Noah's Ark Zoo Farm - Review
Posted on: 2016-11-01
Our rating:
Now that I have been once to Noah's Ark, I would definitely go again and it's exciting to see how this zoo farm will develop even further in the future. Not just for my daughter's benefit, return visits would be just as much for my pleasure.
Being a mum is a great excuse to book some time off and take your little one to a zoo farm so you can spend hours gazing at all kinds of different animals and forget about your worries. Now I have to say that I've been to many zoos over the years and have even made a habit of getting season tickets for ones that are near to me, but last week was the first time I had ever been to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm and I was really impressed from the start.
Having heard great reviews about this place over the years, it's always been one of those attractions that we have meant to go to as a family but have just never got around to it.
My five year old daughter couldn't get enough of it as soon as we walked in and it was a hard job to get her away from the outside play area, which you see as soon as you come through the entrance. Then when we saw the sheer size of the indoor heated play area, she lost her mind with excitement and was off before I could even find a seat to watch her.
All parents know that a happy child means a content parent and to see her running around excitedly in the soft play areas as well as going down the slides with her mat was a real treat. Oh to be 5 again...
It was tricky to entice her off the play equipment but the lure of the trampolines outside did the trick and also meant we could start viewing the animals in their impressively large enclosures.
The thing that really impressed me about this place is the sheer size of the enclosures for the animals. They had plenty of room and because it was raining on the day we went, they were all going into their indoor huts and that meant we could see them up close.
Every animal you would expect to see at the zoo farm was there - your usual goats, sheep and rabbits as well as your more typical 'zoo' animals like monkeys, lions, zebras and meerkats. But the real highlight for me and my family were the giraffes and the elephants.
You could get right up close to the giraffes' heads when you went into their indoor area and see really clearly how these beautiful creatures interact with each other. Meanwhile, the elephants were housed in the UK's largest habitat for these creatures, with a 20 acre space called Elephant Eden.
The fairly new additions of the spectacled Andean bears are a real delight and it was lovely to see them climbing their trees and looking out at us all.
The amount of land dedicated to Noah's Ark is vast (100 acres apparently) and it's a nice touch that there's play equipment dotted about on the way to these animals so your little ones don't complain about the walking too much! In total, there are 12 adventure play areas for children. Phew - good luck.
You can go to several shows throughout the day (included in your entry price) and also even sign up for a 'Zoo Keeper Experience' (prices available here) but to be honest, we had a lot of fun spending the whole day at Noah's Ark without these.
It's worth keeping your eyes and ears out for future events though. For example there is a Reindeer Dash event on the 3rd of December, which is a chance for you to do a 1km fun run around the zoo. There is no need to book, just arrive on the day with your trainers and fancy dress is encouraged. I must say, I am rather tempted...
There are also Christmas nativity plays happening on Saturdays throughout December, which feature live animals and are included in the entry price.
Now that I have been once to Noah's Ark, I would definitely go again and it's exciting to see how this zoo farm will develop even further in the future. By the way this is not just for my daughter's benefit, return visits would be just as much for my pleasure.
For more information on Noah's Ark - visit www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk
Article by:
Kelly worked as a journalist for the BBC for 12 years before she changed careers and went into the field of marketing. Having worked at BBC 6 Music for several years, she is passionate about many different genres of sound. Her other interests include theatre, comedy, books, food and days out with the family (she has a young daughter who she describes as a "whirlwind of fun.") Kelly is married to Vik who is a true Bristolian to the core! She is also studying nutritional therapy.
