Exmoor Zoo A (Possible) First Visit?

[Brum]

Hi all,

In a couple of weeks I and the family will be in Devon for a week but we will be based in Torquay. As mentioned on another thread I intend to visit Paignton and Living Coasts but I also really, really want to visit Exmoor. But there are (as always) some questions attached.

1. Is it easily accessible from the South by public transport?

2. Is it likely to be "a zoo too far" for my none zoo geek girlfriend and the kids?

3. As it's the middle of winter am I likely to encounter a lot of water logged paths and enclosures with no-show animals?

The zoo has some great species that I've either never seen or not had chance to see in a long time, so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance (again),
Brum.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Hi all,

In a couple of weeks I and the family will be in Devon for a week but we will be based in Torquay. As mentioned on another thread I intend to visit Paignton and Living Coasts but I also really, really want to visit Exmoor. But there are (as always) some questions attached.

1. Is it easily accessible from the South by public transport?

2. Is it likely to be "a zoo too far" for my none zoo geek girlfriend and the kids?

3. As it's the middle of winter am I likely to encounter a lot of water logged paths and enclosures with no-show animals?

The zoo has some great species that I've either never seen or not had chance to see in a long time, so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance (again),
Brum.

Not sure how easy Exmoor is to do from Torquay, but as I have similar plans this is a good place to put the following - Newquay is pretty easy to reach from Torquay, as there are regular trains with not too many changes required to Newquay throughout the day.

So you might want to consider that as a backup if you cannot reach Exmoor.

 

[Brum]

Not sure how easy Exmoor is to do from Torquay, but as I have similar plans this is a good place to put the following - Newquay is pretty easy to reach from Torquay, as there are regular trains with not too many changes required to Newquay throughout the day.

So you might want to consider that as a backup if you cannot reach Exmoor.

I thought about Newquay but I've visited a few times in the past and whilst I love the place I really wanted to try some where different. As far as I'm aware the trains run quite frequently during the day from Torbay to Newquay but I think that may only be Monday to Saturday.

Newquay is definitely a backup option though!

And the only reason you want to go Newquay is because they have........ Active kinkajous and narrow-striped mongoose! Am I right?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

And the only reason you want to go Newquay is because they have........ Active kinkajous and narrow-striped mongoose! Am I right?

You'd be wrong actually

They also hold Dark cusimanse, Owston's banded palm civet, Fossa, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth, Carpathian lynx, Black-rumped agouti and Black wildebeest

Of all of those, it is the Owston's I most want to see.

 

[Parrotsandrew]

As usual I visited Exmoor by public transport from Paignton in September. Although it is one of the places nearer to Paignton I visit it is also the hardest to get to. I travel to Barnstaple by train which is easy enough (changing at Exeter SD of course), but then I get a taxi from Barnstaple as there is not a convenient bus to get me to the zoo as near to opening time as possible. Taxi fares are in the range £25 to £28, but I've been doing it for years on the basis that it is only once a year and I am on holiday. I catch a bus back from the end of the lane and it is very cheap into Barnstaple. There are buses just after 5 o'clock and just after 6 (mind you it will be dark by then now and I presume the zoo will now be closing at 5 anyway). If you don't mind not getting to the zoo until a bit later there is a 310 bus from Barnstaple (Mon to Sat) at 11.20. It should drop you off at the end of the lane at around 11.45 (it is due at Blackmoor Gate at 11.50). The bus back is due at Blackmoor Gate at 17.08, so I reckon about 17.13 at the lane end but this year it was 17.10 and luckily for once I had left the zoo in good time (probably due to the rain). As for the zoo paths the top part of the zoo (not the "new" paddocks part) is concreted and the lower part has constructed tracks for want of a better description (I don't know what the material is called). It should not be too bad.

What about Axe Valley as an alternative? I really liked it and it is only one mile from Axminster Railway Station (turn left out of the station then left again when you reach the main road i.e. doubling back past the station).

 

[Parrotsandrew]

I thought later on yesterday two other West Country collections that are easy to get to by public transport are Tropiquaria and Paradise Park. For Tropiquaria catch the train to Taunton then the Minehead bus from next to the railway station (right by the farthest right platform - that's the right from the front of the station). There are buses every half an hour (sadly I did not go this year, but I think they were at 17 and 47 minutes past the hour last year) and they drop you off opposite the entrance to Tropiquaria's car park. They take about an hour. Paradise Park is quite a long journey of course, but my train in September was in Hayle for 10 o'clock (the 7.02 from Paignton then the 7.28 from Newton Abbot) and it is only 10-15 minutes walk to Paradise Park. That was the summer timetable to Cornwall of course, something is telling me that I noticed last year autumn/winter trains go to Newquay with no changes (unlike in summer) but you have to change for trains heading for Penzance. I may have imagined that though!

 

[Brum]

You'd be wrong actually

They also hold Dark cusimanse, Owston's banded palm civet, Fossa, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth, Carpathian lynx, Black-rumped agouti and Black wildebeest

Of all of those, it is the Owston's I most want to see.

I've already seen the most of the above, including the nose of the palm civet! I gathered from your recent posts that active kinkajou were the next big challenge you'd set yourself!

And parrotsandrew, thanks for all the tips. I thought you'd be the man to answer these public transport enquiries.
Exmoor does seem like a challenge that I may tackle solo if possible, don't think I can persuade the other half to come with me to this one. But I'm definitely going to attempt it myself!
As to your other 3 suggestions I've visited Paradise Park (albeit not for a while) and it wasn't really my cup of tea; Axe Valley is tempting with their raccoon dogs and tree porcupines; Tropiquaria is a collection I have very little knowledge about but will look into. I will probably decide on which places to visit nearer the time.

Thanks for the information though, it's a great help!

 

[tetrapod]

Exmoor and Paradise are definitely worth it if you can get there. Difficult without a car, but mind you everywhere in Devon/Cornwall is. Don't know anything about Axe Valley, but wouldn't be bothered with Tropiquaria - very substandard with very few unusual species that you wouldn't find elsewhere.

 

[Brum]

Exmoor and Paradise are definitely worth it if you can get there. Difficult without a car, but mind you everywhere in Devon/Cornwall is. Don't know anything about Axe Valley, but wouldn't be bothered with Tropiquaria - very substandard with very few unusual species that you wouldn't find elsewhere.

This is my first time down South without transport, it's quite hard to get around with a car...
Thanks for the heads up on Tropiquaria, from what I've seen today it does just look like a 'typical' collection and I'll be honest, I want something different!

 

[Parrotsandrew]

My pleasure re the travel tips Brum. I am a big fan of Tropiquaria - I am at the front of the queue before opening and always the last to leave when it closes, but then it is my kind of place. I love the fact there are parrot aviaries with no stand-off barriers, making photography easy. I appreciate non parrot fanatics may not be as happy as I am to spend ages drooling over African Greys and Orange-winged Amazons though (and as for the Green-cheeked Amazons and Ducorp's Cockatoos!). I am always happy with some parrots to admire rare or not and I like the mammal collection there too, but if you are looking for something unusual you may be out of luck. It is, however, a good place to visit on a wet day as you can take refuge in the Tropical Hall. Of course I have also fallen in love with Wingz these last two years and it is not too far from the railway station at Par, but I don't think it is the kind of place you are looking for Brum. Now off to change my avatar to the picture I've just taken.

 

[Brum]

My pleasure re the travel tips Brum. I am a big fan of Tropiquaria - I am at the front of the queue before opening and always the last to leave when it closes, but then it is my kind of place. I love the fact there are parrot aviaries with no stand-off barriers, making photography easy. I appreciate non parrot fanatics may not be as happy as I am to spend ages drooling over African Greys and Orange-winged Amazons though (and as for the Green-cheeked Amazons and Ducorp's Cockatoos!). I am always happy with some parrots to admire rare or not and I like the mammal collection there too, but if you are looking for something unusual you may be out of luck. It is, however, a good place to visit on a wet day as you can take refuge in the Tropical Hall. Of course I have also fallen in love with Wingz these last two years and it is not too far from the railway station at Par, but I don't think it is the kind of place you are looking for Brum. Now off to change my avatar to the picture I've just taken.

Loving the new avatar!

Wingz doesn't fill me with confidence either to be honest, it's going to have to be Exmoor or possibly Newquay. Once again, thanks for the tips.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Dartmoor...

 

[Parrotsandrew]

Thanks re the avatar! My only visit to Dartmoor (1998) was not a triumph as far as getting there and back was concerned!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

As mentioned above, I have had similar plans bubbling about for a while - with the main objective of doing Paignton, Living Coasts and Newquay. However, when I came to finally getting around to booking accomodation (in Newton Abbot) I found to my pleasant surprise that this was cheap enough to permit an extra day in the southwest.

To that end, my plans now include room for a visit to Exmoor, if it proves doable - therefore, Brum, be sure to report back in-thread with your experience of getting there, if indeed you do go!

My planned southwestern trip will be in late January, by the by.

 

[Brum]

As mentioned above, I have had similar plans bubbling about for a while - with the main objective of doing Paignton, Living Coasts and Newquay. However, when I came to finally getting around to booking accomodation (in Newton Abbot) I found to my pleasant surprise that this was cheap enough to permit an extra day in the southwest.

To that end, my plans now include room for a visit to Exmoor, if it proves doable - therefore, Brum, be sure to report back in-thread with your experience of getting there, if indeed you do go!

My planned southwestern trip will be in late January, by the by.

I will do, I leave on Monday and if I get to said collections I will report back, if I don't get to do any extras or do different collections then I'll help with them. I'll also try and find out a winter timetable for you if it's any different to the summer one.
Newton Abbot is a good place to be, lots of public transport links and not on the edge either.
In all honesty I'm just glad to be going to Paignton again!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Newton Abbot is a good place to be, lots of public transport links and not on the edge either.

That's primarily why chose to go there rather than Torquay or Paignton - also, as it isn't as popular as those two, accomodation prices are much cheaper!

Hope wherever you end up going, you have a great time

 

[Brum]

That's primarily why chose to go there rather than Torquay or Paignton - also, as it isn't as popular as those two, accomodation prices are much cheaper!

Very true, we only went with Torquay because we got a cheap holiday with The Sun!

Hope wherever you end up going, you have a great time

Thanks, I'm sure it's going to be great despite what I've been reading about snow forecast for Devon...

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Very true, we only went with Torquay because we got a cheap holiday with The Sun........I'm sure it's going to be great despite what I've been reading about snow forecast for Devon...

One could argue the latter fact regarding the weather forecast is what you deserve for reading the Sun

 

[Brum]

One could argue the latter fact regarding the weather forecast is what you deserve for reading the Sun

We're all allowed a guilty pleasure and mine is buying a comic every day!

(And I have managed to get a cheap holiday as well... )

 

[Brum]

As mentioned above, I have had similar plans bubbling about for a while - with the main objective of doing Paignton, Living Coasts and Newquay. However, when I came to finally getting around to booking accomodation (in Newton Abbot) I found to my pleasant surprise that this was cheap enough to permit an extra day in the southwest.

To that end, my plans now include room for a visit to Exmoor, if it proves doable - therefore, Brum, be sure to report back in-thread with your experience of getting there, if indeed you do go!

My planned southwestern trip will be in late January, by the by.

Well I'm back and unfortunately only managed to do the two Torbay collections as our holiday was cut short and we had to leave on Thursday afternoon due to a death in the family.
I did find out some important information regarding travelling on buses in Devon... It's expensive! It cost £15 for a family saver for the Torbay area alone, if going by bus I suggest the £25 'megarider' which covers 7 days travel on all Stagecoach SouthWest buses which from what I can gather cover a lot (if not all) of the West Country and Shaldon, Devons British Wildlife Centre (incidentally just outside of Newton Abbot ), Paignton and Living Coasts are easily reachable from where you're staying. For Exmoor or Newquay it'll have to be train and bus because Devon is a bloody big county!
Hope some of this helps.

 

[Parrotsandrew]

Sorry to hear about your bereavement Brum.

TeaLovingDave, I am thinking that if you are staying in Newton Abbot and you don't mind an early start, you should be able to get a train to Exeter in time to catch another to Barnstaple that would enable you to catch the 8.50 310 bus via Bratton Fleming to the end of the lane to Exmoor Zoo. Obviously you would be at the zoo for about 9.30 and have to wait to get in, but it would be much cheaper than a taxi and the next bus is at 11.20. Only once have I managed to catch the early bus from Barnstaple, this was when there was a very early train from Paignton, even so I had to rely on it being right on time and then run over the bridge at Newton. It was worth it though and the half hour outside the zoo soon passed. I suppose I'd be better off staying in Newton, but I could not bring myself not to stay in Paignton - I like being able to potter up to the zoo on my days there and to have a walk on the front and the pier on the evenings after I have been to Paignton Zoo or am back for 7.30 if I've been somewhere else.