Ever since I watched the first season of Clarkson's Farm, I wanted to visit Diddly Squat Farm.

What made the series so enjoyable for me was not just the farm itself, but the story behind it. Jeremy Clarkson, who was famous for cars rather than agriculture, suddenly found himself trying to run a farm, learning everything from scratch, making mistakes, and relying on the help of people around him.

Watching the series, I became curious to see the place for myself: the farm shop, the surroundings, and the pub that became such an important part of the story.

Diddly Squat Farm Shop - our first stop

First up was Diddly Squat Farm Shop. I expected a small farm shop - which it is - but it turned out to be much more than that.

Alongside the shop, there is a large outdoor area with tables where visitors can enjoy breakfast or lunch. You can get burgers, coffee, ice cream, beer and cider. It feels more like a relaxed countryside stop than just a place to buy local products.

One thing that impressed me straight away was how well organised everything was. The car park is large and clearly signed, and despite the popularity of the place, everything worked smoothly.

We visited on a Tuesday in early July, and even though I expected it to be popular, I was shocked by how busy it actually was. There was a huge queue for the shop, and it was very hot, so we decided not to wait and went straight for lunch instead.

And I'm glad we did. The food was excellent, the service incredibly well organised, and the atmosphere was fantastic. What I loved most was how friendly everyone was. Visitors were happy to share tables, start conversations and simply enjoy the experience together.

Another pleasant surprise was the price. Considering how popular the place is, I expected it to be very expensive, but I found the prices to actually be (fairly) reasonable for this type of attraction.

Tips for visiting Diddly Squat Farm Shop

Arrive early (or very late) if you want to visit the shop.

The farm shop is quite small, and queues can be surprisingly long. When we visited on a Tuesday lunchtime the queue already consisted of 200-300 people. Waiting to get inside could easily take an hour or more.

If you want to visit both the shop and the food area, I would recommend arriving early and allowing at least 3-4 hours for the whole experience.

Don't spend hours waiting for the shop.

Personally, I don't think it's worth spending several hours just to get inside if you are also planning to visit The Farmer's Dog later. The pub has a similar, but larger shop with many of the same products, so you will have another chance to buy them.

However, if you are only visiting Diddly Squat Farm Shop and want to buy the official merchandise, such as branded mugs and other items, then it may be worth waiting.

Don't miss the food.

Even if you are very keen on seeing the shop, I would still recommend stopping for food. The burgers were one of the highlights of our visit — fresh, tasty and much better than I expected.

The coffee was another pleasant surprise. Finding really good coffee in casual places in the UK can sometimes be difficult, but the coffee here was genuinely excellent.

Allow time to enjoy the atmosphere.

This is not a place you visit for 10 minutes. Take your time, walk around, take photos and enjoy the atmosphere. There are outdoor tables, toilets etc and everything is very well organised.

The Farmer's Dog - much more than just a pub

After visiting Diddly Squat Farm Shop, we drove to The Farmer's Dog. The two locations are around 30 minutes apart by car, and we managed to visit both on the same day.

This was mainly because we didn't spend hours waiting in the queue at the farm shop and because we hadn't managed to book a table at the pub. Our visit was quite spontaneous, and lunch or dinner reservations at The Farmer's Dog are usually needed over a month in advance.

When we arrived, I was surprised by how much bigger the place was compared with what I expected. The Farmer's Dog is not just a pub — it's a whole visitor experience, probably now one of the biggest in the Cotswolds. There is a large outdoor area with plenty of seating, additional food options, and a huge shop selling products from the farm, pub merchandise, local goods, and drinks.

You can try their own brews, including Hawkstone beer and cider, which have become closely associated with Clarkson's Farm. They are selling so well a new brewery has had to be opened near Bourton On The Water to accommodate the demand. The whole area feels like an extension of the series — a place where visitors can not only have a meal but also spend time exploring, tasting products and enjoying the atmosphere.

Although we didn't have a table booked, we were still able to visit the pub itself, have a look inside and see the details that fans of Clarkson's Farm will recognise, including the famous tractor above the bar. We bought drinks, took them outside and found a table in the outdoor area, where we could relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

Of course, if you want to have lunch or dinner inside the pub, you will need to book well in advance. But even without a reservation, you can still experience a lot of what makes The Farmer's Dog such a popular place.

Practical tips for visiting The Farmer's Dog

Book your table!

If you want to have lunch or dinner inside The Farmer's Dog, I would recommend booking as early as possible. Reservations open one month in advance, on the first day of the month at 9:00am. For example, if you are planning to visit in September, bookings open on 1 August. Popular dates will fill up quickly, so it's worth setting a reminder if you have a specific day in mind.

If you cannot find availability, it is still worth contacting them by email. I wrote to them when I couldn't find a table, and I was surprised to receive a helpful reply within about an hour. They couldn't offer a reservation for my chosen date, but they suggested other options.

You can still enjoy The Farmer's Dog without a reservation.

Not having a table booked doesn't mean you should skip The Farmer's Dog.

You can still visit the pub, have a look inside, buy drinks and enjoy the atmosphere around the venue. We bought their beer and cider, took them outside and spent time in the outdoor area, which was a great way to visit the place even without a lunch reservation.

There are also food options that don't require booking. The Farmer's Puppy, located next to the tent, serves breakfast baps, burgers and sides, while The Farmer's Dough offers pizza.

Allow enough time for your visit.

There is a large shop selling farm products, Clarkson's Farm merchandise, pub merchandise, their own beer and cider, and other local products.

Even without having lunch inside the pub, we spent over two hours there — looking around the place, and enjoying food and drink in the garden.

What to buy from the shop.

The shop is a great place to find souvenirs and local products. You can buy Diddly Squat Farm merchandise, The Farmer's Dog merchandise, and their own beer, cider and other farm products.

Personally, I would recommend the Hawkstone beer gift pack. It comes in a beautifully branded box, and you can choose which of the beers you would like to include. It makes a great souvenir from your visit or a lovely gift for someone who enjoys Clarkson's Farm.

Final thoughts

After finally visiting Diddly Squat Farm Shop and The Farmer's Dog, I can understand why they have become such popular stops in the Cotswolds.

If you are a fan of the show, visiting these places is a great way to see the locations from the series in real life. But even if you haven't watched it, they are really interesting places to add to your itinerary.

My main advice is to plan your visit carefully. Don't underestimate how popular these places are, book The Farmer's Dog in advance if you want to eat there, and allow enough time so you don't have to rush.

If you would like help planning your own Cotswolds trip, I can create a personalised itinerary based on your interests, the time you have available and the type of trip you want to have, including places such as Diddly Squat Farm Shop and The Farmer's Dog, along with other locations that fit naturally into your route.

Diddly Squat Farm Shop and The Farmer's Dog were just one part of our five-day Cotswolds road trip. If you're planning your own visit, you'll find much more in my complete Cotswolds guide, including the villages I recommend, scenic stops, practical tips and our full route.