Fruit Collection and discover unusual varieties rarely available elsewhere.
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September and October are usually the best months for apple picking in Kent. Some early varieties ripen during August, while later apples can remain available into October or early November.
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Can you pick your own apples at Brogdale?
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Castle Farm in Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, opens its pick your own apple orchard during September once the fruit has ripened sufficiently.
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Felderland Pick Your Own in Worth, between Deal and Sandwich, grows several apple varieties including Cox, Bramley, Russet, Worcester, Spartan and Falstaff.
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This varies between farms. Some allow visitors to arrive during normal PYO opening hours, while others use specific seasonal dates or booking systems. Always check the latest information before travelling.
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Policies vary. Meopham PYO is dog friendly, while Felderland does not allow dogs other than registered assistance dogs. Brogdale does not permit dogs in its orchards.
