Thorp Perrow - Arboretum and Bird of Prey & Mammal Centre

Very nice place, we visited on a winters day and there was plenty of space to walk with a nice atmosphere. Particularly enjoyed the landscaping, trees, plants and shrubs which was pleasant even in the cold weather. There was a bird show and it was nice seeing the hawks, owls, bald eagle. Other animals as well including goats, walabis, meerkats. There is a cafe including sandwiches, hot drinks and food. There is a playground for kids and the menu in the cafe includes sandwiches for children. Plenty of parking makes it easy to get in and out. I recommend visiting any seasons.

Went Halloween 🎃 Week...Half term, so quite busy..but what a fantastic place..the wonderful colours of the trees...I stood in awe...especially at the gorgeous Acers in their autumnal splendor. I'd like to go back in Winter with a light dusting of snow underfoot and also in spring when new growth is coming through. Cafe is ok.. the pre packed sandwiches tbh, were one of best I've eaten. If you haven't been...GO ,I can't recommend it highly enough. Its quite easy to get round and mostly flat. Wear appropriate footwear. I'll definitely be going again.

Been to Thorp Perrow many times and always enjoy it. We visited on Sunday to do the Halloween Trail, which has become a tradition now. Brilliant trail, lots of spooky things for kids to spot and a trail sheet to complete - although sometimes a little confusing to work out which scene matched up with the picture on the sheet. The kids also get a prize for taking part in the trail, this year it was a Halloween book - lovely idea! Lots of other parts of woodland to explore too, which is beautiful in autumn with the changing leaves. A great playground for kids too. Plenty of places to eat around the grounds too, although we only got hot chocolates from the cafe so can't comment on the food - looked nice though! Hot chocolates were ok, toppings were great (we had Halloween sprinkles!), but were a bit pricey for instant hot chocolates - kids ones seemed better though. Also visited the birds of prey centre too and managed to see two of the three displays, which were great as always. The keepers are very knowledgeable about the birds in their care and it's great to see the birds in action - especially the falcon! Would highly recommend visiting Thorp Perrow and if you've got kids, definitely come for one of their seasonal trails.

The arboretum was lovely; great walks, good planting and an interesting variety of mature trees create an enjoyable woodland to wander through. The various statues and carvings make it a good place to explore. It feels bigger than it is. The cafe was tasty and quick with plenty of outdoor seating - some of which was under cover. The generous portion of delicious soup came with 2 rounds of sliced bread and appeared to be homemade. The lemon cake was too tempting to resist. The bird of prey and mammal centre was a little disappointing. The birds are clearly well looked after and cared for but the walled garden area feels under-funded and in need of renovation. Large areas that could have held aviaries were boarded off with weather worn plywood. It’s a shame those spaces don’t hold more birds. The display was great - educational and entertaining. The talk was given by a keeper who clearly knows their stuff and cares passionately for the birds. It was difficult to find the entrance for the mammal section as only the alternative gate was open. The baby meerkats were adorable, the goats cheeky and the wallabies very chilled out.

A spectacular autumnal display of colour this year, every view was glorious. The sheer scale of this arboretum takes nearly all day to explore. Lots of Champion Trees many massive and wonderful avenues and vistas. Very dog friendly too.