Tuesday 11 August 2015

A Grand Day Out : Rare Breeds Centre

For Mr B's 30th birthday he was given a family ticket to The Rare Breeds Centre in Ashford, Kent. After looking it up we were both really excited to go as it looked family friendly. We took a picnic with us to be a bit thrifty and it's handy with Tom having allergies.
When we arrived there was more than adequate parking, there isn't set bays so it's really good for parent and child. You enter/exit through the gift shop which isn't big, loud and expensive but is quite modest and affordable. We didn't get anything going in or coming out but I noticed that they sold local farm produce which was lovely. During the day we did buy an ice cream each and it was sold as shop value rather than taking advantage of people not having other options, I think that sums up the vibe of the place and people running it!

Let's start with the animals! There is a huge array from birds of prey to cows and ponies, bunnies and pigs! Many of the animals are there so you can pet them and there are lots of hand washing facilities so you don't have to worry about germs, although I did keep the hand sanitizer out all day! The animals are all clearly well looked after and are really accessible, it was lovely seeing Tom be able to be so close and pet lots of animals he hasn't seen before. 

The farm has a big area of land so we also had a nice long walk, finding the secret lake, Giants chairs, an adventure area that Tom was too little for. There are playgrounds dotted around so there is plenty of opportunity for your children to burn off steam. 

One of the hidden gems is the soft play. We went there at midday to get out the sun and it was empty bar one child so Tom was really able to use all the equipment with no fear of being knocked over. I even went in and played on the slide, not dignified!
Tom's favourite part of the day was the tractor. They do regular tractor rides through the day to take you to different parts of the site or as a whole ride. Tom adored it, and the staff are so helpful and friendly. 

I really enjoyed the butterfly tunnel, it is a humid area but I've never seen such big, colourful butterflies. It took Tom a while to notice them but when he did he was entranced! 

The only real negative of the day is that when we was eating there were loads of wasps. It was better inside the marquee, but it's something to be mindful of. But by no means did it spoil our day. 

Please do not let that put you off as it is a wonderful day out. I would whole heartedly recommend the Rare Breeds Centre as a family day out. It's so family friendly and there is so much to see and do for all ages, I guarantee you won't leave disappointed! Our ticket was given to us but a family ticket can be purchased for £32, more information can be found at http://www.rarebreeds.org.uk/buy-tickets

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