Animals and nature

Norfolk is an ideal place to look at wildlife, be it in the wild, or in created habitat.

Just looking out of your window at White Lodge Farm Cottages you're likely to see deer, hares, sparrow hawks, pheasant, partridge and kestrels and, with a little patience, you may even see stoats, moorhen, mallards and barn owls.

If you want to see wildlife in profusion then a visit to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens will bring you close to indigenous wildlife and many migrating birds.

For the younger members of the party wanting to get close to domesticated animals, a trip a few minutes down to the road will take you to Melsop Farm Park with a range of farm animals, including rare breeds and the occasional reindeer (in season!), well-used to being petted by children (and for wet days or children tired of animals there's also a ball play area and adventure park). There's also The Animal Ark and Country Park, Pettits Animal Adventure Park and Snettisham Park.

Perhaps surprisingly in view of its name, there are also animals to be petted at the Dinosaur Adventure Park, which is a big hit, especially with the under 10s.

For more exotic animals, including the opportunity to come face to face with full-size Siberian tigers, all ages seem to enjoy Banham Zoo, with almost 1000 animals ranging from the big cats to birds of prey and meerkats. This is no ordinary zoo - it is very popular with our guests and dispelled many of our misgivings about zoos. In the same ownership, and a little further afield is Africa Alive!, where the animals include lion, zebra, giraffe and rhino. Closer to White Lodge Farm Cottages there's leopard, tigers and monkeys at Thrigby Wildlife Gardens.

Under the same ownership as Thrigby Wildlife Gardens is the recently opened Amazona Zoo, in Cromer, with a a wide range of animals from Tropical South America including jaguar, otters, spider monkeys and flamingos.

Banham Zoo also has a collection of heavy horses - Shires and Suffolk Punch, which can be seen working from time to time. Working horses can also be seen at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse (which also has a traditional farmyard) and Norfolk Shire Horse Centre.

If horses are your thing then you might also think about a visit to the rest and rehabilitation homes operated in Norfolk by the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) or Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

For viewing marine life "up close" a boat trip to see the seals at Blakeney Point is a real experience, and marine life can be seen in a more formal setting at Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre and Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary.

To see wildlife less formally, you might think about an electric boat trip on the Norfolk Broads at How Hill Nature Reserve, try the nature trail through woodland and fen to the wildlife centre floating on a pontoon on Ranworth Broad, visit one of the 19 National Nature Reserves in Norfolk, such as Foxley Wood or one of the bird reserves operated by the RSPB, such as Strumpshaw Fen, or by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Weeting Heath, for example.

Contact details

• Africa Alive! 01502 740291
• Amazona Zoo 01263 510741
• Banham Zoo 01953 887771
• Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and Gardens 01328 851465
• Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse 01362 860563
• Thetford Forest Park 01842 810271
• Melsop Farm Park 01953 851943
• Park Farm, Snettisham 01485 542425
• Norfolk Shire Horse Centre 01263 837339
• Pettits Animal Adventure Park 01493 700094
• International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) 0870 870 1927
• How Hill 01692 678555

• Sea Life Yarmouth 01493 330631
• Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens 01493 369477
• Norfolk Wildlife Trust
• The Animal Ark and Country Park 01603 872274
• Redwings Horse Sanctuary 01493 488531
• Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary 01493 488531
• National Stud 01638 666789
• Beans Boat Trips 01263 740505 (Graham Bean) or 01263 740038 (John Bean)
• Temples Seal Trips 01263 740791

Guests say ...

"Melsop was a real hit with us all - so lovely to get so close to all the animals and loved the informality. The indoor play area was great."
    -L,C,R&H H

"Thrigby Hall is one of our favourite animal parks - well laid out and so easy for little ones to get around without loads of walking and tired legs. The girls especially enjoyed the Tiger Trail."
    -The L Family

"Banham Zoo is a great way to spend a showery day. Good soft indoor play area for under fives. Check out feeding times as you arrive."
    -WB

"Melsop Farm Park was a huge hit with our three-year old twins. A great environment to touch lots of animals."
    -G,R, C&C

"Our five year old and two and a half year old really loved Banham Zoo and Africa Alive."
    -S&M S

"Pettits Animal Adventure Park was a fun day's outing for a young family. Our girls thoroughly enjoyed their day here. Nice mix of rides and animals and adventure playground."
    -The L Family

"What a pleasure to enjoy the frosty mornings through to the wonderful evenings watching the barn owl hunt."
    -The D Family and the E Family

"Banham Zoo: A good day out well suited for pushchairs. Ther tigers were the star of the day."
    -K, D&J T

"Penthorpe: A good day out - lots of birds to see and plenty of walking available. Great cafe with good food."
    -JJ&S