Bewilderwood - Norwich, anybody been?

[sherby]

website here

It looks really good, anybody been yet?

DD would love this for her birthday I think

How old is DD?

My DD (10) loved it

It is all zipwires and slides and treehouses

You need imagination and a sense of fun

It is not at all like Alton Towers/Chessington/Disney

Very like (but a bit more commercial than) the Fairy Fair

You can go into the woods and make dens (lots of wood left there for you)

You need some confidence and a sense of adventure

I loved it

We've been - great fun - but don't go on a nice day in the school summer hols - you will spend all day queuing. I also wouldn't take a sizable party of kids unless they are old enough to be left to raom and meet back at a certain point at a certain time. The climbing structures are huge and spread through the tress, with several exits - so you could have children all a long distance from each other and it would be v hard to keep track of them all.

They have opened a small children's area for this summer, but I haven't seen that.

Take a picnic - the catering was under strain last summer - large queues.

Blu from the look of the recent job ads I think they may have the catering sorted - we went at Christmas and the food was fab

I'd agree about losing them - but at 10 I don't worry too much losing her can be qite nice

It was lovely even in mid-winter

Yes, went last summer, How old your DD, when is her birthday? How far would you travel?

Local opinion is that it's pricey for what you get, best take your own lunch. I think my kids like Dinosaur Park better. There were other MN threads about Bewilderwood but I can't find any. Mostly it's a treehouse bonanza, with some of the scariest slides I've ever seen. Best for over 3s (I think it's free for under 5s). They do birthday parties, I think.

Would it appeal to teenagers?

I'm thinking of our annual family get together with the cousins

Young teens I think fine, max. 15yo probably best 14 and under. What does the website say?
Go Ape (Thetford) is better for a group of kids mixed age 10+.

yep, we went last yr, it was fab! the boys loved it xx

Thanks

I would agree with 14 and under.

She will be 3.

But she is obsessed with treehouses at the moment, 'builds' them all over the house. It looks like something she would love. She is quite happy to go down the 'death slide' at soft play so I think she would be okay with the heights and everything.

Only about 1hrs drive away.

They have a new toddler area (haven't seen it, but was mentioned in local press). There's probably lots she'd enjoy, will cost more to get you & another adult in than for her. I took DS at age 3+1 month and he had a blast (went down slides I found too scarey, lol).

Just showed her the video on the website and she almost wet herself

I think we'll probably be going!

Hi everyone
DS1 wants to go, how accessible is it for large pushchairs/wheelchairs, I'm not sure if we can take ds2??

I'd say the grounds will be fairly hard to push on - it's like a walk in the woods - but I reckon you could if you have a strong pusher. It is quite hilly too - the paths are very rough with tree-roots (but they are clearly marked)

None of the rides would be suitable, no wheelchair/buggy access on to them - lots of ladders no ramps

Would your DS be upset not to join in on the slides & zip-wires (I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that he wouldn't be able to - sorry that is rude of me)

Sherby my friend went with her DC's 3 & 6 the 6 year old loved it but the 3 year old found there was lots of stuff they couldn't do.

Thanks Katymac, I guess we will have to leave it until dh can come too.
Its not so much that ds2 would feel left out, ds1 (8) may want me to go on with him, thinking more about the tree walks than the zip wires

I'd be pushing ds2 on the ground while ds1 would be running around above somewhere.

Back to trying to decide where to go tomorrow then.

Oh & not rude at all Katy, don't worry, thanks for the info!

I could come with you to give a push later on in the week, if that's any good

It's DD's (10) favourite place

I'm a childminder (I can show you my certificate/insurance ) so I'd be fairly safe to leave your DS with while you & DS1 & my DD went on all the stuff?

Mind you DS would be fairly safe there by himself - the staff are great, if he were 5 or 6 I'd agree - but at 8 I think he'd be OK

Have you been to Thrigby? - That has a lovely high walk (much higher than Bewilderwood) - I've let DD on that by herself since about 6

Thats so kind Katy, thank you. DS1 is desperate to go somewhere tomorrow though.
Thrigby was the other option & I think ds2 would enjoy that too so maybe we'll go there instead.

I'll wait until dh is at home to look after ds2 & i can take ds1 to bewilderwood.
I'll give you a shout if you & dd would like to join us

thanks again for your kindness

No problem

Thrigby is good even with a double (we often go there with all the mindees)

Once you are in, it's quite safe and as long as away from the water (don't do that walk with a buggy - it's a bugger) you can let DS have a bit of freedom (it's about 1 mile from us)