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::: Wildlife and Nature

ANIMAL FARM ADVENTURE PARK
Red Rd, Berrow, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, open daily 10am-5.30pm, admission £5.50 adult & child/£4.50 senior/£21 family, under-2s free.
Ffi: (01278) 751628, www.animal-farm.co.uk
All-weather family fun. Stay and play all day says the publicity of this huge, unpretentious place - which mostly caters for the vast expanse of caravan parks and holiday parks along the Berrow/Brean sands. It's got a big park with farm animals as well as a petting zoo (with special sticker prizes for mums and grans who pluck up the courage to hold the rats). There's a vast outdoor adventure playground and an indoor play barn with different areas and some of the most awesome slides in the west. And, since there's also an 'indoor beach', complete with Punch & Judy shows etc. - it's a good prospect for a rainy day if you're down this way. Also hosts a regular programme of themed fundays, usually centred on favourite characters - Dennis the Menace, Postman Pat, The Simpsons, etc.

AVON VALLEY COUNTRY PARK
Pixash Lane, Bath Road, Keynsham, signposted off Bristol-Bath A4, open from April 1 10am-6pm Tue-Sun,
also open BHMs and Mon during school hols, admission £6 adult/£5.50 child, senior, under-2s free.
Ffi: (0117) 986 4929, www.avonvalleycountrypark.co.uk
River-based park with terrific play and climbing areas in and out, assault course, fairly scary drop slide, and lots of animals in the pets corner and riverside fields. The wooden play-circuit walk takes you past fields of donkeys, goats, llamas, cattle, sheep and more. There are boat trips and rowboat hire, mini quad-bikes, falconry displays and a miniature train ride, like the one at Ashton Court. New for 2006 is a new improved play barn which can accommodate up to 300 kids. For families, and especially for the harassed parent left looking after the youngsters during the school hols, this place is the business, a fabulous no-brainer of a day out that ought to burn off all that excess energy for a pretty reasonable admission price.

BIRDLAND PARK & GARDENS
Rissington Rd, Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos, open 10am-6pm daily April-Oct (10am-4pm Nov-March), admission £4.95 adult/£4 senior/£3 age 4-14/£14.50 family.
Ffi: (01451) 820480, www.birdland.co.uk
One of the major attractions in the rich family-fun environment that is Bourton, this place has been going for years on what was once a trout farm and poplar tree plantation. There are hundreds of birds in residence, including flamingos, pelicans, cranes, storks, penguins and various other types of waterfowl in the watery parts. There are also aviaries with things like parrots, falcons, pheasants and lots more, plus indoor tropical and desert houses for creatures used to very hot climes. The penguins are fed at 2.30pm daily and the keeper gives an interesting talk about the critters as he's doing so. Phone or check website for bird of prey encounter days when you can get up close with hawks and owls. Dogs welcome as long as they're kept on leads.

BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS
Clifton, Bristol, open daily 9am-5.30pm (5pm in winter), admission (from 22 Mar 2006) £10 adult/£8.80 seniors, NUS/ISIC card, ages 15-18/£6.35 age 3-14/£29.50 family/under-3s free. Visitors can also help the Zoo by paying a small voluntary surcharge under the Gift Aid scheme. Note that there's also a car-parking charge of £1 per vehicle.
Ffi: (0117) 974 7300, www.bristolzoo.org.uk
Not cheap, but the place costs a bomb to maintain, and it's easily one of the best (and most popular) days out that the west has to offer. Voted Zoo of the Year in 2004 by the Good Britain Guide, Bristol Zoo Gardens (to give it its proper title) has loads to see and marvel at, from the smallest and rarest tortoise in the world to the largest ape. There are over 400 exotic and endangered species, and the place effortlessly mixes fun with education and several conservation and breeding programmes. Highlights? You decide. There's the award-wining Seal & Penguin Coasts where you can go through underwater tunnels to watch the critters, and then there's Twilight World, Reptile House and Gorilla Island, plus (our favourite) Bug World, with all manner of creepy-crawlies. Look out also for the amazing new ÔMonkey Jungle', due to open sometime this summer.

Studley Grange Butterfly World & Craft Village
Hay Lane, Wroughton, nr Swindon (follow signs from M4 junction 16), open daily 10am-6pm summer, 9am-dusk winter. Admission £4.25 adult/£3.75 student, senior/£3.25 child/£12.50 family (2 adults + 2 children).
Ffi: 01793 852400, www.studleygrange.co.uk
Just a short hare up the motorway and a rather good prospect for a family outing. There's over 1000 gorgeous butterflies to gape in wonder at, not to mention an impressive collection of 'mini-beasts' as well - spiders, snakes, locusts and, the stars of the show, a colony of leaf-cutter ants you can watch close up through magnifying glasses. When you've done that, you can visit the Craft Village, which also boasts a soft-play area. Craft Village also does kids' parties where they can do activities such as sugar-craft, pottery painting and making beaded jewellery. VIP days when seniors get a free hot drink at the cafŽ are Tuesdays & Wednesdays in school term-time. Site also includes an aquatic centre and garden centre.

COTSWOLD FARM PARK
Guiting Power, nr Stow on the Wold, Cheltenham, Glos. Open 10.30am-5pm daily March 25-Sept 10, then weekends to end of Oct, plus autumn half-term (Sat 21 - Tues 31 Oct), admission £5.50 adult/£5 senior/£4.50 ages 3-16/£18 family.
Ffi: (01451) 850307, www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk
The ubiquitous 'farm park' is, according to your point of view, an unintended consequence of Thatcherism, or an intended consequence of the EU, as farmers, struggling to make a living, opened to the public to show what goes on behind the scenes (with none of the nasty bits, of course). Back in the day, a lot of these places were ghastly; pay through the nose to look at some lambs, have a cup of tea and the cow-shed and come home smelling of pigs. OK, end of rant; the point about this place is that not only is it one of the originals, it's also one of the best. If you're going to make a big day out of a farm park, make it this one. It's big, with loads of rare breeds of British farm animals, including sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, horses, poultry and waterfowl.
There's also a big play barn, plus 'Touch Barn' (petting zoo), farm safari rides (extra charge) and a tractor school. Also adventure playground and a regular programme of seasonal demonstrations. The Cotswold Kitchen Cafe is supposed to be pretty good too. But there are still some of us who long for a farm park where you can see exactly how sausages and chicken nuggets are made ...

COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK
Burford, Oxon, open daily from 10am, last admission 4.30pm, admission £9 adult/£6.50 senior, ages 3-16.
Ffi: (01993) 823006, www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk
It's this side of Oxfordshire, so not that far off, really... Large and very popular family attraction that's home to a wide variety of animals, many of them endangered, including Asiatic lions and Amur leopards. Other animal highlights include meerkats, Lar gibbons and Siamang gibbons. Lots of regular displays (penguin feeding, parrot flying, birds of prey, etc) as well as one-off events - phone or check website for details. Apart from animals, the place boasts impressive gardens and parkland. It's set in the grounds of an early 19th century manor house, parts of which are open to the public. Also, it's one of the few wildlife parks where dogs are allowed in most (but not all) of the areas, provided it's kept on a lead at all times.

CITY FARMS
There are a number of city or community farms around Bristol and Bath these days, offering urban children (and adults, if it comes to it) a look at the ins and outs of farming and food production. They're a great hour or two out of the house, especially if you have smaller children in tow. The main ones are:
Bath City Farm Twerton Hill, Whiteway, Bath.
Ffi: (01225) 481269
At 36 acres, this is one of the biggest city farms in the UK. Set up in the 1990s, it's taken a while to get going, but last year got a nice new building (thanks to the BBC's ÔDIY SOS') and has an award-winning play team. It's on some nice scenic hillside with diverse natural habitats and hosts sheep, goats, ducks, pigs, chickens and greater-crested newts. Busy volunteer and education programmes support community development and the environment.
St Werburghs City Farm Watercress Rd, St Werburghs, Bristol. Open daily 9am-5.30pm, admission free, farm cafe open Wed-Sun 10am-4pm. Ffi: (0117) 942 8241 l Much-loved part of the community with all the usual - goats, pigs, sheep, etc - plus adventure playground and community garden. Runs kids activities and clubs and has one of the coolest-looking cafes in the world.
Windmill Hill City Farm Philip St, Bedminster, Bristol. Open Tue-Sun, 9am-5pm, shop opens 10am, cafe open 9.30am-5pm, Tue-Sat & 10am-4pm Sun. Ffi: (0117) 963 3252, www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk l Integral part of the south Bristol community, with community gardens, environment trails, adventure playground, cafe and shop selling produce from the city farm and another farm it runs out in the Somerset countryside. Also runs lots of community activities and courses.

CRICKET ST THOMAS
Nr Chard, Somerset, open 10am-6pm (or dusk in winter), daily, peak admission charges in July & Aug £8.25 adult/£7.25 senior/£6.25 ages 3-14/£26 family, admission rates are lower at other times.
Ffi: (01460) 30111, www.cstwp.co.uk
One of the West Country's biggest and best wildlife/theme parks, though we still haven't quite forgiven the place for the vile Blobbyland bit it used to have (you remember Mr Blobby, don't you?), which not even all the irony in the world could ever have excused. Its other media claim to fame was that it was the location for TV's ÔTo the Manor Born'. Anyway, your money gets you into a beautiful parkland wildlife centre, housing over 600 animals, with a conservation remit - take a walk through the lemur woods where the loveable primates swing through the branches. Other highlights include the primate island and safari railway, plus the usual play areas and educational bits. There's a lively programme of daily events and displays, such as lemur feeding, pony rides, etc. Phone for details of what's on on the day of your planned visit.

FERNE ANIMAL SANCTUARY
Chard, Somerset, approx 1.5 miles west of town, signposted from A30, open 10am-4.30pm daily,
admission free.
Ffi: (01460) 65214, www.ferneanimalsanctuary.org
One of the oldest animal sanctuaries in the region. They take on any animal whose life is in danger, space permitting, and never put any of them down except under veterinary advice. Residents usually include things like guinea pigs, tortoises, ferrets, ducks, hens, geese, cats, dogs, goats, pigs, sheep, donkeys, horses and cows. Families welcome, plenty of free car parking. The sanctuary is also wheelchair-friendly and has picnic tables in the conservation area. Admission is free, but obviously they hope you'll put some money in the collecting tin or give a cat or dog a good home. You can also sponsor an animal.

HEAVEN'S GATE FARM
West Henley, nr Langport, Somerset, open Tues-Sun 11am-3.30pm, admission £1 adult/child free.
Ffi: (01458) 252656 www.nawt.org.uk/heavengate.htm
Run by the National Animal Welfare Trust to care for and re-home unwanted and neglected domestic and farm animals over 25 acres of countryside on the edge of the Somerset Levels. Extensive kennels, catteries and stables, plus farm area and pond.

HOLLY HEDGE ANIMAL SANCTUARY
Wild Country Lane, Barrow Gurney, nr Bristol, open Mon & Wed-Sat 10am-4pm, Tue 10am-12noon, Sun 11am-3pm, admission free.
Ffi: (01275) 474719, www.hollyhedge.org.uk
Well-run animal sanctuary, mostly with cats and dogs and the occasional rabbit. Drop by and they'll appreciate a donation or, better still, offer one of the animals a good home.

HORSE WORLD
Staunton Lane, Whitchurch, Bristol, open daily 10am-5pm from April 1-Oct 31 (open 10am-4pm Tues-Sun winter), admission £5.75 adult/£5.25 senior & concession/£4.75 ages 3-15/£19.50 family.
Ffi: (01275) 540173, www.horseworld.org.uk
Only been going a few years, but now established as a firm favourite, especially with family visitors and younger children. This is no mere horsey theme park - it's actually run by The Friends of Bristol Horses Society, a registered charity that looks after horses, ponies and donkeys that have been mistreated or neglected. It currently looks after around 350 animals, and has put together an excellent visitor centre in order to raise funds. You can get up close to the animals, and there's an indoor play barn and outdoor adventure playground, mini tractors and rides, picnic area, horse museum, daily demonstrations and a miniature farmyard and petting zoo whose stars are probably the pot bellied pigs. Nice caff, too.

LONGLEAT
Nr Warminster, Wilts. Safari Park & attractions open weekends only 25 Feb-26 March, then daily, April 1-Nov 5. Park open 10am-4pm (or 5pm BHMs and during state school holidays), other attractions open 11am-5.30pm. House open all year daily except Christmas Day from 10am-5.30pm, Easter-Sept, and 11am-3pm during rest of year by guided tours only. Passport Ticket (2006) to all main attractions including park & house £19 adult/£15 senior & ages 3-14.
Ffi: (01985) 844400, www.longleat.co.uk
Theme parks come and go and, if theme parks are what you want to do, then you've got to do the original and best. The great thing about Longleat is that it's not one of those bland and insincere corporate places, like some we could mention. A great deal of it reflects the forceful and eccentric personality of its owner, Lord Bath. A lot of visitors might be surprised, for instance, at how impressive the house itself is, with very ornate interiors and a very serious collection of paintings; if the National Trust owned the place, you can be sure it would be marketed ruthlessly as one of England's really great houses. But that's probably not why you're here, is it? The Safari Park is great fun, and those monkeys really do vandalise a lot of cars, so the 'at your own risk' warning as you start to drive through is deadly serious. The safari boats and railway are probably the next most popular attractions, but there are loads and loads of other things to do. Expect to have to queue for a few things if you visit at busy times. You might also want to plan two visits if you want to cover everything.

NOAH'S ARK ZOO FARM
Failand Rd, Wraxall, nr Bristol, open Tues-Sat & BHMs March 28-Oct 28, also open Mondays June 5 - Sept 2. Closed Sun. Admission £8 adult/£7 concs/£6 ages 2-16/£23 (1 adult + 3 children)/£5 (2 adults + 2 children).
Ffi: (01275) 852606, www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk
Farm animals and all the usual petting zoo favourites, plus a fair few more exotic animals, including deer, rhinos, camels, alpacas and a fair few reptiles and birds (loads of finches) and more. Also big indoor and outdoor adventure playgrounds, tractor rides (extra charge) and an exhibition about how food gets from the farm to your plate. As the nearest place of its kind to Bristol, it's understandably very popular. What's not always immediately apparent from the publicity, however, is that the place is owned and run by Biblical literalists who have thoughtfully added an exhibition about how Darwin and his theory of evolution are wrong, and how Noah's Old Testament flood really did happen and how Noah really did save all the animals (including some dinosaurs).

NORWOOD FARM
Bath Rd, Norton St Philip, Somerset, open daily 10.30am-5.30pm (winter hours not confirmed) admission £5 adult/£4.50 concs/£3.50 child.
Ffi: (01373) 834356, www.norwoodfarm.co.uk
lThis is quite interesting - a working organic farm, with lots of rare-breed farm animals on show as well, including lambs, goats, rabbits, calves, Shetland ponies, Tamworth pigs and more. See the farm and feed the animals. Also wind turbines, conservation displays, outdoor play area, picnic tables, cafe and shop selling organic produce. Farm walks amid glorious countryside.

PRINKNASH BIRD & DEER PARK
Cranham, Glos, open daily 10am-5pm in summer, admission £4.50 adult/£4 senior/£3 child.
Ffi: (01452) 812727, www.prinknash-bird-and-deerpark.com
An interesting little corner of the world, this, and one which will easily consume the best part of a day to do properly. The bird and deer park is the main attraction, with loads of peacocks, waterfowl and more exotic birds in tropical aviaries. Also a few deer and dead cute miniature goats. And, as with a lot of these places, they've come upon this terrific wheeze whereby they not only get you to pay to see the animals, they get to you pay for their food as well, with strategically placed dispensers giving out feed pellets at 20p a throw. Obviously the kids love this, and there's also a play area and a dinky Tudor-style Wendy house. The bird and deer park is only a small part of what was once a huge and powerful monastic estate until Henry VIII came along and broke it up. Indeed, the monastery fishponds are still there, and you can feed the trout in one of them. The wider estate, which is run completely separately from the bird & deer park, is now a religious community once more, run by Benedictine monks (see Churches & Cathedrals section) and you can wander around its extensive grounds. Also don't miss the Abbey gift shop, which is also the point of entry for the Great Orpheus Pavement, a re-creation of an immense Roman mosaic pavement depicting the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. There's a separate admission charge for this, but it's definitely worth seeing.

PUZZLE WOOD
Off B4228 nr Coleford, Glos, open Tues-Sun 11am-5.30pm, April 14-Sept 30, 11am-4pm Oct, 2006 admission prices not confirmed at time of going to press.
Ffi: (01594) 833187
The Forest of Dean is full of oddities, but this place probably takes first place. More than 2,000 years ago, before the Romans arrived, the area was an open-cast iron mine, but it's long since been reclaimed by nature to become a maze of weird moss-covered rock formations and gnarled trees. The whole effect is like something out of Lord of the Rings and, even though it only stretches to around 14 acres, you can get seriously disorientated and lost here. Marvellous place, though note that it's completely unsuitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The site also includes some farm animals and an indoor maze.

SEAQUARIUM
Marine Parade, Weston-super-Mare, open daily 10am-4pm (5pm in school summer hols), admission £5.75 adult/£4.75 senior, child/£19.99 family (includes free guidebook).
Ffi: (01934) 613361, www.seaquariumweston.co.uk
Not the biggest and best of the marine-life places that every big seaside town seems to have these days, but fascinating nonetheless. (Actually, the best one in the south west that we know of is the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth - but if you know of a better one, please let us know). It's always wonderful to get up close and personal with these creatures, particularly if they're denizens of Britain's own cold, murky coastal waters. Several themed displays, including Night Hunters, The Ray Zone and Ocean Zone, introduce you to the astonishing variety of creatures - sharks, eels, octopus, cod and lots more - that haunt our shores. OK, maybe not that many cod any more. There's some tropical creatures, too; the big new attraction for 2006 is a 'Sea Horse Nursery'.

TROPIQUARIA WILDLIFE PARK
Watchet, Somerset, open every day from April 1 - Sept 3, 10am-6pm, admission £6.50 adult/£5.50 senior, child.
Ffi: (01984) 640688, www.tropiquaria.co.uk
As good an excuse as any to hare off down to the comparatively unspoiled wilds of the west Somerset coast, maybe taking in Exmoor and/or the Quantocks. Here, you can handle tarantulas, put a boa round your neck (not the feather type), and more. In the gardens, there are monkeys and parrots and peacocks, and a playground featuring two massive pirate ships, as well as an indoor play castle and regular puppet shows. You can spot the place from miles away as it's on the site of an old radio station and there's a bloody great mast sticking up there; so it also includes a radio museum.

WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM
Westonbirt, nr Tetbury, Glos, open daily, 10am-dusk (or 8pm if earlier), admission varies from £5 to £7.50 for adults, subject to seasonal variation, £1 for ages 5-18, under-5s free, concs and family tickets available.
Ffi: (01666) 880220, www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
Some 600 acres, covered with around 18,000 trees of all manner of species from all over the world, collected by the Victorian gentleman-horticulturalist whose estate this once was (his very grand house is now a private school for girls). Apart from its scientific importance as one of the most extensive collections of trees in the world, it's a grand day out. Plenty of pushchair/wheelchair-friendly pathways, but also lots of grassy bits to burn off excess energy. Some people will tell you it's best to visit in the autumn, when the leaves are changing colour, but any time is a good time. See the blossoms in spring, have some lovely shaded walks in summer, and do the winter wonderland thing if it snows. Of course it is one of the west country's greatest attractions, so can get crowded; try and visit during office hours in term time. There's a very full programme of summer events and wildlife activities for kids. Also look out for the evenings when lights and lasers turn it into the 'enchanted forest' in the run-up to Christmas.

WILDFOWL & WETLANDS TRUST
Slimbridge, Glos, open daily 9.30am-5.30pm (closes earlier in winter), admission £6.75 adult/£5.50 concessions/£4 ages 4-16/£18.50 family.
Ffi: (01453) 890333, www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge
One of the world's leading centres for the study and conservation of wetland birds - makes for a day out that's as worthy as it's fun. See, feed and learn about wetland birds, and help the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust to conserve wetland habitats. It's in a very pleasant setting beside the River Severn, with 50 hectares of landscaped grounds and vast numbers of ducks, geese and swans all doing their seasonal thing. There are hides in the grounds for you to spy on the birds, and you might even catch a glimpse of a kingfisher. Don't miss the tropical house, where fantastically beautiful hummingbirds come right up close to you. Very nice visitor centre, decent cafe/restaurant and shop, and loads of activities for children and grown-ups, particularly in the school hols. Phone or check website to see which seasonal visitors are flying through and find out about events that are going on.

Venue Days Out Guide - Bristol and Bath's best excursion guide. To order your copy ring 0117 942 8491. Only £1.95.