Spring is upon us, daffodils are in bloom and lambs are frolicking in farmers' fields. And with the Easter holidays fast approaching, it's a chance for many families to see the lambing season in full swing at the region's farms.
A host of lambing events takes place across the north west at this time of year, in the lead up to and over the Easter break.
So here we've rounded up some of the biggest and quirkiest events taking place this year around the lambing season. Be it for lamb cuddles, a lamb trail or tractor rides, here's our selection of places to head for a day out.
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Many of these events get booked up well in advance - so it's worth checking online for ticket availability before you head out. Also worth noting for any expectant mums out there, the current advice from the NHS is that pregnant women should avoid events where animals may give birth.
The Lambing Shed, Knutsford
Known for its award-winning cafe and farm shop, The Lambing Shed, as you might have guessed from its title, remains a busy working sheep farm.
And over the Easter holidays families can get the chance to meet and hold the newborn lambs here. Visitors will also get to learn all about sheep and lambs and what happens during the busy lambing season here.
Dates: April 1 and 2, and April 7 and 8. Time slots of one hour from 10am to 2.30pm
Prices: £6 per person, under-2s go free.
Do I need to book? Booking is recommended via the Lambing Shed's website here.
Farm Weekend at Alderley Park
The popular Farm Weekend returns to the Bruntwood SciTech Alderley Park in Cheshire this April. Visitors get to celebrate spring with a weekend of family friendly activities, performances, and local food and drink pop-ups.
There will be a packed schedule of farmland experiences, from tractor and donkey rides to outdoor sports as well as the promise of lamb cuddling in the lambing sheds. There will also be bushcraft and falconry flying displays and interactive animal petting with an array of farm animals, including Shetland ponies and bunnies.
CBeebies nature show, Teeny Tiny Creatures will also perform four thirty-minute shows over the weekend. Led by their trademark animal experts, Chantelle and Rory help children understand the vital role that the tiniest insects play in the wonderful web of life.
Dates: April 15 and 16, with morning (10am to 1pm) and afternoon sessions (1pm to 4pm) available
Prices: £8 per person, under-3s go free.
Do I need to book? Tickets are essential and can be booked online here.
Pye Ash Farm, Macclesfield
This busy working farm will be opening up the barn doors for the third year running for visitors to come and see the "madness of our lambing season and all of our new additions on the farm" as the owners put it.
They will be lambing 450 ewes on the farm from the 1st April to the 20th April. Visitors can book a 90 minute session which will be spent in the lambing shed as well as out on the farm.
Tickets include meeting the lambs and bottle feeding as well as farm crafts. Refreshments will be available to buy at the farm.
Dates: the weekends of April 8, 9 and 15,16, with time slots from 10am to 3.30pm.
Prices: Adults £12, under-12 £8, under-2s £2.
Do I need to book? Booking is essential, as many times are already sold out, via ticketsource here.
Lambing Week at Tatton Park
Lambing Week returns at Tatton Park's farm, where staff will share their expertise with visitors, giving informative talks at the lambing shed. Learn how they spot the signs of lambing and how they look after sheep and care for lambs during this extra special time.
Standard parkland and farm entry times and charges apply to all including National Trust members.
Dates: April 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - 11am to 4pm each day
Prices: Adults £8, children £6
Do I need to book? Booking is advisable and you get a 10 per cent discount if booked online in advance here.
Windmill Farm, Burscough, Lancashire
If you're after a full lamb-themed day out over the Easter break, then Windmill Farm in Burscough may be the place for you. For the Easter holidays, they've planned a "Where's Woolly" lamb trail.
Families are asked to help Farmer Matt search the farm and find ‘Woolly’ the lost lamb. As you search the farm, children can look out for clues along the way whilst meeting many of the different animals on the farm and each little helper will receive a tasty treat for helping out.
The farm's Lambing Barn will be bursting with new life for the second time this year, with farmers set to welcome their new Suffolk herd in to the lambing barn.
Tickets are for a full day at the farm, which includes access to all indoor and outdoor play areas on the site.
Dates: April 1- April 16, daily from 10am to 5pm
Prices: Adults £14.95, children (aged 1-15) £15.95, under-1s go free
Do I need to book? Booking is recommended at the farm's website here.
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