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ANIMAL PLANET OutdOors
When it comes to nature-themed days out for the whole family, one thing that always unites the generations is spotting animals. We’re privileged here in the North West to have world-class honeypot destinations, including Chester Zoo, the Blue Planet Aquarium and Knowsley Safari Park, where you can get up close with some weird, exotic and fascinating creatures and contribute to their conservation and protection. But let’s not overlook some of the smaller attractions, because often we might prefer options that are closer to home, cheaper or lower key.
Here are three favourites:
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The Garden House, Marple
The Garden House is a registered charity and community farm based in Marple Bridge, which plays home to a variety of animals, including pigs, alpacas, rabbits, goats, Shetland ponies and more. It also has a sensory garden and riverside walk, which provide a calm, tranquil space to enjoy the natural environment.
Donations of £5 per person. Under 3s are FREE.
Reddish Vale Farm
Reddish Vale Farm is a family-run animal farm park and riding school on the outskirts of Stockport. Kids can feed carrots to the bigger animals, including one of the biggest shire horses they’ll ever see, or they can quietly cuddle smaller creatures, such as rabbits, chicks and lambs. This place is loved by parents of young children for its seasonal themed days, such as the extremely popular Easter egg hunt, Halloween pumpkin picking and Christmas visits from Santa, and the tractor trailer ride out to visit the pigs in the far field is a real treat for the little ones.
Midweek offers start FROM £8.
Martin Mere
Martin Mere Wetland Centre, near Bur scough, is a great place to spend warmer days in nature, thanks to its cool and shady wetlands. It’s famous for being a wild habitat for birds, insects and aquatic mammals and you can ex plore their world with tours, including a canoe safari. Creatures range from some of the most eye-catching water birds from around the world – so, of course, you’ll see flamingos – to tiny underwater pond life that you can ob serve out in the water.
A full family ticket is £43.18. Under 4s are FREE.
By Oliver Chesher
