Bewilderwood! One of the UK’s leading attractions and would you believe it, a stones throw from Norwich, my home City and where my Mum still lives. You can even get the bus there from Norfolk’s capital and it doesn’t take very long at all!

There’s not much to do in Norfolk I always find, not much where you don’t absolutely need a car for anyway and it’s one of the reasons we just can’t bring ourselves to move out of London and ‘back home’. It’s lovely and we do want to ‘come home’ eventually but finding reasons to decamp from buzzing London are few and far between. And then a little gem like Bewilderwood reminds me why Norfolk living isn’t all boring with nothing to do. A little gem that’s just outside of Norwich but on a bus route makes me think perhaps I could return and still have fun, amazing things to do with the little ones. A little gem like Bewilderwood reminds me what Norfolk has to offer. Even on a day when the sun isn’t shining brilliantly – Norfolk ALWAYS looks good in the summer!

We first thought about visiting Bewilderwood when Florence was about 16 months old. We decided against it thinking she was too small but then when invited a couple of months later we realised how wrong we’d been. Bewilderwood is absolutely fantastic with a tiny one, even a babe in arms! Florence was 18 months on our first trip in 2011 and she absolutely LOVED it! We went again last year in 2012 when Jimmy was just a tiny, tiny baby and again we had the best time! As a baby Jimmy loved looking at everything and it’s such a magical place that no wonder!

This year we have decided that it just gets better and better and better! Florence remembered it and as soon as we walked up to the gate started shouting ‘We’ve been here before, we’ve been here before!’ and she was so excited because she knew what was in store!

Waiting to go in!

Bewilderwood is based on the characters in Tom Blofeld’s children’s books. He is not only the author of the stories but creator of the park itself which brings Mildred the Crocklebog, Swampy (a young Marsh Boggle), Hazel the Wood Witch and all their friends to life in the woods.

Everywhere you look are tiny fairy and elf houses in the trees with curious walkways for only tiny woodland folk to access. There is definitely magic in the air and as you make your way over the windy walk-ways to the first adventure playground, where fairy houses are then big enough for us, you are enchanted by the surroundings.

Fairy and elf houses!

And then you are spoiled for choice! Do you enter one of two massive toddlewood areas, such named as they are intended for the smaller of the children? Climb high above the tots on tree top adventures with massive slides and climbing aparatus, build a den, shoot through the tunnels or swing through the trees on zip wires? There is also lots of play equipment like swings as well as a giant sand pit and a stage where the activities happen. Unfortunately we were directed in the wrong way so we missed Twiggle Twirling, something we loved last year and we JUST missed the show too! But that was my fault as we were busy over the other side of the park!

So many places to tuck yourself away and eat a picnic or buy some of the delicious smelling food make it even better and because of the trees, even on a wet day you will be under cover and not in need of a brolly!

SO much to do!

We loved the slides and the zip wires the most I think and this year even Jimmy was big enough to join his sister on the baby zip wires! She was more scared than him! Jimmy couldn’t get enough of it and giggled loudly and heartily! Florence made friends with two other little girls and we even saw a fellow blogger and friend Alice from An Essex Wife who seemed to be enjoying her day as much as we were ours! We also absolutely loved building dens with Daddy!

Amazing baby zip wires!

Building a den!

Lots of fun at Bewilderwood!

We were really sad when it was time to take the boat trip back to the entrance and leave Bewilderwood for another year. So sad in fact that I’m thinking of a revisit at half term! The prices are good. Really good! And so much better value than some of the massive attractions you see advertised nationally. A yearly membership is £50 for an adult, £40 for a child up to 3.5ft and under 92cm they go FREE. For a senior like my Mum it would just be £30! She could have one and take the children (who are both under 92cm) every single week for £30 a year if we lived in Norwich – yep the reasons to come back just keep coming! Day tickets are also very reasonable and I like that. The man at the till said he thought they were TOO cheap at £13.50 being the top price but I have to say I don’t agree. I think it would be a shame if they were much higher and that it’s a massive draw being the price they are! It makes it affordable and accessible for everyone and EVERYONE should visit Bewilderwood. It truly is superb and I can SO see why it’s one of the leading UK attractions!

We all said on the way home that if you were on holiday in Norfolk for a week and visited here and Pleasurewood Hills, another favourite Norfolk attraction of mine that I most recently reviewed here, then it would be time and money well spent!

We have been bewildered in the woods once more and can’t wait to go back!

I have not been paid to write this post but I was sent complimentary tickets for the purpose of review.