When I walk round the farms at the Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary the first impression is of a generally well run charity that cares for donkeys both in this country and overseas. However from my own experiences the Hayloft Restaurant really lets the Donkey Sanctuary down. I used to visit the restaurant on a daily basis but as low season progressed with less customers Hayloft staff seemed to want to leave early. I was told off by the Hayloft chef for ordering food five minutes before the food cut off point . During visits in November many of the Hayloft restaurant lights were deliberately turned off by staff half an hour before closure, this made it uncomfortable ...  Read the complete review

Mr. E and I love donkeys, so when we went on holiday last week and saw there was a donkey sanctuary near where we were staying, we immediately knew it was somewhere we had to visit. Both entry and parking are free, although they do welcome donations, so even if you don't enjoy it you won't have wasted anything. We enjoyed it so much that we agreed we would even have felt comfortable paying around £10 for entry to The Donkey Sanctuary, as it would have been much better value for money than some other attractions we visited! The car park includes a designated disabled parking area, as well as a coach park, so everyone is catered for. The ...  Read the complete review

This must be one of the best attractions in the uk and because it is free. Well nearly free there are donation boxes around the site and in the shop. The Donkey Sanctuary opens very early and stays open till late. It is great to take kids to run off that final day steam when you have been on the beach. The sanctuary has donkeys that have been rescued from all over the world and they are such gentle creatures. For instance when taking my neice their twice she has been able to stroke then. There is a hospital area and there is a yard where the donkeys are free and abled to be stroked. You can also walk around the fields and see many benches and plaques where people have ..  Read the complete review

The Donkey Sanctuary Address: Sidmouth / Devon / EX10 0NU / England The Donkey Sanctuary are a UK based charity which works worldwide to improve conditions for donkeys and mules. Founded by Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, the Donkey Sanctuary was registered as a charity in 1973. The Donkey Sanctuary has a dedicated team of 45 regional and area welfare officers throughout the UK and Northern Ireland who investigate reports of cruelty to or neglect of donkeys, quickly and efficiently. They also offer free advice to owners, and if you are concerned about the welfare of a donkey anywhere across the UK, you can contact a welfare officer and ...  Read the complete review

I'm not sure I can make this sound good, but I will certainly try my hardest because I can't thank these people enough for what they've done for my son and lots and I mean hundreds if not thousands of disabled/handicapped children throughout Somerset and Devon. It was founded many years ago by Dr Elisabeth Svendsen and was primarily run to care for donkeys and mules that had reached the end of their useful life. However, combining it into an activity that is designed to help movement for groups of physically and mentally handicapped school children is brilliant. My son (Stephen's) former school (Selworthy) based in Taunton took groups there ...  Read the complete review