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| Cotswold Wildlife
Park |
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It has been a couple of years since I last visited the Park and so we pretty much knew what to expect. However, the glorious weather on Bank Holiday Monday, plus the new additions and general improvements to the Park no doubt contributed to the fact we had a fantastic day. Park entry and free parking was well organised with four lanes open as opposed to the usual two, and a good number of attendants ushering us through the system.
We started as most people seemed to do with a clockwise walk around the park extremities taking in the lions, camels, zebras etc. before stopping for an ice cream half way round. Continuing clockwise, we made it to pet’s corner where our five year old triplets were able to stroke and interact with a variety of animals. They seemed much more comfortable doing it this time than they were aged three!
One thing we did notice this time was that dogs on leads were welcomed, which adds to the whole ‘family day out’ feel. We then enjoyed a good walk around the lake which plays host to a plethora of water and bird life in a truly beautiful setting.
A narrow-gauge railway tours the perimeter of the Park, and as there is now only one stop, the wait time is greatly reduced (we missed one departure and got on the next). The train leaves the station every ten minutes and is an absolute must on every visit.
We took our own lunch and enjoyed sitting at a table and bench right next to the well designed ‘kiddies’ play park where the children were happy to play for more than an hour. An adjacent carousel attraction at only 50p per ride was a big hit! This gave the adults a great opportunity to rest and catch up on all the gossip.
The restaurant provides a huge selection of hot and cold food and drink for you to buy with ample seating both inside and outside. To end the day, we called in on the penguins, spider monkeys and ‘outside inside’ aviary. The kids loved it!
Plenty of toilets are well positioned around the park (all very clean) and the gift shop has souvenirs for all. The Park has certainly come on a long way since my last visit, and is bound to be a great day out whether you are a first timer or a returning lifelong fan.
Reviewed by Tim May |
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