Sunday, April 13, 2014

So bad you have to laugh.


It isn't very often that I'm disappointed in a day out. We tend to be a family who make the most of what is given, be thankful and get on with it. Yesterday, my sister, mum and myself took James and Marley to visit Tattershall Farm Park. Which is described as a place where fun and farming go hand in hand. Ha. What a load of twaddle.
 Firstly, this place is just down the road from where we live. We couldn't find it, despite googling it before hand. There were no signs, nothing. It took us ages, I was getting more worried as James didn't have a nappy on and thought he might have an accident.  Col (sister) who was travel from a different direction spent over an hour getting there even though it was 15 miles away. We eventually found it down a pot holed, dirt track.
The price I didn't think was too bad £5.50, though it was the same price for a child as an adult which seemed a bit steep. The place itself is a few old barns and crew shed which have been altered. It looked grim from the start. There was 2 Shetland ponys in the smallest pen. I assume they have a bigger field somewhere. The tortoise area was non existent, we decided that they had escaped and were trying their luck in the wild. 
There was an outdoor wooden play area/obstacle course which was quite good but can be found in any park for free. There were also signs all over saying no adults in the play equipment. A few Little Tikes slides and houses were throw in for good measure. In one of the barns was a indoor soft play. The boys and Penny enjoyed running around. It wasn't busy (maybe due to people not being able to find the place) so they had the run of the place. It could do with some toilets in there and a few more chairs and tthe heating turned up as it was freezing.
In the other barn was a toddler area which had a few toys in it but smelt bad because it used to be a barn, a party room anda sandpit, which James and Marley enjoyed but was very cold to sit in and watch them play. 
The award winning cafe was ropey, with a smell of grease that hits you when you enter the place.  There was a definite lack of choice and it was expensive.  £5 for a panini and you had to ask for the side salad due to wastage! Marley had a childs jacket tate. The last potato so James couldn't have one. However, when his dinner arrived there was only half a potato on his plate. Goodness knows where the other had disappeared to. James has a ham sandwich and some of Grandmas chips. Luckly, I took a few munches with us for Penny and pudding. 
The animals were the wosrt part of the visit. As it sells its self as a farm park I did expect better. Near the outdoor play area was a classic farm animal, the raccoon. Just the one, looking very forlorn. Followed by a "colony", 2 chipmunks and I think 2 goldfinches. Nearby was an aviary containing 4 white doves, a pigeon and a pheasant. There were also a few chickens and a few sorry looking ducks in pens. In the main petting barn were a pig, 4 sheep, 2 rabbits and 3 baby rabbits. We thought there might be lambs as it is lambing season or goats and kids but no, nor were there any chicks just a sign saying there were coming. There were a few turtles, bearded dragons and mice in the reptile area. Despite the website stating that the animals liked cuddles there was no stroking the animals. No hands on displays and no staff in the petting barns. Oh I forgot the poor little barn owl and pegingrine falcon.  
The place feels like a swizz. That the owner thought a few animals and slide call it a park, charge what you like. There is no link between it and farming which was a shame for my farming/tractor mad son. Having said that, both boys enjoyed it and have a good day out, but they would have also enjoyed a day in the local park. In fact James spend the other morning in the village where we live watching them dig up the road. They are easily pleased. I think I'm more annoyed with the fact as adults we were taken in by having to pay to take them somewhere when in fact they don't really care.

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