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Devon's award winning all weather family day out

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We need your VOTES

17th September 2018

⭐️ We need your help ⭐️

It’s that time of year again when voting for the Primary Times Devon Reader Star Awards begins. We’d love to win this year, rather than one of the ‘larger’ adventure parks…. and as it all comes down to votes (and we know we are smaller than some of the other parks), we need your votes!

The Reader Star Awards is a simple online survey that asks a series of straight-forward questions about your favourite local family-friendly places / entertainment in the area. We know we have lots of lovely loyal visitors to the park, and we would be very greratful if you could vote for us…

Vote here >> https://bit.ly/2D1AHuo

 

PLUS, there are some fantastic prizes to be won for those who vote too…

First Prize

A 7-night break for a family (up to 8 people) from 23/8/2019 to 30/8/2019) in a luxury safari cabin at Crealy Meadows, 8 theme park tickets for the duration of the stay, Crealy Active Passes, Complimentary passes for ‘Fun on the farm adventure golf’ and ‘Berg bike hire’ and evening entertainment. T’s & C’s apply. 

Second Prize

£250 Gift Card to spend at Princesshay, Exeter.

Third Prize

Private party at Planet Play, Crediton worth over £200! Exclusive use of Planet Play, Crediton for 2 hours, food and drink for up to 12 children, x2 free hot drinks and x2 return vouchers (T’s&-C’s – party is for up to 12 children, but more can be added, available from 5pm, subject to availability). 

VOTING CLOSES MIDNIGHT ON SUNDAY 7th OCTOBER 2018

(T’s&C’s apply. See Primary Times website for full details).

We know we are quite small in comparison to others, so we are shamelessly ASKING FOR YOUR VOTES! Please vote for us as your favourite local family friendly attraction ⭐️

Thank you 😀

Vote here >> https://bit.ly/2D1AHuo

 

World of Country life Dorset Steam Fair Gladiator

GLADIATOR goes on holiday to Dorset

19th August 2018

Gladiator is one of our big Burrell showman’s steam engines who usually lives in the Hall of Transport, but this week she moved out to take a little holiday to Dorset.

Gladiator was moved by tractor to be taken on a trailer to the Dorset Steam Fair who are celebrating their 50 anniversary. Gladiator has never been to the fair before but is hoping for some admirers!

To celebrate their 50th anniversary, The Dorset Steam Fair, which  takes place from Thurs 23rd to Mon 27th August, will host 500 full size steam engines as a world record breaking event. Never before has such a gathering been attempted until now!  find out more here – https://www.gdsf.co.uk

If you can’t make it to Dorset to see Gladiator with her steam companions, here is a little bit of information about her.

‘Gladiator’ was completed on 14th March 1921 and supplied new to Fred Gray, a London showman based in Hampstead.  Originally called ‘Wonder’, her name was altered to ‘Gladiator’ at some stage in her career.  When her working days with Gray’s were over, she passed through four owners from 1955 to 1988, when the engine was occasionally rallied, before a major overhaul was required.  In 1988 ‘World of Country Life’ bought her and decided to restore her to her former glory.  A new firebox was fitted but the rest of the engine was in quite good mechanical order.  A new dynamo pulley was fabricated, new cladding sheets were made, additional fluted brass work was obtained and end fittings cast and machined, finishing with a full re-paint and coach lining with gold leaf.

Gladiator is currently in need of a hydraulic test hence not being in steam today.

Nigel Lee, Managing Director of World of Country Life recalls it was indeed the late Michael Oliver who was founder of the Great Dorset Steam Fair who officially opened the World of Country Life Museum on 31st March 1978 – 40 years ago this year!

Have a great time in Dorset Gladiator!

 

With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy.

All weather family fun on your doorstep!

3rd July 2018

World of Country Life, the multi-award winning all weather day out for the whole family, celebrates it’s 40th year – so what has made the park so successful? With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy.

With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy. There are 3 undercover soft play areas, outdoor adventure playground with swings, slides, roundabouts, trampolines and an air bouncer.

But it is the animal that are the real stars of the show with the farm animal petting zoo, daily bottle feeding, small animal handling, goat walking and ferret racing activities as well as Hawkridge birds of prey flying displays and the famous Deer Train Safari – where else can you hand-feed red deer and llama?

With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy. The museum of family farming, vintage and classic vehicle collection and the Reg Imray motorcycling collection make this a unique full day out for all generations, whatever the weather.  To commemorate 40 years in tourism, a brand new piece of play equipment was added to the outdoor play area this year, it was unveiled by the former Mayor of Exmouth, Brian Cole. A competition was held so the public could choose the name….

With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy.

Standing 4 meters tall, HARRY the Harvester was conceptualised by Nigel Lee, the owner of World of Country Life, designed by local Exmouth designer Michael Greenland and built by local firm Culver Sawmills. Harry the Harvester has flashing lights, lots of buttons and fantastic sound effects. Park Manager James Turner said “it has taken a lot of skill and hard work during some really tough weather to construct such a large and complex piece of equipment, but seeing the kids clambering around enjoying themselves makes it all worthwhile. Harry the Harvester will stand pride of place for years to come.”

Themed Pirate days and Wild West Wednesday’s are just a few of the events planned for the six weeks of Summer. All this along with the farm-themed restaurant serving locally sourced, home-cooked proper meals.

Check out the website for further details and future events on www.worldofcountrylife.co.uk.

Westdown Lane, Sandy Bay, Exmouth, Devon EX8 5BY. Tel: 01395 274533

 This article is from The Exmouth Property Press (issue 83 July 2018). 

With a fantastic mix of play areas, animals, museum exhibits and entertainment, there really is something for all ages to enjoy.

 

Wet weather? Rain won’t stop play here.

3rd April 2018

Hey folks! It’s Angus again! It’s been a bit wet here, but we don’t let this wet weather hold us back. We are having so much fun in the park this holiday with lots of indoor and outdoor activities taking place we don’t care what the weather is doing.

Get out of the rain for some indoor fun and try the pirate ship. Jump aboard for adventures galore, complete with docks and prison… arrrgghh! Plus we’ve picnic tables for the grown-ups to enjoy a cuppa from the Tractor Takeaway while watching the kids run up and down the gang plank or digging around in the sand searching for hidden treasure!

Come and visit the cuddly bunnies, squealing guinea pigs, gerbils, skinny pig, pygmy hedgehogs, chirping finches and budgies in the animal nursery. Phew… there are so many to see and cuddle. And keep an eye out for the stick insects too… they are so, well…. Sticky 😉

Our indoor Exhibition Hall and Hall of Transport are the perfect place to step back in time. Rural life, nostalgia and memorabilia from times gone by are showcased in our museum along with farming technology from the Victorian to Modern eras. Take a trip down memory lane, or learn a thing or two about years gone by in our very own Victorian street. Pop into the dress shop, game keeper’s cottage, ironmongers, dairy and even the pub (just don’t leave Dad there!)

And for the little (and not so little) transport lovers, we’ve got the South West’s largest collections of massive steam engines, immaculate vintage cars & vehicles.  See if you can spot our celebrity vehicles which have appeared ITV’s Mr Selfridge, Downton Abbey and BBC’s Parade’s End.

Once you’ve done all of that, it’s back to the soft play. Little ones can bounce, slide and climb until their hearts content in my very own soft play area the Vintage Garage Soft Play. Perfect for under 7’s and with picnic benches for the grown ups to watch and enjoy a well-earned rest.

And for the under 12’s our all weather Fun Farm Frenzy complete with ball pool, drop slide, bouncy castle and even a table tennis table is all undercover!

And we’re not done yet! Get up close and personal with the larger animals in our Pet Centre – close enough to pet, feed and cuddle them! Perfect for the whole family whatever the weather.

And, if you’ve not met me yet, pop along to the undercover Barnyard theatre. At 2pm everyday and i’ll be there for some animal racing fun – International Total Wipeout Ferret Racing, such a laugh for kids and adults too.

And if you don’t mind a spot of rain on your head, of course there are all the other parts of the park too…. Take a look at our interactive map.

Happy Holidays, whatever the weather 😉

Tags: days out, indoor fun, wet weather

95 bus exmouth world of country life

The No 95 bus from Exmouth town / sea front to World of Country life is back, with a brand new look!

16th March 2018

Hey guys, Angus here… I’ve been in the papers again! I was very pleased to have been invited to the launch of the no. 95 bus. It’s back again for the summer, but with a brand new look for 2018.

The open-top ‘Big Beach Bus’ hit the road earlier than normal this year to coincide with the opening of Devon Cliffs Holiday Park and the start of our main season too. The 95 route connects the Sandy Bay with us here at the World of Country Life and Littleham, Exmouth sea front and Exmouth town centre too.
The bus has been revamped with a fun, new look celebrating everything that is best about the beach, but retains the name the ‘Big Beach Bus’ as it was originally suggested by Littleham CofE Primary School children back in 2014.

To celebrate the launch of the new bus Littleham school children wrote poems about a trip aboard the bus. The winning poem was written by pupils in Year Four, ages 8 to 9, with two runner-up poems written by Taylor-Rose Anslow and Daniel Jeeves in Year Six. The poems will be displayed in the interior of the bus, providing customers with an entertaining read as they enjoy their journey to us at World of Country Life from Exmouth sea front / town.

Myself and some of the team joined the class who collaborated on the winning poem for the bus’ first trip of 2018. We were met at Sandy Bay by Stagecoach South West Managing Director Bob Dennison, the Mayor of Exmouth Brian Cole and some of the team from Devon Cliffs.

Here at the World of country Life, we know the 95 bus service is vital for a lot of families wanting to join us for the day, and this brand new look is just fabulous. What do you think?

 

If you need to plan your journey on the 95 Big Beach Bus to visit us, click here to view the timetable.

 

Here’s a photo of us all at the launch 😀

95 bus exmouth world of country life

Children and teachers from Littleham CofE Primary School with MD of Stagecoach SW Bob Dennison, Operations Director of Stagecoach SW Paul Clark, the Mayor and Mayoress of Exmouth and some of our team from the World of Country Life and Devon Cliffs.

Snow, babies and Mother’s Day

7th March 2018

Hey folks, it’s Angus here; I can’t believe we’re into March already! Where has the time gone? It feels like only a few weeks ago we were celebrating Christmas (although all that snow did make me feel all Christmassy again!) I hope you all had fun playing in the snow and managed to keep safe. I did my rounds of the animals to make sure they were all safe, well and warm, and in particular I checked on all our new babies. I think they were excited by the snow, but we had to make sure they were kept warm – did you see the lambs and rabbits trying to snuggle up?

new babies snow world of country life

Spring is a great time of year for us, not only do we open our doors for the main season whoop whoop! (from Saturday 10th March), but we get lots of cute little babies being born. As you’ll have seen on our Facebook and Instagram pages, we’ve had lambs, calves, goats, joeys and hoglets to name a few. We know you love visiting them as much as we love looking after them. And not forgetting their Mum’s too, who have been doing a sterling job rearing them.

joey baby world of country life      baby goat world of country life

That reminds me, I best get going…. I need to get all the activities and crafting ready for this weekend. I can’t wait to welcome all the Mums and Grans along for free on Sunday (11 March).

See you then, Angus x

Ps. We’ve got some Mother’s day specials on in Farmer Lee’s Food Barn too! Yummm….

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Sandy Bay
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