Day Out At Twycross Zoo
Published On Friday 21 Aug 2015 by Sticky Beak
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Summer Holidays are always a struggle to keep the kids amused, especially a few weeks into them, so we asked our Chick what she fancied doing. To our surprise she suggested a trip to Twycross Zoo. The Boy Wonder and I nodded our assent and thought it might qualify as an entry in our “Sticky Beak on Tour” section that we’ve just started seeing as it’s in another county.
The Zoo opens its doors at 10am and we were bang on time, along with many other families all eager to enjoy some quality family time together. First port of call after gaining entry was the Himalaya Restaurant and Cafe Tibet to grab some breakfast. The Man and I both opted for the seven item breakfast at £6 and Chickadee had the Breakfast Sandwich which was £3.95 (any 3 items from the breakfast selection - she had Bacon, Sausage and Mushrooms).As soon as we sat down to tuck in who should make an appearance but Mr Snow Leopard himself; keep walking Kitty this bird shares her food with nobody, not even V.I.Cs (Very Important Cats)! The food was really tasty and hot, the premises were spotless and the staff were very helpful and friendly.
With some food in our tummies we set off to explore the grounds of the zoo and soon got lost in all the marvellous monkeys and their antics. Before we knew it, it was 1p.m so we decided to head over to Twycross Fish Bar to re-fuel. The Chick wasn’t feeling particularly hungry and said she would just nibble a few chips from our plates, so we got 2 portions of Scampi and Chips and I had a pot of peas, the Man had a pot of beans. Even though it was peak time for eating the service was very quick and tables were being cleared and cleaned very efficiently, so no excessive waiting for food or seating. Again the food was hot and tasty, and the portion size was generous - we had 9 or 10 pieces of good sized Scampi each and a large scoop of chips too. In fact we actually couldn’t quite finish them all so it was just as well that Chickadee had said she would have some off our plates.
I had a bottle of Rose Lemonade and the Boy had a bottle of Traditional Lemonade too. The chips were lovely and fluffy, not greasy either and the Scampi was good quality so the coating was crispy not soggy. We took the opportunity to have a look at the programme to plan which talks we were interested in hearing over the course of the afternoon. The Giraffe enclosure was first up, and then we sauntered over to the Elephant area to see them receive their snacks of carrot, cauliflower and cabbage. The baby is growing up quickly and was indulging in a sand bath and playing with mum.
We had a little bit of time to kill before the Penguin presentation so we went into the Wet and Wild Lodge for a little snack. This time the Chick was peckish so she had a slice of Chocolate Brownie and a Hot Chocolate and His Nibs decided he wanted some Chocolate Brownie too, but I liked the look of the Lemon and Blueberry cake so that’s what I had. The brownie was lovely and chocolatey and all gooey in the middle, so it went down with murmurs of delight, and my cake was really nice and moist too. I could taste both the lemon and blueberry in it and it had a really nice lemon frosting on top that just finished it off beautifully. The Man and I had also had a latte each, and the coffee is a nice smooth blend so we really enjoyed them.
I have to say that I was quietly impressed by the standard of the food on site at the Zoo, and would quite happily eat there again. However, if you don’t fancy that there is a large covered picnic area for you to enjoy your own food in, as well as plentiful outdoor seating and tables for when the weather allows al fresco dining.
We bid farewell to the Zoo and all its inhabitants at around 4.30p.m having had a fantastic day out. There is an extensive programme of events over the summer and autumn, with Elephant Celebration week 21st-25th September and Halloween 20th October-1st November. Head on down to experience some great family fun and memory making, you’ll be surprised at how much fun you’ll have. I just want to say a huge thank you to all the Zoo team; we had a brilliant time with you
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