To be fair to longleat, it does get more appealing everytime i read their updates, but it is shockingly over priced. Stick to your revised itinerary jackwow, it looks great to me, even if you are missing out Dorset.
Monkeyworld and Axe Valley Park(might be in East Devon actually). I can't think of any others right now.
I suspect that's because its marketed chiefly nowadays at Families as a 'big day out' and has an accordingly 'big price' too...
Reading this thread today just made me change my UK tour drastically! The Colchester membership deal just had me rearrange a lot! Thanks for that tip! I guess it is a gold pass that does the trick! Thank you!
Axe Valley -- developing into a very nice little zoo -- is indeed in Devon. Monkeyworld is really all there is in Dorset, unless you count Abbotsbury Swannery; both unique in their way. Monkeyworld insist they are not a zoo, and the birds at the Swannery are all free flying.
Yep, made a mistake about Axe valley it is just over the border in Devon. A nice collection though. Monkey World also too is a favourite of mine. I 1st went there on my Honeymoon.
Would anybody have a recommendation for a zoo visit - small one - on the way from Marwell to Dover? and I am not a true bird person ;-) (Howletts/PL and Sandwich at this point I would already have been too)
If you travel along the coast, the only non-bird suggestion - dull generic aquariums aside - is Drusillas, which is interesting, and rather good, but not a zoo perosn's zoo (unless it's a zoo person who works in the commercial department). If you are heading around London on the M25, there is Chessington (theme park with quite large zoo) and the British Wildlfie Centre (each easily accessible from the motorway). Then there are the Kent collections - Wingham, and Wildwood.
Well I managed to escape Jordan a couple of days ago and am now at my brothers in Chesham. As my trip doesn't start until Monday I thought I would whet my appetite a bit, so visited Whipsnade yesterday and London Zoo today. Glad I visited them but hoping for better experiences and better photos once my trip starts.
The trip is off and running. Will try and post a little about it later however so far been to Birdworld, Cotswold WP and WWT Slimbridge. Tomorrow Bristol Zoo.
How did your trip go, in the end, @Jackwow? It'd be interesting to hear your thoughts on the various collections you visited....
It was a good trip although somewhat disappointing. Will post about it when I have time although haven't even had time to review all my pics yet!
