Hatton Country World
Yesterday we had an amazing day out at Hatton Country World in Warwickshire. We set off around 10:15 am and arrived at 11. It was a 45 minute drive for us from our home in Birmingham but one we were so much looking forward to doing for weeks.
Hatton Country World is hosting a huge Easter Eggstravaganza over the Easter Holidays from 12th – 29th April 2014 so we had to check it out. It’s been a few years since our last visit so we were very excited to see all the the new activities and of course our old favourites too.
On arrival we were greeted by a Piggie Person who was waving at all the kids as they came in. With two very excited children jumping up and down it was going to be a very long day. Our first stop was a quick look inside at Snorty’s Superslide Mania which was a huge indoor play area full of huge slides, rope courses, ball pools and so much more. It’s also home to the Cafe but we were coming back later on in the day to enjoy this bit.
After a quick play inside we headed outside to the Guinea Pig Village where we got to see lots of cute and cuddly Guinea Pigs, rabbits, sheep and pigs too. The children and I were delighted that we got to hold and stroke the Guinea Pigs, they were so lovely and soft and mega cute.
I loved seeing the baby animals, there was some new little lambs and some gorgeous new piglets. We got to feed the sheep and the goat with some pots of feed that we bought for just 50 pence which was lots of fun, the kids had a great time. I could have watched those sweet little piglets all day, they were so sweet and cute. Awwww!
Not far from the Guinea Pig Village was one of Hatton’s newest attractions, their Scales & Tails. Now I’m not a fan of anything with scales so I was a little scared about this part but not my little man Ryan he was raring to go and couldn’t wait to get up close and personal with all the animals in there. He loved seeing the snakes and the big spiders but loved being able to hold one of the lizards on his lap the best. I couldn’t believe how brave he was, just 3 years old and holding a lizard on his lap happily giving it a loving stroke or two.
Next stop on our fun day out was the fairground rides and the bouncy castles and super slides. All of which are completely free to go one, with Hatton you pay to get in and then all the attractions inside are then free which is one part that this mummy loves.
The only thing that we did that wasn’t free was the pony rides which were £2.50 a go and the Buckaroos Cow which was a machine and cost £1 a go.
After playing on the slides and bouncing around on the outdoor trampolines we had a go at looking for gold in the Gold Rush game. We dug through the sand and sieved out the water trying to find pieces of gold. When we gad collect 10 pieces of gold we could exchange them for a gold medal. It wasn’t easy finding 10 pieces of gold but after about half an hour we managed it and took it over to the kiosk to claim our reward. Luckily we only needed one set of 10 pieces to collect a medal for all of us, well each of the kids anyway. I couldn’t have one as I was a little old, boo hoo. I might borrow one of the kids when they are not looking.
Hatton has lots to do outside, there’s a huge sandy volleyball pitch, Frisbee Golf and a huge adventure play area with ropes to climb and slides to slide down. There’s even a set of old fashioned boat swings which the kids loved having a go on.
Next up for us was the fantastic Easter Egg Hunt. These were held at 3 set times throughout the day and you could go along and join in any one that you wanted. We went along to the 1.30 pm hunt and had an amazing time. We were greeted by the Easter Bunny himself and taken to a huge field filled with cute Easter decorations and lots of hidden plastic eggs. We had to collect 5 different coloured plastic eggs to claim our prize which was 6 real chocolate mini eggs. We really enjoyed the hunt, there was 50 children at a time taking part but enough eggs for everyone. I loved the fact that every child got their 6 chocolate eggs whether they found all the plastic eggs or not which was great for the smaller children taking part.
After all that egg hunting we were pretty hungry so we headed back inside to the Cafe to eat. Most people tend to bring a picnic when they come to Hatton as the food can be a little pricey but today we were going to treat ourselves and give it a try. For those who do bring their own food you will be very pleased to know that Hatton has lots of outdoor picnic spots, tables and benches dotted all around the park for families to use and enjoy.
We ordered chicken chunks, chips and beans for the kids and sausage and chips for Daddy and their special of the day, Pizza and chips for me. All of the food was delicious and went down a treat, yes it might be costly, our 4 meals and 4 drinks cost us a total of £28 but it was all delicious and very much enjoyed by all of us (Ignore Lily’s grumpy face in the pic).
After dinner we were all ready to go back outside and have some more fun so this time we headed over to the JCB Track where there were lots of JCBs to ride on, pedal or push. Ryan and Lily loved this, they were playing here for almost an hour before we had to drag them away to try something else but that’s the thing with Hatton. There’s just so much to do, one day just isn’t enough to do it all. We could quite happily go back to do some of the other stuff.
As well as the wonderful JCB Track there is also a big Tractor track too. You get to pedal or push your tractor (depending on which your child chooses) around a tyre set course which is always lots of fun. My two loved this, it was great fun to watch for me but not for Daddy who spend most of his time giving Ryan a push all the way around.
Hatton also has a huge sandpit area which is full of big digger and lots of buckets and spades for all the children to play with. On a gorgeous day like yesterday this is just perfect for summer fun. My two played here for over an hour just digging and playing in the sand whilst I got to relax on the grassy banks nearby just soaking up the sun. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Hatton really is a delightful place to be when the sun is shining!
Our day ended at 5.30 when the park was going to close but not before we had a quick visit to the gift shop on the way out. We really had an amazing day and did so much. We didn’t get to do everything but we did what we wanted to do so we were all very happy. If you’re planning a day out in the West Midlands this Easter or any day in fact, Hatton Country World is definitely one to try. It’s one of my top 10 all time favourite places to visit!
Adults cost £12.95, children cost £13.95 and under 2’s are free. With so much to do and see at Hatton Country World it’s worth every penny. We had an amazing time and can’t wait to go again, they hold lots of amazing events all through the year so keep an eye out so you don’t miss one that you might love. Hatton is beautiful in the summer but it’s Pumpkin Picking in October is always lots of fun too, another one of our faves.
Thank you so much for Hatton Country World who kindly invited us and covered the cost of our trip this time – we had an amazing time. Thank you.
