Showing posts with label Puxton Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puxton Park. Show all posts

Wednesday 5 September 2018

Our Summer Holiday Visit to Puxton Park, Somerset - A Review

One of our favourite places to visit in Somerset is the wonderful Puxton Park. We have been fortunate enough to have visited this family friendly attraction twice previously, however these visits have always been in the Autumn months and so my children were eager to return in the Summer sunshine.

Since our last visit there have also been a number of new additions to the park which include a High Ropes Course and a Wallace & Gromit sculpture installation. The Puxton High Ropes course was new for the Spring 2018 season and offers a 20ft high, thrilling challenge that both children and adults can enjoy.

As mentioned in my previous reviews, Puxton Park is described as "The Ultimate Fun-Filled Experience for the Whole Family" and they're not wrong. With activities to entertain all ages, the Puxton Park attraction has clearly taken careful consideration into what families look for in a day out and have worked hard to provide an enjoyable experience for everyone.

It is easily accessible from junction 21 of the M5 and well signposted from the motorway. There is also a large sign located at the main entrance which makes the attraction easy to spot whilst driving. We made our way along the driveway to the car park and my children began to get very excited as they remembered all the activities that were available.

As we approached the main reception area we saw this wonderful statue, that had been sponsored by Puxton Park for the 2018 Gromit Unleashed 2 Arts Trail. The purpose of the sculpture was to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital and the Special Care Baby Unit at St Michael's Hospital.

It was great to see Puxton Park supporting such a worthy cause and my children thought that the Merry-Go Gromit was superb!


We had arrived shortly after opening time and it was a beautiful sunny day, so my children asked if we could head straight over to the Bumper Boats to beat the queue. This activity is great fun and allows you to travel around a water filled pool, in a circular bumper boat, with a water gun located on the front. This means that you can fire water at other guests, which everyone seemed to find hilarious! Emma and Ben enjoyed shooting the water at one another and came off the ride absolutely soaked. Fortunately the sunny weather soon dried them off and they spent half an hour on the nearby park before we made our way towards the High Ropes course.


We had visited Puxton Park expecting to pay at least another £5 each in order to enjoy the high ropes course, so we were extremely surprised to learn that this was INCLUDED in the entry price. We couldn't quite believe that there was no additional charge, considering that there must have been quite a large investment required to create such an exciting facility. Safety harnesses are provided and fitted by staff and you are shown how to use the equipment prior to accessing the course.


For safety reasons you must be wearing fully enclosed shoes, so this is something that you need to bear in mind before visiting and in order to avoid any disappointment. Unfortunately guests wearing crocs, flip flops, open toe shoes or similar will not be allowed to participate, so make sure you are dressed appropriately before attending.

The Puxton High Ropes course has been described as being one of the most exciting and challenging courses in the West of England, so we couldn't wait to put it to the test. Standing at over 25 feet tall, it features a wide range of fun and challenging elements including a rolling log, wave tunnel and walk the plank, that will certainly put your nerves to the test as you step out over the miniature railway track.

You need to measure above 1 metre in height to participate, but for toddlers or children under this height, there is the great addition of a Sky Tykes Junior ropes course. This is designed for children aged two to seven and is a miniature ropes course packed full of fun, to ensure that even the youngest of guests can enjoy the activity too. We thought this was a wonderful idea and felt that both courses were well constructed and felt really safe.


Like our previous visits, my parents had come along with us for the day and they have always commended the parks layout as being very disabled friendly with easy access to the majority of the site. My dad walks with the aid of the stick so uneven surfaces can prove tricky for him at times, however the paths around the park are smooth and level with plenty of benches available to have a rest if needed. There was some seating nearby the high ropes so they sat and enjoyed some drinks together whilst we climbed high on this new thrill-seeking activity.

My son Ben usually has a fear of heights, but after watching Emma, he plucked up the courage to give it a go and attempted all elements of the course apart from the rolling log. Admittedly none of us quite managed that one!


After the excitement of the high ropes, we had worked up a bit of an appetite. As we were visiting on a Sunday, we decided to enjoy the carvery together in the restaurant. I had booked a table a couple of days earlier and so we made our way over at lunchtime. The food was absolutely delicious and really well priced too. We all enjoyed our meals including the children, with two out of three managing to clear their plates completely! It was certainly one of the nicest Sunday Lunches that we have had in a while.

Once we had let our lunch settle, the children wanted to try Water Zorbing. Again this was included in the price, which makes the entry cost seem such excellent value for money, given the amount of activities you can participate in. We have visited other attractions before where you have had to pay £5 each to enjoy something like this, so again we were shocked at no additional payment being required.

Both Emma and Ben had a few minutes each inside the balls and certainly burnt off a lot of energy, trying to stay upright!


The remainder of our day was spent enjoying some of the children's favourite activities from our previous visits. Riley has always loved the Puxton Miniature Railway and also likes seeing all the farm animals in the barn. Ben and Emma on the other hand absolutely love the indoor play area and could literally spend hours going down the drop slides. They are definitely braver than me!

Overall we had a wonderful visit to Puxton Park and it has firmly become one of our favourite family friendly attractions in the UK. There is something for everyone to enjoy and I believe that the entry price offers superb value for money. The Puxton High Ropes course is a superb addition to the site and it is great to see that investments are being made that enhance the visitor experience.We will definitely be returning in the future!

Attraction Details

Puxton Park, Cowslip Lane, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
Parking - Yes, there is plenty of free parking available.
Opening times - Daily from 9am til 5:30-pm Monday to Sunday (excl. 25th/26th December and 1st January).
Entry prices - Entrance costs vary, so please visit Ticket Prices to obtain the most up to date information.
Website - www.puxton.co.uk/
Twitter - @PuxtonPark
Facebook - Puxton Park


*Disclaimer - We received a complimentary family ticket to provide our honest opinion and review of the attraction. We purchased three additional tickets for our accompanying guests. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated. Details provided are believed to be correct at the time of writing, but can be subject to change. Admission, prices and opening hours may differ from those stated. I would therefore always recommend visiting the attractions own website prior to visiting in order to obtain the most up to date information.

Wednesday 29 November 2017

Puxton Park Review & Upcoming Christmas Events!

Earlier this year, we visited the wonderful Puxton Park which is set amongst 40 acres of countryside, in Somerset. There was so much to do there, that we didn't get the chance to do everything in one day, so we were delighted to have the opportunity to return a couple of weeks ago, for another fun packed family adventure!


Like our previous visit, there was no issue with parking as there is a huge car park available for guests, which is also free of charge. The young girl on reception was very welcoming and we purchased tickets for my parents, who had come along to join us for the day. Our entrance was slightly different on this occasion, as due to there being a Halloween theme running that week, we had the chance to walk through the spooky tunnel to reach the main site.

As soon as we were outdoors, the kids were adamant that we needed to take the obligatory funny photo, before continuing with our visit. 


When we last had our day out at Puxton Park, we missed out on a few things, which included the tractor ride & falconry display, so before we set off anywhere, I made sure that I checked the timings for these events to ensure that we did not miss them this time round. The children remembered the meerkats from their last visit, so we decided to start from the back of the attraction where they are located and work our way forwards throughout the day. 

As we made our way to the Meerkats, we passed some beautiful animals, so we stopped at regular intervals to say hello and take a look. One thing that really impressed us was how clean and tidy the whole park is. The paths are clear and well maintained, which made it great for Grandad to be able to walk along, without having to worry about any bumps or holes. As we got closer to the meerkat compound, the fence maze caught Riley's attention and he quickly ran in, determined to complete it all by himself. He did manage to do it on his own, then he did it again, and again, and again! In the end we sat down on a nearby bench as he seemed more than happy just running round and round the maze, whilst Emma and Ben enjoyed bouncing on some nearby trampolines.


Once I had finally managed to convince Riley to leave the maze (of course on the promise that he could return later) we went over to the meerkats, where we literally could have watched them for hours.

Opposite to the Meerkats is a large animal barn, that contains a variety of farm animals including sheep, goats, shetland ponies and alpacas. There is also a lovely petting zoo area where you can stroke and hold guinea pigs and rabbits. This whole area is nicely set out and very clean and tidy. Each enclosure has plenty of space for the animals and their homes are designed around a little town theme. Our personal favourite was 'Miceland'!



After spending some time with the animals, my phone alarm went off to alert me to the fact it was nearly time for the tractor ride. We therefore made our way over to join the queue. Riley was very excited by this point and couldn't wait to climb onboard the tractor trailer to go on a little journey. We hadn't been waiting long, before a young man arrived with the tractor and reversed the vehicle to the start of the queue. We took our seats and set off on our bumpy ride towards the large cow sheds. The driver stopped for a short while in each shed so that the children could see all the animals. He told us about the different breeds of cows and what food they could produce. The jersey cows were my favourite, they are so adorable! It was also very interesting to learn about all the work that goes in to producing some of the food & drink that we take for granted, such as milk, butter, cheese and ice cream. These are all so readily available in the supermarkets, but I hadn't actually thought much about how they were produced beforehand. It was therefore a bit of a learning curve for me, as well as for the kids.


Once our tractor ride was completed, both the kids and Grandad were hungry and thirsty, so we headed over to the Meadows Restaurant to get a bite to eat. There was a lovely selection of cakes available, as well as delicious looking hot meals. As I had already eaten a large breakfast that day, I decided not to purchase anything but Nana and Grandad both bought some sandwiches each and the kids all bought a lunch box that contained a sandwich, drink and some snacks.


After lunch, it was time for the falconry display. We were all really looking forward to watching this as hadn't had the chance to do so on our last visit, so we walked over to the display field and took a seat on one of the benches. The falconry expert introduced numerous birds to us including an Eagle and an Owl and told us more about each species. It was fascinating watching the speed that they can travel through the sky and it was also incredible to see them up close.



Riley's favourite part of the day however, was on the lovely little train ride, that took us on a journey around the small lake. This was really enjoyable and it was great to see Riley enjoying himself so much and making 'Choo Choo' noises as we travelled around.


The remainder of the day was spent enjoying the many play areas that are available for the children. These range from large adventure playgrounds, to fun filled sand play areas, as well as a huge three storey indoor soft play zone. There is certainly plenty of choice and more than enough to keep families of all ages entertained.


Once again we had an absolutely fantastic visit to Puxton Park and it is certainly one of my favourite attractions that we have visited in the South West of England. On both of our visits I have found the customer service to be exceptional, the whole park clean, tidy and well presented, and wonderful facilities and events to keep you busy in all weathers. We have been very lucky that on both of our visits we had lovely sunshine, but the soft play area, animal barn & cow shed are all indoors, so there is still plenty to see and do on a rainy day too.

Puxton Park Christmas Events

Puxton Park is open all year round except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. They have a great range of fun festive events planned for the next few weeks, that are sure to delight and entertain families of all ages.

They have gone all out with their plans for this year and have even created a brand new attraction especially for Christmas! The space between the JCB Dig Sandpit and the Crazee Golf Course, has been transformed into a Santa's Grotto, with adjoining events room. This new feature will be a comfortable home to both Father and Mrs Christmas, as well as their loyal elves. Santa's Grotto will be open every weekend in December from 10am til 4pm and December 19th to 23rd from 10am til 4pm. The Grotto will also be open on Christmas Eve from 10am til 2pm. Guests are invited to enjoy the new Cosy Cottage and Events room where they can visit the Puxton reindeer, enjoy Christmas stories, create beautiful crafts and even watch some Christmas films. For an additional charge of £5 children can also visit Father Christmas and recieve a special present.

In addition to the Santa's Grotto, Puxton Park will also be hosting their very first Grand Light Switch On Event, which shall be taking place on the 2nd December. The event will commence at 3pm, with the light switch on at 4pm and closing at 5:30pm. There will also be some very special guests in attendance as the cast of the Weston Playhouse's Aladdin pantomime come along to enjoy the festivities, including TV celebrity John Altman, who played Eastender's Nasty Nick. An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the parks newest attraction 'The Cosy Cottage' will also take place.

From the 19th to the 22nd December, Puxton Park will also be hosting their annual supper with Santa. This event includes a buffet tea, ice cream, funky disco and a present from Santa. After the meal, children are invited to play in the spectacular 3-story soft play area, whilst parents can sit back, relax and enjoy a tea or coffee. This event does carry a charge, so to obtain the most up to date information or to reserve & purchase tickets, please either visit reception or call on 01934 523500.

Attraction Details

Puxton Park, Cowslip Lane, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
Parking - Yes, there is plenty of free parking available.
Opening times - Daily from 9am til 5:30-pm Monday to Sunday (excl. 25th/26th December and 1st January).
Entry prices - Entrance costs vary, so please visit Ticket Prices to obtain the most up to date information.
Website - www.puxton.co.uk/
Twitter - @PuxtonPark
Facebook - Puxton Park

*Disclaimer - We received a complimentary family ticket to provide our honest opinion and review of the attraction. We purchased three additional tickets for our accompanying guests. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.

Sunday 9 April 2017

A Family Visit to Puxton Park - A Review

We are very fortunate to get the opportunity to visit numerous attractions throughout the year, and we love to share our opinions with our readers. Whilst many of the places we visit are indeed fantastic, occasionally an absolute gem of a place will crop up, as was the case with Puxton Park, located near Weston-Super-Mare in Somerset.


For the past week we have been staying in a beautiful lodge in Burnham-on-Sea which was approximately a 30 minute drive away from Puxton Park. I had taken a look at the website before visiting and the attraction was described as "The ultimate fun-filled experience for the family". Following a browse through the online photographs, I had expectations of the attraction being a farm park with a large indoor play area, and whilst it does contain both those elements, Puxton Park is actually a whole lot more.

Our journey to the attraction was really easy, with it being located a short distance from the M5 motorway. It is very well signposted, and there is a very large sign located at the main entrance, so it would be hard to miss. The sun was shining and it was an absolutely lovely day to be visiting, so we were slightly concerned that parking may be an issue, however we were pleased to find that there was a huge car park, with ample parking spaces for guests.

On entry we found the reception area within a large foyer where there is plenty of room for guests waiting to enter the park. The staff on the desk were very friendly, and we were provided with directions to the entry doors, and a map so that we could find our way easily around the attraction.
In the past we have visited and reviewed attractions as a family of five, however on this occasion, the grandparents had come along too, and so it was great to be able to also obtain their opinion on the day and views from their perspective as well.


There are some toilet facilities located near the main entrance, and so we had a quick loo stop before entering. The toilets were quite low down, and so it meant that Riley was able to use the toilet without any assistance, and Nana also commented that the facilities were extremely clean. This was at the start of the day, however we visited them again several times throughout our visit, and they remained spotless.


On entering the park, we decided to make our way to the back of the site, and then work our way forwards. However, on the way, Riley spotted some electric tractors and quickly hopped on. These carried a small additional charge of £1, but lasted for three laps, and were very easy for Riley to control. He really enjoyed this, and we returned to this part of the attraction several times throughout the day. Next to this were some pedal powered tractors, all in a range of different sizes and aimed at under 5's. Riley really enjoyed making way around the tractor course and it was a lovely activity to start the day.



We then continued to make our way to Pets Village and the animal enclosures. We were immediately very impressed with the cleanliness in this area, and could clearly see that it is very well cared for and maintained well. Whilst here. we had the opportunity to watch an animal show, where the presenter provided information on several different animals including a chicken, goat, and a hare. The presenter spoke loudly and clearly, but also in an engaging manner that kept even the youngest of visitors interested. Guests were then invited down at the end of the talk to meet and stroke some of the animals, and the staff were also happy to answer any questions.




The bunny and guinea pig area was lovely, and the hutches had been cleverly decorated to resemble small town buildings including the local supermarket 'Miceland' a school and 'Toast Tails Fire Station'.



Our particular favourite was Meerkat Manor, where it was lovely to see the busy meerkats interacting with one another in their large enclosure. There were viewing windows all around the enclosure to make it easy for children to see, and the wall was short enough for adults to see over, so there was ample space for everyone to get a good view. There was a beautiful moment, where the meerkat on watch was joined by two others, and they all stood together perfectly still for several minutes. Absolutely adorable!



Next stop was the Puxton Farm & Dairy, which houses an organic herd of 150 pedigree Holstein cows as well as some beautiful Jersey cows. This part of the attraction is so well thought out, and the cow shed also features a maternity paddock, and nursery section. The walkway is located above the cows, so that they remain undisturbed, whilst guests get a view of the expectant mothers, and newly born calfs. There are also clear signs full of fun and interesting facts at frequent intervals along and around the walkway.




Just outside the main animal area, were some trampolines that were built into the ground. Riley, Emma and Ben burnt off some energy here whilst we had a quick sit down in the sunshine, before they ran over to the maze located next door. The maze is a simple but fun idea made out of fencing, and the kids absolutely loved it. Riley kept bursting into giggles every time they realised they had made a wrong turn.


It was at this point that Grandad commented on how fantastic the disabled access was around the park. There were ramps to reach the cow shed area, and the ground was very even and flat throughout the attraction. There was ample space between each area, to allow room for wheelchairs or the use of mobility scooters, and benches were sited near each activity to provide a comfortable place to sit down. We have visited numerous places in the past where due to uneven ground, Grandad has had to hire a mobility scooter, but here he was able to get round fine with the use of his walking stick and found plenty of places to have a rest when needed.

We all began to get a little thirsty at this point, and so we decided to find the restaurant to stop for some lunch and a drink. On the way, we came across a lovely miniature railway which took you on a quick tour around a small lake. This was really enjoyable for all of us, and a wonderful activity to have within the park.


When we reached the restaurant, we were really impressed with the prices of the food. Most places over inflate the prices, but we found it to be really reasonable here, and the meals looked absolutely delicious. We had eaten a large breakfast prior to setting off that morning, and so didn't need a big lunch, which was a shame as the carvery looked spectacular, and I must admit that I was slightly envious of other peoples plates. The kids all had tubs of ice cream which were tasty, Mr F enjoyed a large slice of cake, whilst Nana enjoyed a wonderful Tuna Salad. We also all had some drinks, which again were fairly priced.

Whilst making our way to the restaurant we had noticed a large JCB Dig & Play area, which was a huge sand play zone which featured several large JCB models that children could climb on. Riley absolutely loved playing here, and could have quite happily sat here for hours. Emma and Ben joined in for a while, before heading over to the Jumping Pillow area whilst the queue was small. I was happy to see that safety was of importance, and noticed that the man in charge of this activity would only let a few children on at a time. We have been to a few places where there isn't even any supervision on these and so this was a great thing to see.


When we had first arrived at Puxton Park, and were travelling down their long drive way, we had noticed that there was a sign for a car boot sale to be held in one of the fields. Never one to miss a bargain, we decided to take a stroll down the drive to have a little wander around, and so we checked with the gentleman on reception that it would be ok to return in a short while. He said this was no problem at all, and stamped our hands to ensure there would be no issue when we came back.

When we returned from the car boot, we topped up our sun cream by the car, and dropped off our coats to save carrying them around, and headed back into the park. We went straight over to the bumper boats, which seemed to be the most popular activity as there was a large queue, however this did reduce quite quickly. There was also plenty of seating for anyone not riding the boats, which gave you a nice place to stop and have a rest whilst other guest in your party queued for the ride. This was the highlight of the day for the kids, as although they have ridden on bumper boats before, these ones could also spray and squirt water on other riders, ensuring that you got very wet! Children had to be over 1.4 metres to ride this on their own, but an adult could ride with any children smaller than this.



As our day out was drawing to a close, we paid one last trip to the fantastic outdoor adventure playground before ending our visit in the huge indoor play area featuring slides galore! The kids had an absolute ball in here, and there was plenty to do for all ages. The slides also included two scary drop slides which my son plucked up the courage to do, but my daughter passed on this, and I definitely didn't blame her as I wouldn't have done it either.

Overall we had an absolutely fantastic day at Puxton Park, and it is easy to see why they have recently won 'Experience of the Year' in the Bristol Lifestyle Awards 2017. The whole attraction was beautifully laid out, well cared for, and spotlessly clean throughout. All staff that we encountered were courteous, polite and friendly, and we felt that the entry prices offered excellent value for money. We could have quite easily visited for a second day had our schedule for the week not been full, as there were several activities that we did not experience including the crazy golf, falconry display and tractor ride, and so we will definitely make a point of returning should we be in the area again soon.

Entry prices are as follows:

Adults: £8.90
Children: £9.90 (2-16 years)
Children under 2 can enter for free.
Concessions £6.90
Family Ticket (4 persons) £36.00
Late Entry (After 3:30pm) £4.00

There is also a reduced rate available for disabled guests, who can pay the blue badge holder price of £3. As mentioned earlier in the review, the park is completely wheelchair friendly. Carers are also permitted entry free of charge, as long as relevant identification can be provided on arrival. For further information please visit this page of their website: Entry Prices

For further information on all the facilities then please visit the Puxton Park website here: Puxton Park

Disclaimer: We received a complimentary family admission for the purpose of providing an honest and impartial review. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.