Marwell Zoo has been a firm favourite of ours as a day out since Harry was a baby. It is only a forty minute drive from us and houses so many varied species it makes for a fun day out with the kids and even us adults find it interesting so that return visits are looked forward to. Zoos have always been popular with children and the wonder of seeing exotic animals they have read about in books makes it a magical day to remember. On this particular visit Harry and Teddy’s Nanna came with us as a mini first birthday celebration for Teddy (the big ONE!)
Harry (the train obsessed oldest son) always likes to go on the small train which takes you around the park on a 15 minute ride which helps gain a sense of the layout. There are also tractors pulling carriages if feet get weary on the way around – or you can sit on it for a full 35 minute tour! There are 140 acres of zoo and parkland to explore and discover so there is no time to get bored.
Animal-wise, there is so much to see. From the inquisitive meerkats to the various species of cheeky monkeys; from the graceful giraffes to the majestic tiger. Harry’s favourite animal is still the giraffe and he loves seeing them stride along. I always adore seeing the tiger – he is so beautiful to look at and having the opportunity to see such wonderful creatures makes me realise how lucky we are to have such a diverse world to live in.
There are many picnic stops (including covered areas in case of less than favourable weather) as well as a cafe which caters for young and adults alike and on our visits the staff have always been very helpful. On good weather days we usually take a picnic to enjoy the outdoors. There are also plenty of places for your own little monkeys to play and swing about in the dedicated recreational areas. Harry loved the open space to run about within the safety of the zoo.
Marwell Zoo is a well laid out, easy to navigate zoo which is undergoing a series of major projects to expand it even further. One such project is a brand new enclosure exhibit called “Wild Explorers” which appears to be built to allow for a complete interactive experience with hidden grass cameras, an elevated boardwalk and a discovery zone complete with a safari vehicle resting by the water hole. This new project is aimed at aiding conservation of the white rhino, scimitar-horned oryx and Grevy’s zebra – from what we could see of the plans at the zoo it looks as though it aims to be a mini safari just outside of Winchester! It is due to open Summer 2015 so yet another return visit is a definite must.
There is, of course, a gift shop with a coffee shop inside. On this visit Harry and Teddy were allowed to pick a model animal each. We chose Teddy a tiger whilst Harry chose a small family group of meerkats and as Nanna was with us he was spoiled rotten by being allowed to also bring home a digger like the ones he watched putting the new Wild Explorer zone together. The day was loved by all with two very tired minis and two rather worn out grown-ups – all with some fun memories to take home.
