WATERCRESS FARM TOURS | Alresford Watercress Festival

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF THE TOURS IN 2024 THE FARM IS OPENING AGAIN IN 2025!!!

If you’ve ever wondered what a watercress farm looks like, here’s your chance to have a guided tour around Manor Farm, owned by The Watercress Company, the UK’s biggest grower of watercress with 50 acres of watercress beds split between Hampshire and Dorset.

Tours will take place on Sunday 18th May 2025 at 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00hrs, No need to book just turn up 10 minutes before hand for a safety briefing.

Click on the link below for the precise meeting point location generated by what3words ///baseballs.rainbow.goal - from the heart of the festival this is a good 12 minute walk.

Watercress, an original superfood, is a unique crop with its roots clinging to the gravel base of the beds, while the plants sway in the nutrient-rich spring water as it flows past. The water is pure and clean, forced up from deep underground aquifers where it has filtered through the chalk of the South Downs. Once the water has run through the watercress beds it flows out into the River Itchen. Regular independent surveys of the water flowing out of Manor Farm show it to contains an impressive biodiversity including an array insects and critters many of which you’ll be able to see.

Your guide will be The Watercress Company’s MD, Tom Amery and son, George who is training to learn as much about watercress as his dad. Quite a hard task as what Tom doesn’t know about watercress isn’t worth knowing!

Hear all about the fascinating history of watercress and its long relationship with Alresford and the surrounding area, learn more about the unique and traditional way in which it is grown, and why it is so very good for you.

Due to the mixed nature of the farm’s terrain, unfortunately the tour is not suitable for anyone without full mobility. Sensible shoes must be worn.

The WRL and TWC accept no liability for anyone not following the rules of the tour. A full briefing of rules will be given on arrival at the meeting point.

Sadly no dogs are permitted as this is a food preparation environment.

Shuttle Bus

There will be a shuttle bus that will start leaving from The Globe half an hour beforehand, with the last bus leaving The Globe 10 minutes prior to the start time. This shuttle bus will also operate on the return leg.

Make sure you get on the right bus as the car park shuttle to Hollingbery Field will also operate from here!

Walking Route

Walking route from the festival - approx 12-15min walk from the bottom of Broad Street. There will be signs however its a straight forward route:

Walk down Broad Street towards the Cookery Theatre.
At Cookery Theatre veer left straight onto Mill Hill
Heading towards Abbotstone Rd (there will be parking marshals in this area known as the "Triangle")
Continue straight onto B3046 - passing the church on your right hand side. At this point you will need to cross the road where the footpath continues.
Just after the Old Alresford sign you will need to cross over to The Green (there is a cut back down to the main road)
At The Green take the track to the left hand side, keeping the play area on your right take a slight left into Manor Farm.