Dumble Farm, near Beverley: Cow cuddling enterprise wins national accolade
An East Yorkshire farm which swapped a dairy enterprise for an adult only immersive cow cuddling experience has been awarded one of the UK’s most prestigious visitor experience accolades.
Dumble Farm, near Beverley, has been crowned Gold winner for Experience of the Year at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Less than three years after launching the experience for visitors in a bid to educate them about sustainable farming and agriculture.
In 2022, due to flooding and industry pressures Fiona Wilson, her husband Ian and brother James McCune decided it was unsustainable to keep all of their 100 milking cows.
However, they kept a handful to train as “professional cuddlers” to launch a conservation-focused enterprise featuring Highland trekking as part of a stewardship arrangement in terms of educational access.
As winner of the Remarkable Experience of the Year at last year’s Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards for its unique farmer-led bovine sessions, Dumble Farm was eligible to compete at national level, and received the title during a ceremony held at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange.
Councillor Nick Coultish, portfolio holder for tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, described Dumble Farm’s award as “a truly remarkable achievement”.
Chris Blacksell, chair of tourism partnership VHEY, said: “It’s absolutely wonderful that Dumble Farm – one of the big winners at the 2024 REYTAs – has now received the national acclaim it deserves for its amazing cow cuddling experience.
“It’s a huge achievement for the team, and a testament to the incredible calibre of businesses we have in Hull and East Yorkshire.”
The farm enterprise’s immersive cow cuddling experience, open to visitors aged 16 and over, offers the chance to connect with affectionate cows in a calming and therapeutic setting. The cows are a mixture of breeds, including retired dairy cows and Highland crosses.
Guests learn about each cow’s character, the story behind the farm, and its wider conservation efforts, which use Highland cattle as conservation grazers.
The experience has become especially popular among visitors seeking mental health and wellbeing benefits, attracting people from a variety of backgrounds and age groups.
However, the farm has stopped offering cow cuddling, which costs £95 per person for a three to four hour experience, during the summer months as “the cuddle cows don’t settle quite as well” due to flies.
Mrs Wilson said the family was thrilled to have been nationally recognised. She said: “The cows are the real stars, of course. They’ve spent nearly a year perfecting their cuddling skills and love bringing joy to our visitors.
"We hope the award will also help us attract investment into our conservation work, which is at the heart of what we do. East Yorkshire is an amazing place.
"We hope visitors will not only meet our cows, but also explore the beautiful farm and surrounding area.”