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All Things Wild All Things Wild - Honeybourne

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by AdrianW1963, 26 Mar 2019.

  1. zoogiraffe

    zoogiraffe Well-Known Member

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    Very much you can ask me about it at Hamerton!
     
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  2. Crowthorne

    Crowthorne Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    Thanks ZG! I might even take a trip this weekend if the weather looks stable, then we can discuss it at Hamerton instead :)
     
  3. AdrianW1963

    AdrianW1963 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Quick update visiting by train guide -

    Get the train to Honeybourne station (Worcester - Paddington) or (Paddington to Worcester Foregate street) get off at Honeybourne Station when leaving the platform turn to the left and follow the path round and just keep walking along the main path for about 600 yards and you'll find the entrance on the right (5 min walk you will pass The Ranch Caravan Park Entrance Road but just keep going)
     
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  4. Marcellus

    Marcellus Well-Known Member

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    Plans are afoot to move All Things Wild to a new site near to Stratford-upon-Avon.

    I think this a great move as they are unlikely to lose too many of their existing visitors, and it will allow them to tap into the ‘Shakespeare Country’ tourist masses.

    Also, they are looking at an 80 acre site, they currently have 28 acres.

    Plans to move family attraction to Stratford
     
  5. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    The current site is, conveniently, only about five minutes walk from the nearest railway station; I hope the new location will also be close to a railway station.
     
  6. cliffxdavis

    cliffxdavis Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    If they move to Willicote Farm & Equestrian Centre in Campden Road, Clifford Chambers its only a 7 mile move from their existing site and still something like 5 miles from Stratford upon Avon. Looks to be nowhere near a railway station as far as I can see. I had no idea it even existed. I will visit soon as its only 27 miles from me.
     
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  7. AdrianW1963

    AdrianW1963 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It will be a couple of bus rides away from Leomington Spa Station
    one bus stops just outside the new location.
     
  8. KJ

    KJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Having looked around on the website noticed this:

    SUPPORT OUR EXCITING NEW MOVE TO WARWICKSHIRE!
    We are seeking to move our extremely successful All Things Wild attraction from its current location in Honeybourne to Willicote Farm in Stratford. We want to show Stratford-on-Avon District Council how much the move will benefit the local people through employment, education, ecology, and entertainment.

    More information can be seen on this website here: All Things Wild – Support
     
  9. KJ

    KJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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  10. Lafone

    Lafone Well-Known Member

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    First visit to All things wild today after a recommendation on here and overall enjoyed it a lot. It seemed well named as it is indeed a collection of lots of things.

    Easy to find and park and the entry (paid on the door) was straightforward and quick. The car park was more than half full and the place was pretty busy but not too crowded. The park was neat and tidy with some good paintwork, clean and tidy woodwork, neat rope standoffs and good signage. Uploaded their latest map below though there were a few animals on it that were not signed.

    There were quite a few kid's areas and which I walked past / didn't visit (beach, sharks, tractors etc), same for the large dinosaur area.

    Inside the first area the reptile room and adventure barn were some indoor exhibits including two very large boa constrictors, hissing cockroaches, chinchillas, banded armadillos and corn snakes. The entry to the exhibit had some sort of light interactive playmat on the floor which had a lot of kids in it so the noise was pretty deafening meaning I moved on quite quickly.

    There was also an indoor viewing area for the Tayra who have a glass fronted outside area in several connected sections. I saw one shiny looking Tayra enjoying a pigeon but assumed they had more of them given the good size. There are a lot of glass / wood fronted enclosures which are good for viewing but not always the best for photo's. The connected area seems a popular design for the park and it works well.

    Outside and down the path to the right near the car park was a madagascar area closed to be refurbished / reintroduced as a new exhibit and next to that a large lemur walkthrough. There were a few ring tailed lemur babies with their parents which were fun to look at. The walkthrough was signed as open only at certain times with a keeper but wasn't open while I was there (and the activities list didn't include it) which was a bit of a shame, but you could still get a decent enough view as the walkthrough is all frames vs planting. I didn't see other lemur sub species, though could hear them in an area beyond the walkthrough.

    A capybara and rhea paddock opposite the lemurs partly borders a children's play area but is a good size with a pond. Bit of a shame the main pond area is on the far side from the best viewing spots, but you could get a good sighting. I went around the back of the park past emu and red kangaroo - all the paddocks for those were a good size. Next to them were the reindeer, though they were a no show.

    Another multiple area linked exhibit for blacktailed prairie dogs had a lot of active animals. The bennetts wallabies next door were also about as were the camels. There were a few signs about avian flu and some birds being off show - the main restriction seemed to be in the outback aviary. That walkthrough being closed meant a bit of weaving to get to the different areas but it's not a massive place so it wasn't hard to find the way. The wallaby path part of it was open for a keeper talk once for the day but the aviary itself seemed more permanently shut.

    The squirrel monkeys next to the camels were a bit of a treat..I miss them at Whipsnade. They have a good size enclosure with lots of climbing frames and a mesh wire wood design that seems to be in use over a few enclosures. Looping back a bit towards the entrance (not sure I followed the most logical route) there were porcupines, meerkats, what appeared to be a solo common marmoset and then one of the animals I was most looking forward to; the American Beaver. Much enjoyed seeing all four beavers who were out between their house and the pond, gathering sticks and adding to a small dam they appeared to be building. Such fun to watch and not an animal I have seen in a zoo before. Excellent.

    Back down past Campbell's zebras who were inside and a kunekune pig wandering around, was a pardine genet which was being fed for a keeper experience. Then in a long enclosure bordering the edge of the park were the golden jackals. A well furnished enclosure with lots of naturally crafted hides, logs, long grass and a small pond. I'd never seen golden jackals before so it was really good to see them both out and about for a good half an hour. Unfortunately someone then decided to get a strimmer going in the zebra enclosure right next to them and that was that. Exciting to see them and more than worth the trip.

    Heading back up the path there were blue macaws in an enclosure next to coatis and racoons. Both enclosures were heavily themed as is the Falklands themed enclosure for the straited caracara next door but all seemed like good spaces. On the left was a fairly small enclosure labelled for a silver fox who was somewhere asleep. A farm walkthrough has pygmy goats (there's also a shetland pony and a couple of other goat areas that are interactive) and is like the one at Whipsnade with a winding path for visitors so the goats can engage or not as they like. A small herd of fallow deer had a couple of fawns which were lovely.

    Heading back around the loop were at least two fennec foxes and a small aviary with lovebirds, next door to that a no show von deckens hornbill and opposite that a harris hawk. The fennec foxes were out but the enclosure design was a bit odd for viewing with the glass starting at nearly shoulder height (I am not short) and half domes to look through at child height which were scratched. That was a shame as the foxes looked great but the viewing didn't flatter them.

    Overall a well maintained smaller collection with some unusual (and slightly random) animals and what seems to be a real emphasis on family fun for younger kids, without getting in the way of lots of interesting animals. It wouldn't make my regular visit list but the lure of the jackals and beavers will certainly see a return trip. A smallish but happy feeling place.
     

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  11. Lafone

    Lafone Well-Known Member

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    Went to all things wild this morning (then spent the rest of the day at CWP) and it was fairly busy but easy to see everything. Not many changes since last visit with the avian flu restrictions still in place.

    Could now see the red ruffled lemurs in their house and enclosure past the ring tailed lemur walkthrough (shut off the last time I was there).

    Got great sightings of the beavers and then the golden jackals (went specifically for both so felt quite lucky they were out). That end of the park is pretty quiet so once the jackals were out and about they stayed out for nearly an hour.

    The enclosure to the side of the cararaca was signed as empty and waiting for a new species to arrive - the previous occupants (Pekin bantams) are now with the golden pheasant. The enclosure waiting for a new arrival is not a bad size though fairly low height wise, so will be interesting to see what goes in it.

    Most of the rest of the collection was out and about - coatis and raccoons remained inside but given it was pretty chilly can’t really blame them!
     
  12. Lafone

    Lafone Well-Known Member

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    Good morning visit to All things wild today. The car park was quite full as were the soft play and other kid's areas, but a lot of quieter spaces around the animals. An enjoyable few hours.

    A couple of changes since my last visit. The marmoset house opposite the beavers (former home of the cotton tops ,who are now in a more spacious enclosure near the tayra) is empty and unsigned. I couldn't see another location for the marmoset. The former Pekin bantam enclosure is now home to Azara's Agouti.

    The very large boa constrictor, which was signed on my previous visit as rescued with the park acknowledging it was a bit large for the space wasn't there and the tank was signed as empty.

    The large display of plastic sharks has been replaced with a display on plastics in the ocean.

    The Australian walkthrough aviary was open.

    The golden jackals were out in their enclosure. Had some lovely views as there was hardly anyone else around that end of the park, which reflects my previous experience. The beavers were having an enrichment session, there were new tree branches for them to drag around in the water along with hay and carrots - fun to watch.

    Opposite the harris hawk, instead of the hornbill, are now a pair of golden pheasant, some Bronze turkeys and Indian peafowl.
     
    Last edited: 30 Sep 2023
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  13. Ant

    Ant Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Two male Fennec Foxes have arrived from Hungary.
     
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  14. KJ

    KJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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