This place went down well with us! (Pennywell Farm & Wildlife Centre)

Member Name: Claribella

Product:	Pennywell Farm & Wildlife Centre
Date:	03/11/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots to do and keep the little ones entertained

Disadvantages: pay more for pony rides etc

Pennywell farm is about a fifteen minute drive from where I live so I have been to place quite a few times. It's basically a big farm where there are lots of animals to touch and spend time with but there are also tonnes of other things going on around this. It will cost an adult just under a tenner and a child around eight pounds and under three's go free which I think is great value for money if you make the most of everything that goes on.

When you pay at the desk you will be given a sheet with a map and a list of all the activities that are going on around the farm throughout the day. There is something from the moment the place opens at 10am to until closing time at 5pm so there's plenty to keep the young ones entertained. You can par take in pond dipping, egg collecting, milking the sheep and there are live shows where you will be told anything and everything about a particular animal.

My boys are aged one and two and have so much fun here. Unfortunately we aren't a loud to have pets in our home so it's a great opportunity for them to have some one on one time with lots of different animals so they don't start to become scared. They love getting into the various runs and stroking the animals and most of them are happy for the boys to do this.

I know that my boys don't actually get the full benefit of all the activities yet due to them being so young but it certainly won't be long before I am trying to keep up with them and fishing them out of the pond when they go pond dipping!

I really love this place too because I am a huge animal lover. I could spend hours petting them and would definitely consider getting a job here in the future.

Pennywell is always changing because as the seasons change so do the animals for instance you could go up at the start of opening season (feb) and it'll be wet and muddy and there won't be too much going on but when you go back in May, there are tiny piglets and sheep which have just been born.

The thing that I really don't like about Pennywell is the fact that you pay at the door but if you want your child to have a pony ride then this costs more. There are also various rides and things that cost extra but I suppose they are no different to any other place.

The other thing that I'm not so keen on is the fact that some of the animals look downright miserable in the little sheds that they live in. I know this is the same with a lot of places like this and there are some animals like the ducks that are roaming free. I just wish that the bigger animals had a little more freedom during the day.

One of the best things that usually happens at Pennywell during December is the Christmas Nativity play. All the animals take part along with lots of the staff and it won't fail to get you in the Christmassy mood!

Over all this is a very reasonably priced farm with lots to do and staff members that can't seem to do enough for you. I'd highly recommend it if you are in the area and theres no need to take alcohol scrub because it's all over the farm!

Summary: A great place