A day out for the kids?

[AdrianW1963]

I will be having my Niece’s children over for the weekend 7/8th September and would like to visit a new collection so which one of the following would you consider to be a good morning/day out please?

The number in brackets is for new species at the collection for my life list, they have been taken from ZTL so may be out of date by now.

Linton zoo (13), Shepreth zoo (8), International birds of prey Newent (5), Yorkshire wildlife park (5) or London zoo

I have picked these as they are well within a 2 hour public transport trip each way or if you can think of any other collection within 2 hours of travel via public transport from Birmingham new street station?

 

[amur leopard]

Hmmm..... Linton looks great, with the quolls and all... I'm hesitating between Linton and YWP.
YWP is probably better with the kids due to the leopards & polar bears but.... there's not much in it.

 

[AdrianW1963]

The following species are no longer at the International Birds of prey centre as of a e-mail received this morning (25/08/2019)

African Harrier Hawk, African Hawk Eagle, American Kestrel, Bateleur Eagle, Black goshawk, Black Winged Kite, Booted Eagle, Eastern Egyptian Vulture, Eurasian Osprey, Ferruginous Hawk, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Martial Eagle, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Red Tailed Hawk,

These are species currently on the ZTL list as currently held by the collection will some please remove from the ZTL list and put them in the former species held part many thanks in advance

 

[AdrianW1963]

Looks like Blackpool as the kids want to go to the beach as well, But Yorkshire wildlife park will be done before the end of September as the new Birding season starts the 22nd September with trips from local group.
Did suggest Chester but they said no to that straight away but will be getting a membership next year as I have found a way of getting my rail travel down from £50 return to £19 return for the same journey any day of the week.
Linton does look great to be honest and as now been put down on the list for next year along with IBOP Newent.
Next year will be my last year of visiting many UK collections as I will be concentrating on collections abroad mainly the good Bird species collections to start with.

 

[Pootle]

Gotta be Blackpool, a good Zoo, and a short bus or taxi ride from the Zoo you have enough to keep children entertained for yonks…beaches, piers, arcades, a tower and rock.


Any initial thoughts on where you are looking to go on your abroad trips?

 

[AdrianW1963]

At the moment the favourite for my first trip will be Dresden, Berlin & Cologne I intend to do this early 2020 looking into hotels at the moment as I have already got the train worked out.
Dresden first for 4 nights then Berlin for 5 nights and finally Cologne 3 nights.
The train journey will take a few hours to say the least but I love travelling by rail as you can see so much landscape and would miss this going by plane.

 

[Pootle]

Good luck with it. Got to agree, a plane is convenience for getting in and out of a city, but to see where you are going, you can't beat either driving yourself, (you choose your route that way) or going by train. Avoid school holidays for better hotel prices, and less little people...