HALLOWE’EN is fast approaching, with fancy dress, sweet treats, and, most importantly, pumpkins winging their way towards us.

If you are keen to pick pumpkins from a patch rather than from a supermarket, here are a few places to visit across Dorset and the New Forest.

Dorset Country Pumpkins

For the first time this year, Michael and Vicki Miller have launched a pumpkin picking farm at Longclose Farm in Milton Abbas.

According to Dorset County Pumpkins, the pumpkins have all been individually grown from seed in the Miller's greenhouse and hand planted in the pumpkin patch without the use of herbicides or pesticides.

There are a mixed variety of pumpkins which have produced a range of different sized orange and white pumpkins.

The farm will be open for pumpkin picking from 10am - 4pm on selected days between October 17 and 31.

Goodall's Strawberries

From October 16, the Lymington based farm will be open for pumpkin picking each day between 10am and 4pm everyday.

You can pick pumpkins at the farm for two weeks.

Goodall's mainly has the basic orange variety with a few speciality ones.

Their opening hours are 10am to 4pm everyday.

Cat & Fiddle Farm & Café

Located in Lyndhurst Road, Hinton, Cat & Fiddle Farm is offering visitors the opportunity to pick their own pumpkins.

It is open late every Thursday throughout October for pumpkin picking, with the last picking 7pm and gates closing at 7.30pm.

You don't need to book and dogs are not permitted on the field.

Pumpkins are priced at 80p per kg.

Sopley Farm

Sopley Farm, like the Cat & Fiddle Farm, is part of the Dan Tanner’s brand and can be found on Derritt Lane between Sopley and Bransgore.

The farm grows nearly 20 varieties of fruit and vegetables, including pumpkins which can be picked seven days a week.

Visitors can browse for their perfect pumpkin between 10am and 5pm seven days a week.

Pumpkins cost 80p per kg.

Lenctenbury Farm

From October 12, Lenctenbury Farm in Soldiers Road, Norden, will have pumpkins available for the public to purchase in the build up to Hallowe'en.

The farm will be open between 10am and 5pm everyday, but the farm is encouraging people to visit during the week as the weekends are likely to be busy.

Pick your own pumpkins are priced at 90p per kg.

There will be sledges available for children and adults to drag their pumpkins from the field back to the barn.

These will be disinfected between every use.

Groups of six is the maximum number permitted and the number of groups in the pumpkin patch field at one time will be limited.

Cards and cash are accepted and no dogs are allowed in the picking fields.

Parking is also available next to the farm.

Pumpkin Picking Patch

At the Fordingbridge Pumpkin Picking Patch site, visitors will be greeted by over 25,000 pumpkins in every shape and size.

Onsite you will find hot and cold snacks and drinks, as well as toilet facilities.

Also available is a variety of Hallowe'en crafts including broomstick decorating and wand making.

Entry to the Pumpkin Picking Patch is free, as well as parking.

It is open from 9.30am to 4pm October 11 and 12, October 17 and 18, then between October 23 and 31.