Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Youy get a chanced to see wild animals in all their glory and in great surroundings |
| Disadvantages: |
CaN work out expensive and busy at peak season |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
With Easter looming ahead I thought it might be helpful to nominate Longleat as one of the nicest attractions to take your family.
I have been fortunate to visit Longleat twice, springtime last year and then prior to that in August 2002. Longleat House and the safari park are set in 900 acres of stunning grounds and owned by Lord Bath, this has been in his family for generations, since 1580 to be exact. Giant Redwoods surround the area, giving the park its grand entrance as you drive towards the grounds.
~~~~ HOW TO GET THERE AND WHERE TO STAY ~~~~~~~~~~
I live quite a distance from Longleat so this isn't just a day trip for my family and I. We have always made it a long weekend, which if you live more than an hours drive away, I would recommend you do the same.
Burnham on Sea isn't far from Longleat and we stayed at the Haven caravan site in August 2002. On our last visit, we had a chance of staying at Centre Parcs which is next door the safari park. That worked out very expensive so in future we will use a B and B or return to the Haven holiday park, which is superb by the way. If you decide to use either, then listed below is the contact numbers and web site address.
Haven Booking line : 08705 411 411 - ask for Burnham On Sea
www. Havenholidays.com
Centre Parcs : 0870 0673030 - ask for Longleat Village
www. Centreparcs.co.uk
For other places to stay then check out www.lastminute.com .
Longleat is in Warminster, Wiltshire. If you do not have Satellite Navigation in your car and we made our trips without it, then I recommend you use www. Rac.co.uk and click onto route planner.
If you type in your home postcode and that of Longleat, being BA12 7NW, it will give you turn by turn directions. I found the RAC route planner very accurate with the only mistakes being made by me, not the map. Yahoo road map has had me lost more times than I care to remember. AA route planner isn't too bad, just a few wrong turns, but RAC comes out tops for us.
Longleat is situated off the A36, which is between Bath and Salisbury (A362 Warminster - Frome road).
If travelling from the South East which I was, take the M3 (J8) - A303 - A36 towards Bath - Longleat is just off the A362 .
From the South West: A303 in a London direction - A350 towards Warminster - A36 towards Bath - again Longleat is off the A362 between Warminster and Frome
From the North: Pick up the M4 (J18) - A46 towards Bath and follow the signs to A36 towards Salisbury. Longleat is very well sign posted as you draw closer.
Parking is ample, though in the busy month of August it was chaotic. Not so much the fault of the hordes of cars but the masses of coaches that congregated at the entrance. Coach drivers that day obviously thought they had right of way over everyone else and it became a bit of a free for all. I was surprised there were not parking attendants available when we were there. However on our return journey last Easter, it was still busy but our car was directed into a shady spot underneath a tree. Apparently Lord Bath allows this if you are considerate in your parking. This was also a great place to unload the car and have our picnic. Car parking is free by the way and you are not jammed in like sardines. There are also parking bays near the front for disabled badge holders.
There is a local train station located in Warminster but this is only on the Portsmouth to Cardiff line. If you are the taking the train from London then Westbury station is 12 miles or so from Longleat. This connects directly with London as it's on the Paddington to Penzance line. I am not 100 % sure but I cannot recollect any bus services running along the Longleat route when we were there, so be prepared to pay for a taxi if you are taking the train.
Longleat really is out in the country and it would be a nightmare to walk from the train stations to the park, especially if you have children in tow. Please plan your journey well to ensure a good day out by all.
~~~~ OPENING TIMES AND COST ~~~~~~
Unlike the safari park, Longleat House is open all year except Christmas Day, from 10 am to 5.30 pm. However due to the darker nights from October onwards, it may shut earlier.
The safari park opens daily from 1st April to 5th November at 10 am to 4 pm.
There are a few other
attractions in the grounds such as a flight simulator, these usually run alongside the safari park hours.
The cost to get in varies on what you want to see. Unlike places such as Thorpe Park or Lego Land, Longleat have a passport ticket. Most of the attractions have to be paid individually unless you purchase a passport and that means everything is covered.
There is quite a lot to see and do and if you are staying in that area for a few days or even return later in the year, your passport ticket will still be valid for you to enter the remainder of the attractions you didn't have time to see.
Each time you enter an attraction, it will be stamped on your passport. You will not be able to enter this same place again unless you pay twice. I recommend the passport ticket as though its expensive (but then what isn't now), at least you don't have to keep fumbling for your purse each time you enter something new at Longleat. As you can also see from the price list below, buying individually really does cost more.
These are 2006 prices taken from the website.
Attraction Adult Child (3-14yrs) Senior Citizen
Safari Park £10.00 £7.00 £7.00
House £10.00 £6.00 £6.00
Gardens £3.00 £2.00 £2.00
Castle & Maze*N/A £3.00 N/A
Butterfly Garden £2.00 £2.00 £2.00
Old Joe's Mine £2.00 £2.00 £2.00
Longleat Railway £3.00 £3.00 £3.00
Motion Simulator ** £2.00 £2.00 £2.00
Pets Corner £3.00 £3.00 £3.00
Postman Pat Village* N/A £2.00 N/A
Safari Boats £3.00 £3.00 £3.00
Longleat Hedge Maze £3.00 £3.00 £3.00
Summer Shows(22nd July- 3rd September 2006 only) FREE
TOTAL COST OF INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
£41.00 £38.00 £33.00
PASSPORT TICKET £19.00 £15.00 £15.00
PASSPORT TICKET SAVES £22.00 £23.00 £18.00
~~~~~ WHAT TO SEE AND DO ~~~~~~~~~~
Longleat House is truly magnificent and now home of the 7th Marquis of Bath, it's worth taking the time out to witness and enjoy such beautiful splendour. I was in awe of the massive chandeliers that greet you inside the main entrance. Infact they are everywhere and its just beyond me how they are kept so clean. It must be that army of cleaners that Lord Bath employs, his secret weapon against dust and grime!
The heirlooms and antiques of the house are on display but are cordoned off by thick rope. Unlike Buckingham Palace where there are footmen watching you're every move and ushering you through like ants, Longleat is far more relaxed. You can stand at one point for as long as you like, there is no pressure to move on. You are also free to take pictures, something else Buck House did not permit.
Staff mingle amongst the visitors and are available for questions and to entertain the children with their wealth of Longleat history and stories. Longleat has many ghosts and you might even bump into one! As I am interested in all things paranormal, I found their talks very interesting.
Most rooms are open for viewing except the private rooms of Lord Bath and his family. A certain "Must see " are the art or mural rooms, this is where Lord Bath displays all his paintings. His murals are not for purchasing and are very outrageous in both colour and design. Made with oils, the picture stands out as if its been projected onto a 3D canvass. The colours are not pastel shades, but more of vibrant reds, deep blues and very dark browns. Very different to regular art work, they are still beautiful in their own right.
Everything is there, from all his female companions loved and lost, to his family members, past and present and of course the notorious Karma Sutra. This is not for young eyes that are inquisitive. If you see this painting, I challenge you to view it without moving your head at right angles! It just can't be done, infact my head nearly rotated.
However, the house is not very accessible to wheel chair users or prams and buggies, both inside and out. If you are disabled, then please phone the house prior to making that journey and explain your circumstances. The staff may be able to arrange something but as far as I could see, there are no disabled ramps and no lifts. The art rooms are on the next floor up and you can only gain access to them via the large staircases, which though wide are certainly plentiful.
Buggies are not allowed in the house but there is a point close to the main doors where you can leave it. If you feel uneasy about leaving your child's pram outside and out of your view, then a good tip is to take a bike lock with you for added security. These are available in most Pound land Stores and Halfords.
I also found that even though I enjoyed the tour of Longleat House, my young children soon became very bored and irritated. They couldn't find the fascination of seeing old antiques on display as enjoyable as their mother and its at this point you realised you should have gone in alone, doing a split shift with your partner.
Lady Bath's Shop is Longleat's own gift shop, tucked away at the back of the house. A good display of gifts ranging from Beatrix Potter china, lavender bath sets and small gifts for the children. A very quaint little shop, not on the cheap side and not good for taking young children into who have wandering fingers. Worth a look but not worth crying over if you don't make it there.
~~~THE GROUNDS AND GARDENS ~~~~~~~
Very impressive and vast, from the beautiful fountains to the crazy mazes that surround the gardens. They are not as easy as they seem to get out off! There are gardeners in abundance and there seems not to be a leaf out of place. Even the gravel pathways are immaculately kept. The gardens are very tranquil and peaceful and its worth taking the time to appreciate the splendour of the grounds. They are vast and will take a good 2 hours walk minimum.
Once again Lord Bath has introduced some modern age into his home in that he designed and help build his Ying and Yang section. This is available for viewing too. I thought it looked out of place in such a historic landscape but then everyone is different and my husband actually thought it was the best section.
The gardens of Longleat are a great place to stroll around and breath in the strong aroma of rose bushes and forna and flora, but once again, little children do get tired easily and they do not appreciate the beauty as their parents do. They just want to run off and play footie on the velvet lawns. Fortunately these are not off limits, some are but most lawns are accessible to their little feet. Just watch out for the small white signs planted on the grass that tell you to keep off.
~~~~ PETS CORNER ~~~~~~~~~~~
Not just for children but for mums and dads to have a cuddle to. A very hands on attraction that the little ones will love. Here you can see and hold cute fluffy rabbits to long and revolting snakes (sorry not a lover of these). Parrots sit on your shoulder and the keepers are very willing to let you hold the animals in their possession. I wasn't too keen on the spider section, don't worry these tarantulas are behind glass unless you find a keeper bringing one out for you to see in more detail.
Most of this is on the level so quite easy for wheelchairs and buggies to get around. This is one attraction not to be missed, your children will thank you for it, trust me!
~~~~~POSTMAN PAT ~~~~~~~~~
To be honest this is nothing to really rave about. Just a few of Postman Pats friends amongst a make shift village of Greendale. The figures are about the height of my three year old and they don't exactly do anything, its like looking at a few oversized garden gnomes in the garden centre. Whilst toddlers enjoy seeing "pat" , my older two found it boring and sat on the bench outside with their father.
~~~~ THE RAILWAY ~~~~~~~
With everyone on board and seated quite comfortably, the guard blows his whistle and your 20 minute or so journey begins. The little train takes visitors for a relaxing and cooling ride through woods and into a small tunnel as it puffs towards Half Mile Pond. With its tracks running alongside the water, you get a magnificent view of the lake and its Californian Sea Lions and Eastern White Pelicans.
We were told we might be able to see Nico and Samba, the two lowland gorillas living on their own island in the middle of the lake. However, they were being unsociable and would not leave their house on the lake. Looks impossible for wheelchair users to climb aboard and prams are not permitted on the train and have to be left at the entrance. Be warned there is yet another gift shop situated here. My sons found it fascinating as they could purchase anything related to trains, such as originally looking whistles to postcards of steam engines.
It's a plethora of train memorabilia and prices start from £1 upwards.
~~~~ OLD JOES MINE ~~~~~~~
This is a new attraction to the park and consists of bats, nothing but fruit bats! Quite smelly but very fascinating to see and hear. Buggies, prams and wheelchairs are allowed. However young ones might find the darkness of the "gold mine" somewhat scary as they might with some of the hands on experiences inside. A member of staff is there at all times to talk and guide you through, worth a visit but nice to get outside in the fresh air again.
~~~~MOTION SIMULATOR ~~~~~~~
Basically the same as what you see at the theme parks, in London's Trocadero and at fair grounds alike. A small pod shaped simulator that holds a small amount of people inside its darkened cocoon. You are then shut inside and rocked about like a head less chicken whilst watching a projector. I cannot say what this was like, as I would not enter it, but hubby did and came out feeling a bit green around his gills. The ride didn't seem to last too long but this really is not my cup of tea. No way could a disabled user in a chair get inside as the only access into this is via some steel steps.
~~~~~ SAFARI BOATS ~~~~~~~~~~~
Along with the safari, this is my other favourite attraction. Unfortunately again, if you have a wheelchair there is no way you can climb aboard. This is very unfortunate as you are missing out on a very pleasurable boat ride that takes you past the great house, the gardens and up to the Gorillas. The wooden benches on board are soldered onto the floor and there is just not enough space to manoeuvre a chair. You also have a steep step to climb aboard and when the boat rocks, this makes it quite tricky. Don't panic, yes the boat rocks but not enough to trigger any motion sickness off, believe me I am a good candidate for that. There is a driver and usually a further member of staff present. You get a commentary throughout and the 30 minutes or so ride takes you right up to Gorilla Island. Here if they are feeling sociable, Nico and Samba, the two very old and greying Lowland Gorillas might make an appearance for you. On the train ride out they didn't, but upon hearing our boat come across, they charged out in their full glory. The boat stopped for a few minutes so we could all take snaps and admire their magnificent beauty. Apparently as our guide was telling us, they have Sky TV installed in the house and enjoy a healthy diet complete with vitamin pills. Not a bad life for some humans yet alone a gorilla! The sea lions are like a magnet to the boat. They swim alongside and call out for fish. The first time I was there you weren't able to feed the sea lions but last year, we purchased a small cup of fish for around a £1 if I remember correctly and could throw them over the side. The There is a steel frame around the boat, like railings. This is stop visitors getting nipped and sea lions from hitching a lift. It also helps to keep over adventurous children inside. It's a great ride in the summer months but be warned, it's quite chilly in late spring.
~~~~ADVENTURE CASTLE AND BLUE PETER MAZE ~~~~
I didn't enter the play castle, volunteering to stay outside with my little girl, but judging by my husbands face and the red cheeks of my two boys, they certainly had a good time. All three were exhausted after fighting their way through mazes, climbing frames, netting amongst other things. Children under 14 only allowed inside but my husband was allowed in because my boys "accompanied" him. It's a large activity that I wouldn't have let an 8 year old and a 5 year old enter without being escorted by a parent. Buggies not permitted inside. Not good for wet weather either.
~~~ SHOPS ~~~~~~~
The following shops are open and sell a variety of gifts and keep sakes. All take credit cards and most have machines inside. Remember that these machines charge you for using them so it's worth withdrawing cash before you enter the grounds. As I mentioned before - Lady Bath's Shop. Very pretty inside, very feminine, and very expensive. Located inside the house itself. There is a very strong aroma inside so be warned if you are susceptible to sneezing. Victorian Kitchen Shop - a delicious selection of homemade produce all wrapped beautifully. Prices from around £2. The jams are one to buy and if they still make it, lemon curd. Once again this is inside the house not far from the entrance. ~~~ THE TRADING POST ~~~~~~I went mad inside here, what a wonderful selection of unusual and somewhat spiritual gifts.I purchased a Red Indian's head on a wooden frame. White Feather may have cost me £15, but it was worth it to see the expression on my fathers face as I handed it to him. My father collects anything to do with Red Indians and his room is a shrine. My father is a spiritualist /medium and his guide is a Red Indian so this is the spiritual connection for him. Most of the stock is Africa based but I was fortunate to get this ornament for my dad tucked away in the far corner. I also bought two three rainmakers in wood (which my kids now use as a light sabre), a dream catcher (for my dad), a giraffe carved in wood and an African trinket box for mum. One thing you will notice about the trading post is that there is hardly any plastic gifts inside, most of the items are made from natural resources. That is until you see the ice cream freezer in the corner! Situated close by are picnic benches to leave the husbands as they get bored in here and toilets are close by incase you need to go to get over the shock of what you spend.
~~~~~NOAH'S ARC ~~~~~~~
My house is filled with cuddly toys so I did not want to add to my collection of dust magnets. Therefore I did not go in and neither did the children. Enter at your pockets peril. You will find this close to pets corner.
~~~~RAILWAY SHOP~~~~~
By the station. Little boys and big boys will enjoy being the "fat controller" for a few minutes, trying on train driver hats holding genuine artefacts of steam. Not a huge shop inside but packed full of gifts.
~~~THE SAFARI ~~~~~~~
Well I had to save the best till last. This is where if you are going to drive through at your own peril, you have to reclaim your vehicle. The safari park is situated next door to the house , separated by huge electric fences and huge redwood trees. For health sand safety they couldn't really have both on the same site. Follow the exit signs out and then you will pick up the safari route trail. The safari park opened in 1966 just before Windsor opened its grounds as a safari park (Windsor safari is now Lego land). Safety is paramount as you spend the next half hour or so depending on your own speed. Park Wardens are everywhere in the distinct Longleat Jeeps. If you need one incase of breakdown, at least you have the assurance you will get rescued. Each animal section is divided up, there are 8 in total and on entering the deer area, you can actually purchase some food to hand feed them from your car window. They are very tame and this was an enjoyable experience for all of us. They are very pretty but they dribble so have many hand wipes to hand so to speak. Food was about £1 for a small bag.
In my first paragraph on the safari, you will see I wrote, "enter at your own peril". This has nothing to do with the lion enclosure, they couldn't care less who we were unless you opened the car door and became an instant fast food snack for them! It had nothing to do with the wolves, which eye you suspiciously. Oh no, it was the Monkey Jungle.On our first safari trip we had just purchased a shiny newest Galaxy, pristine in white but just out of its warranty period as it was 3 years old.
We saw the warning signs before we approached the Monkey jungle; this is where you can come off the safari route and head back towards the exit. Did we listen to that warning, you guessed it; we went straight ahead even though various cars were doing a U turn at this point.
I remember seeing a Ford Sierra in front having its wipers ripped and chewed by a family of monkeys. Its roof was being used as an ice rink and we sat in our car mortified as to what we were witnessing at this poor chaps car. Little do we know as we watched, our roof lining on the galaxy (it holds the luggage box in place) was being devoured by another group of mini apes. When they jumped onto our windscreen and started to eat my wipes, hubby moved the car to shake them off but they held on for dear life and kept eating! Our car looked like it was having a funny turn, with the wheels going in and out. It wasn't until we reached the next enclosure that they jumped off. It was like instinct, they knew it wasn't their patch so they had to leave. It was only after we arrived at our haven site did we fully appreciate the words on that warning sign. Needless to say we didn't go "safari" last year.
If you do go, just don't stop, keep moving and then you might get away with the monkeys not molesting your car. Its quite shocking to see the damage they are causing other vehicles but if you spectate at others misfortunes, you might well be next. The different enclosures are : East Africa ReserveMonkey JungleBig Game ParkDeer ParkPelican PondTigersAnd finally the Lions, this is where you exit out as well.
Please note: ·
A safari bus service is available from Pet's Corner for visitors with soft-top vehicles, motorbikes or those who use public transport. Its not included in your passport price and will cost extra. I never used this service as we had our own car so cannot comment on the experience.
~~~~PLACES TO EAT ~~~~~~~~~
There are two as far as I remember, these being The Wessex Pavilion and the Cellar Café. On our first visit we used the Wessex and to be honest, it was revolting rubbish. That was a few years ago so perhaps they have changed their menu since then. When we visited, we found the portions tiny, only "just" cooked, bland and very expensive. The tables weren't exactly clean and fortunately I had a packet of wet wipes with me. Because of this bad experience the next time round we decided on taking a picnic. This I would recommend, as you know what you eating and it's cheaper and probably healthier. The other pit stop is the Cellar café and as we never used it, I cannot comment on its selection. This is situated in Longleat House.
~~~WANT TO GET MARRIED~~~~~
No this isn't a proposal. If you are considering taking your nuptials, then Longleat's Orange Room is licensed to marry you and they also hold receptions. Please call them direct or log onto their website for full details.
~~~WANT TO FISH?~~~~~~~
Then please contact for prices and further information Nick RobbinsLongleatWaterBailiff0198584449607889 625999 (mobile) for further details. Baby Changing A small selection available by the entrance to the Safari Park, or at the Adventure Castle, in the Cellars Restaurant, near to Old Joe's Mine and in the Wessex Pavilion. Quite clean but basic. Lost Children·
In the event that a child becomes separated from your party please make your way to the Longleat Railway. There are no lost stickers provided here so a good tip is to label your children with your mobile number just incase. Lost Property Ask at the Estate Office or call them on Tel: 01985 844400.
~~~ CONCLUSION ~~~~~~~~
Here are my reasons to visit:
Beautiful gardens and a great space for picnics.
Wonderful wildlife
A very relaxed atmosphere and memorable day out
Suitable for all ages
A very hands on experience
Unlimited personal photos
And of course the reasons against:
Very poor service to disabled visitors
Quite expensive unless you buy the passport ticke
tFood not brilliant in the Wessex
There are toilet facilities but you have to search for them.
Unlike theme parks where there are masses of loos, Longleat only has the bare minimum. These can become very busy at peak season so expect a long queue in the Ladies.
I enjoyed my days there, especially with the option to return and finish your passport ticket. In comparison with Buckingham Palace, this reigns supreme. I found the Buck House experience appalling and will never return, unlike Longleat which I have enjoyed twice and might well consider again this year.
If however you are still undecided, then why not check out the BBC 1 series "Animal Park" presented by hunky Ben Fogle. This show is on at various times during the year and worth watching.
Thanks for reading.
Cc mopples.
www.longleat.co.uk
exceptional
exceptional
very helpful
very helpful
