We’ve been to Pensthorpe Natural Park in Norfolk before but the last time was over 18 months ago and much has changed since then. A big injection of fun has been created and added into what was already a pleasant day out. Pensthorpe was the sort of place we would go for a quiet day, we wouldn’t spend hours and hours but we really enjoyed the natural habitat that can be see, feeding the ducks and seeing the flamingos. There were fun things for the children to do but nothing on a grand scale. A dibble with a net in the pond to find what lies beneath the surface and the odd bit of apparatus dotted here and there all in keeping with the setting.

It was nice and we enjoyed it. We’ve been more than once so we must have done but now that the children are older and demand more of an all singing element to their days out I was sceptical if the draw would still be there. Days out are far more precious to us now that Florence has started school. We can’t just visit my Mum on a whim and end up staying a fortnight because we feel like it and when we are here we have to fill our time wisely. I KNOW they enjoy the zoo and BeWILDerwood is our favourite but I just wasn’t sure how much wildlife and walking along the river they could take without something ‘exciting’ to accompany it…

But, we decided to give it a go and see what happened! We packed up a picnic and off we trundled in Colin the Corsa to the park which is just by Fakenham, about a 40 minute drive from Norwich.

As soon as we arrived we saw it. Right by the car park we knew. Pensthorpe has been pimped and in a way that made Florence’s eyes dance!

A MASSIVE new playground that I honestly had no idea about had suddenly arrived and built out of wood it just sat perfectly, slotted into the back ground where the BBC once filmed ‘Spring Watch’ and we knew that getting her around the reserve was going to be a mission. Once you’ve seen the sort of equipment we could see from the car park it’s hard to want to go anywhere else first! But… We were there to see everything and starving hungry too so our first stop was a bench over looking the river for a spot of hot soup from the Thermos.

So we had our lunch and took deep breaths of fresh air as we appreciated the vista. Birds chirruping and cows mooing with all but silence elsewhere. The car park was SO packed but I couldn’t see the people? Strange or perhaps it’s because Pensthorpe is so vast? The children were given books to find stamps and soak up information with each stamp station along the way and this kept them occupies as we walked around the park leisurely. We saw beautiful sculptures, landscaping and enjoyed the small things to entertain along the way. We fed birds (Florence and Jimmy were very scared after a nipping incident at the beginning so we abandoned that soon after we started) and found bugs, sticks and streams. It was perfect and quiet and fun.

When we got to the end of the trail after a hut build out of willow, more stamps, animals, bug hotels and microscopes with more bugs to examine we got to have a little play with the things we already knew about. The small climbing frame area, flamingos, red squirrels and dibbling pond were all there but beyond that… Just at the edge of the park and in no way taking up any of it or its aesthetics, was THE playground. We HAD to go in!

It is simply stunning with thought provoking pieces of art that can be climbed on and in and over. Musical instruments to be jumped on, tunnels to run through, MASSIVE slides to whiz down, zip wires, sand pits, diggers, assault courses and the stream… Oh the stream! We LOVED the stream!

It’s amazing and dare I say it, I feel like I need it to be a whisper… It almost makes it as good as BeWILDerwood. Next year there will also be a massive soft play indoor centre and you know what, I can’t promise but I imagine it will definitely be a rival! I’ll have to go back and let you know!

The stream was awesome today and it’s the end of October, imagine how much fun it will be in the summer. I asked a member of staff if we will be able to come and use JUST the play area for a discounted rate. He said he didn’t know. Apparently they want to encourage young people into the reserve which I understand but I do so hope they make it possible jut to have a play because actually we would go more. We’d go just to play sometimes and to do it all others! I spoke to a family who have an annual pass and they say they’re there al the time. I can see why!

We LOVED it at Pensthorpe today and I even bought my Christmas decorations (I buy a few new ones every year) in their beautiful gift shop. Oh if you’re in Norfolk, whatever the weather, it’s a brilliant place to be! I’m so pleased we went, take a look at our video and you’ll see why!

We were given complimentary passes in return for an honest review.

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