All the fun of the farm! (Rushmoor Country Park (Louth Lincolnshire))

Member Name: mumto3

Product:	Rushmoor Country Park (Louth Lincolnshire)
Date:	11/11/08 (586 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely selection of animals and birds of prey

Disadvantages: not well sign posted - nothing for wet weather

Rushmoor Country Park is situated in a small village called North Cockerington near Louth not far from Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes on the Lincolnshire Coast.

The entrance to the park is not very well marked and we often drive straight past. Go slowly and watch out for the entrance as it just looks like a normal house.

The park has a large free car park with plenty of space for cars and coaches.

You pay in the tea room and then you are free to wander about as you please.

The tea room isn't very big but they do a small selection of hot and cold food including sandwiches, jacket potatoes and sausage and chips for children. They do have a lovely selection of cakes and scones and also serve confectionery and ice creams. There are a few seats inside and high chairs are available. The toilets are also in this area and are always clean and tidy. There is a baby changing area available in the ladies toilet. Outside the tea room is a small patio area with some seating for outside dining. There is also a large selection of small ride on toys such as cars and tractors. There are also a few sit in activity centre type toys for younger children.

Behind the tea room is a large vegetable garden that is very well stocked and tended. I think that local people with learning difficulties often come to work on the garden.

Next to the garden is a large grassed area. There is a bouncy castle in this area as well as a wooden climbing frame with swings. There are a couple of huge elephant shaped slides and a large area for picnicking. Sheep and ponies do wander around this area so watch out for them.

The parks is separated into two areas by the picnic area and you need to go through an arch containing chipmunks to get into the main part that contains all the animals. The arch is made of wood and chicken wire and there is a large shed to one side that has a chicken wire front. This is the housing for the chipmunks.

They have been making some alterations to the park this year so some of the animals may have moved or been replaced.

To your right there are some cages and hutches containing ducks, rabbits and chickens. There are quite a few different breeds to be seen on the farm and last time we were there we saw some tortoises in this area.

At the end of this area there is a large pond. This area has a fence round it to keep children safe but you can go in to the pond and wander round if you want to.

There is quite a big shed in this area that houses the baby animals and there are usually plenty of new-born rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, rats, ducks and chickens in here. You are able to handle these animals but you should ask a member of staff to help you with this. There is normally at least one member of staff in this shed to help with the animals of answer any questions and sometimes the animals are for sale. Earlier this year there were even some baby owls in this area that were being bred to appear in the new birds of prey attraction.

If you follow the path to the end you will find some more animal housing. This year when we went the Jersey cow was in this area as were the pigs and the goats. The animals are used to being looked at and touched and will normally come to be stroked except the pigs who just like to sleep!

There are two fenced off enclosures that contained adult rabbits and you are free to go inside and walk around and touch the rabbits in this area. Sometime there are also guinea pigs in this area too.

Last year when we went they were just introducing their birds of prey. There is a big grassed area with cages all around the edges housing owls and hawks although they may have introduced more breeds now. We were nearly the only people left that afternoon and so my husband and two of my children helped the handler with some practice flights of a small Owl and wore the big gloves and had the owl land on their hands. We were there most of the afternoon seeing the different birds flying and being able to handle the smaller birds which was excellent as the show was just for us.

The park isn't very big and I would say that you could easily see everything is a couple of hours. Last time we went my children were four and two years old and I also had my six month old in a buggy. The two older ones love the park and like to be able to touch all the animals and feed the sheep that roam about. The youngest wasn't too happy about being stuck in his pushchair but he liked the animals that came and nibbled his hands looking for food and he really enjoyed the small play area. We went at opening time and spent the morning looking at all the animals and riding the donkey that was wandering around wearing a saddle and then we had a picnic. We had talked about leaving but decided to have another wander around as the children were enjoying it so much. I am glad we did stay as everyone else seemed to have left so we had a personal bird of prey show where my children were the handlers.

The park had lots of event days throughout the year including an Easter Egg Hunt, A Halloween Walk and a visit from Father Christmas and you can even hold a children's party there.

Information from the website - www.rushnoorcountrypark.co.uk

Admission Prices and Opening 2008

February 11th until March 31st - 10am to 4pm (last admission 3pm)

1st April until October 31st - 10am to 5pm (last admission 4.00pm)

Open December for Father Christmas events only.

Closed November and January.

Adult Price £4.75

Child Price £4.75

Concessions £4.25

Early Bird - Arrive before 11am and enter half price - Click here for discount voucher.

Coaches welcome with 24 hours notice

Strictly Guide dogs only

From Lincoln - A157 to Louth and then Louth Town Centre signs through the Town Centre - look for Somerfield supermarket on your right. Straight across the mini roundabout into Eastfield Road and two miles further on you will come to Rushmoor on the left hand side.

From Grimsby and Cleethorpes - A16 to Louth and then Louth Town Centre signs and as for Lincoln.

From Skegness - A1028 and then the B1200 (signposted Manby). Head for Manby traffic lights and turn left into Grimoldby - brown tourist signs will help in directing you.

From Mablethorpe - A1031 to Saltfleetby, B1200 to Manby and turn right at Manby traffic lights into Grimoldby - brown tourist signs will help.

I would recommend Rushmoor to anyone with young children. We have been to the park three times as we spend our holidays in the Mablethorpe area and I know we are looking forward to our next visit.

Summary: Not a big farm but loads to keep the little ones entertained.