Chester Zoo is a great day out for young and old alike. When I first was told that I'd have to go as part of Psychology coursework I thought it was going to be a massive waste of time, but as soon as I got there my opinion quickly changed.

The first thing you notice is that Chester Zoo is a massive, massive place. The map states it is the size of 50 football pitches and I certainly wouldn't argue with that! Because of its size, you do a lot of walking and so if taking very young children who can walk I would recommend taking a pushchair as they are likely to get fed up.

Because of its size, the zoo is home to a massive array of animals, some incredibly rare, most incredibly beautiful. My personal favourite was the meerkats, with my opinion being shared by a 4 year old standing next to the enclosure for hours doing comparethemeerkat impressions.

The pricing is fairly fair, I'm not sure what the cost is for individuals but as we were in a group we had a reduced rate although once inside the refreshments are quite expensive so if you are going for a daytrip I would recommend a picnic.

The staff are also very helpful, many agreeing instantly to help with the coursework by filling in questionnaires and sharing their knowledge and views on the animals which was certainly an interesting experience.

Many people seem to feel that the zoo is somewhere only really meant for children to be shown that there are other animals than cats and dogs but having been surprised myself I would recommend it to anyone who is around Chester and finds them self with a few spare hours. I certainly enjoyed it and I hope you have too!