[Solved] Gullivers Competition

OK. Well I am going to make a case for Odds Farm Park:
nr High Wycombe, Bucks, HP10 0LX
http://www.oddsfarm.co.uk/

So, first of all, the bad bit. I think it is a bit pricey for an Open Farm. With four children, it costs us £50 to get in ...and at the end of the day, it is just a farm. "So why would he possibly be promoting it?", I hear you ask, "the man is obviously of sound judgement, I've read his World Cup Predictions". Well if you give me a chance to speak, I'll explain.

First of all, you need to get over the fact that it's 'just a farm'. It's actually a really good day out.

1/ There is a covered area stacked high with hay bales; complete with little tunnels running through. This feature alone will keep my children entertained for almost an entire day ...and because it's such a solid structure, I can climb to the top too ...although I'm a bit too fat to go running through the tunnels 😳

2/ Next to the hay bales there are tables laid out where you can enjoy your picnic AND keep an eye on your 'hay monsters'. Also in the same area is a small soft play area, a little room where they do demonstrations: sheep shearing, cow milking ...and stuff like that ...and they have skilled people talking you through what they are doing. It really is genuinely interesting.

3/ There are loads of toilets (unisex, as I recall) and a sizeable cafe; all in the same area.

4/ Animals: All the usual pens and barns that you would expect on an open farm, full of four legged Sunday lunches

5/ If you can drag yourself away from this central covered area, you've then got all the other stuff: a little field/track with some manual go-karts (free); opposite that there is another area with ride on toys; there is a maze; tractor rides; sheep racing; opportunities to feed small animals, ... ... ...etc

6/ AND, just when you thought you'd run out of stuff to do ...keep on walking ...way past all the rest of the stuff and, lo, there is an enormous field full of footballs and frisbees and nets and bats ...and an ice cream shed; where you can sit and have a picnic or ice cream or just beat your children at various sporting activities (including, I think, crazy golf).

My children are all between 2 and 9 and it is a good (full) day out for us (rain or shine). We go once or twice a year and haven't tired of it yet. Google for vouchers before going. There are occasionally deals which make the entry fee more palatable.

We love Longleat Safari Park. Lots there to do inside and out. If you get a passport ticket you can visit each attraction once but no rush to do it all in one day as you can go back on another day. Live far away but going in August.

cragside in northumberland

Knowsley Safari Park, never get tired of watching Baboons rip someone's car apart! Lions make you pay attention as well.

I obviously haven't quite got the hang of these competitions yet 🙂 . OK - I am going to continue to treat this as a review thread.

...and next up is The National Space Centre
Leicester, LE4 5NS
http://www.spacecentre.co.uk

This trip was a fair hike for us, but it is spitting distance from the M1J21/J22 ...so not too difficult to get to.

Cost = £48 for my family of 6 (under 5s free - yippee 🙂 ) ...and the nice thing about it is, if you sign a form to say you are a tax payer and donate the entry fee as gift aid, they get to claim back the tax AND upgrade your tickets to annual passes ...come back as often as you like.

From the outside it looks like a rocket (a bit like a poor man's Gerkin). On the inside it's basically an interactive museum, with loads of hands on stuff with a space theme. They do special exhibitions (a quick look at their web site just now and I see they are doing 40 years of the Daleks in September). There is a big 360 degree theatre, where we watched a planet and star show. And just loads of sciency, spacey things, like pumping up rockets and firing them and moon walking and stuff. You can buy food and drink there or take a picnic and the facilities are good.

We spent a whole day there, no problem at all ...and came home with some very tired children. Job done!

my kids love a day out at chester zoo.

my son and i aren't keen on structured visits. we prefer to go and have a wander in london to see what we come across!

I obviously haven't quite got the hang of these competitions yet . OK - I am going to continue to treat this as a review thread.

No you have the hang of the comps, actually giving details is good. I haven't visited either of your suggestions and now would like to go to both.

Keep them coming.

Gooner

it has to be gullivers milton keynes. just can't keep the rascals off the log flume 😎 )

Chester zoo is a fave with us, a full day out!

Castleton in the Peak District is an excellent place to visit - loads to do