A visit to the excellent Wexford Lavender Farm is one of the most overlooked things to do in Wexford.
Set in the beautiful North Wexford countryside, Wexford Lavender Farm is home to everything from woodland walks to a distillery tour.
There’s also the plants, of course, workshops and plenty more. Below, you’ll discover everything from what to expect to entry prices.
Some quick need-to-knows before you visit Wexford Lavender Farm
Although a visit to Wexford Lavender Farm is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.
1. Location
You will find Wexford Lavender Farm in Inch. It’s a 12-minute drive from Gorey, a 15-minute drive from Courtown, a 20-minute drive from Arklow and a 30-minute drive from Enniscorthy.
2. Open spring and summer
Wexford Lavender Farm is closed during the autumn and winter months. It’s open in the spring and summer only – from May onwards.
3. Opening hours
During the spring and summer season, the farm is open six days a week (closed on Mondays), 10.30am to 5pm.
4. Admission
There are a mix of prices for Wexford Lavender Farm. Parking, which should be pre-booked, costs €6.
About Wexford Lavender Farm
Wexford Lavender Farm has been in the same family since the 1950s and it is a beautifully maintained working farm. Originally, it was a dairy farm that changed to arable with a focus on lavender and beet/barley.
The farm, which is registered with Organic Trust Ireland, is also home to sheep and cattle and all of the lavender is grown organically with no chemical fertilisers or pesticides.
The word ‘lavender’ is thought to come from the Latin word ‘lavare’ (to wash/cleanse) and the plant’s antiseptic and healing properties were well known to the Romans.
Another explanation for the name could be that washing was often spread over lavender bushes in its native lands to dry. Lavender was also used as a fragrance in Roman baths. The Purple Haze Café on site is a renovated stone building that is thought to have been a school in the late 1700s
Things to do at Wexford Lavender Farm
There’s a handful of things to see and do at the Wexford Lavender Farm which make it well worth a visit. Here’s what you can expect:
1. The woodland walks
Looking for forest walks in Wexford? The woodland walks at Wexford Lavender Farm are free, so why not take a walk through the Lavender field and the local woods? The circular routes vary from two kilometres to seven and there are free maps that show you where to go.
A popular route with children is the Woodland Warriors trail that includes playground equipment and there is also a fairy walk, where you can look out for the little folk living in the ancient trees (make sure you study their branches to find the doors to their homes!).
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead while on the farm and you should bring suitable outdoor walking gear – waterproof coats, wellies or walking boots – appropriate for the weather.
2. Lavender cutting
Lavender has many uses, both for cleaning and health. You can pick your own at Wexford Lavender Farm during July and August from 11am to 12pm, where visitors can enjoy the scent and sight of the man lavender plants in the files and cut their own bunches. You can also buy bunches of fresh lavender in the gift shop.
3. The distillery tour
How about a distillery tour with a difference? Ireland offers plenty of versions where you find out how whiskey is produced but on the Wexford Lavender Farm Distillery tour, you will see how the oil is extracted from the plants so that it can be used for air freshening, cleansing and healing purposes.
The farm’s working still extracts the 100 percent natural oil from the bus using a process called steam distillation. The tours operate in July and August when the lavender is in full bloom and take about 45 minutes.
4. The workshops
Wexford Lavender Farm runs workshops throughout the year. There are claymazing workshops at Easter, during the summer months and at Halloween where children get to make their own artwork using mess-free clay.
At Easter, there is an Easter Egg hunt where they join the Easter Bunny and Mrs Bonnet to find the hidden eggs dotted around the farm. This is for younger children, while the clue-based hunt is for older ones.
Pre-booking is essential is for all the workshops and minimum and maximum numbers apply.
5. The plants
There are several varieties of lavender for sale ready for you to plant at home in a garden or container. English lavender is hardy enough for all climates, though if you have heavy/clay-like soil, some of this should be removed and a good topsoil added when it is planted. The farm doesn’t sell lavender wholesale.
Things to do near Wexford Lavender Farm
One of the beauties of Wexford Lavender Farm is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best places to visit in Wexford.
Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Wexford Lavender Farm!
1. Tara Hill (15-minute drive)
Tara Hill is a glorious spot for a ramble, especially when the weather’s fine, as there’s some glorious views to be had from its summit. The walk here is moderately difficult, but the views are worth the effort.
2. Ballymoney Beach (20-minute drive)
There’s some stunning beaches in Wexford, and it just some happens that the Lavender Farm is a stone throw from one of our favourites – Ballymoney Beach. This is a lovely spot for a ramble, especially during the quiet winter months.
3. Croghan Mountain (20-minute drive)
On a clear day, you’ll be able to see Mount Snowdon (Wales highest mountain) from Croghan Mountain across the Irish Sea. There are several trails to tackle here, each of which varies in length and difficulty.
FAQs about visiting Wexford Lavender Farm
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘How much is it?’ to ‘When is it open?’
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
Is Wexford Lavender Farm worth visiting?
Yes. This place is a joy to ramble around, even if you have no interest in Lavender (the woodland walks are gorgeous).
When is Wexford Lavender Farm open?
It opens six days a week during the spring and summer season (closed on Mondays), 10.30am to 5pm.