Many years ago now, l discovered Hatton country world. This is a review about this country world which is set in the heart of Warwickshire. Hatton Country world offers something for everyone. There is a Farm Village and a shopping village, which offers attractions for many different people.


Location

Hatton Country world is located in the village of Hatton in warwick, close to Solihull which is just outside of Birmingham. It is within easy reach of the M40. As you approach Hatton Its easily located with many brown tourist signs directing you to Hatton Country world.
Hatton Country world is situated near Hatton locks, and is surrounded by local farm land. The setting is beautiful and if you feel adventurous a walk along the canal is a must, or a visit to the waterman pub which is located nearby.



Farm Village

The farm Village is ideal for children. Possibly directed at younger children, there may not be enough to occupy or challenge the older child's mind, but for younger children there is lots to entertain. Possibly the best age range for children to visit would be 3-8 years.

There are a variety of events taking place throughout the day, (weekends and holidays) at Hatton country world with entertainers and special guests. There are lots and lots of attractions in the farm village such as the Guinea pig Village (a personal favourite). When l visited with my two young nephews they enjoyed being able to touch and hold the guinea pigs, and being able to see the guinea pigs moving about in their miniature village. It's a lovely place, where the guinea pigs are well cared for. A friend of mine visits the Village farm just to see the adorable guinea pigs.

There is also an adventure play ground which is fun for the children too, full of slides and things to climb, a sure way to keep the children entertained. What is nice about the farm village is it is spacious and there are lots of places to sit, and perhaps have a picnic if you wish.
There is an opportunity to milk the pretend cow, challenge the giant maze, Find the pieces of gold in the gold rush, If you find 10 pieces of gold in the water you get rewarded for your efforts. Children love it! So theres lots of things to do. Be aware that as it is a farm village, most of the farm attractions are out doors, so its not great if the weather is bad, although even in the winter months you see children with their wellies on stuck in the mud. There's also a chance to see some of the farm yard animals, which is another winner with young children. Sometimes you can see the birds of prey or have pony rides too, some of the activities are of course weather permitting .

On the down side l do feel that it is rather expensive to visit the country farm village, £5.75 on a week day and £6.45 on a weekend, which might not sound a lot but it's the same price for adults, and children under 14 cannot be admitted alone so if you have a fairly big family it could be expensive, although a family of 4 will receive a 10% discount, which helps. Under 2's can visit for free which isn't so bad. If you are intending on becoming a frequent visitor then you can purchase an annual pass which will probably work out cheaper, these cost aprox. £43 each.The farm Village is open daily from 10am until 4pm in winter and until 5pm in the summer.



Shopping Village

Okay now shopping, the magic word is shopping, the added bonus of course is that the shopping village is free. There is a lovely selection of shops at Hatton Shopping village. There is a traditional sweet shop which is a must see. All the shops are set in little quaint little stores, where you have to bend to walk inside (and lm only 5.3). But inside you are greeted with items you would be hard pressed to find else where.

Stores to look out for are 'candles and more' , when you enter this shop you are greeted by the lovely smell of candles. They make their candles onsite and sell a selection of other gift items. It's a lovely shop to wonder around. There is an antique store, jewelers, childrens clothing store, just to mention a few.
After the children have worn themselves out, and you have spent far too much money in the lovely little shops, why not visit the farm house restaurant, which sells cold snacks or hot dinners. Inside this restaurant is a soft play area for children, which costs £2.25 for 30 minutes, again this is something for younger children.



Over all opinions

If you have children, a visit to Hatton country world can turn out to be quite costly, although no more costly than anywhere else l suppose. There are lots of things to see and do, but as mentioned earlier the farm is more for younger children and the shopping village for adults, which leaves older children rather bored. I do enjoy a visit to Hatton, parking is easy (they have extended parking) and free. Please note the shops can get quite busy in the holidays though.
I would recommend a visit, if you are in the area. It's an ideal place to visit for families, or even just adults. It's great to take a picnic, or even eat at the restaurant. It's always a pleasant place to visit, and l often end up buying pretty gifts for friends and family

http://www.hattonworld.com