Birmingham Nature Centre

Sep 19 2008 By Alison Handley

CHILDREN love animals - and mine are no exception.

But if we had to pay the entrance fee to a zoo every time my two-year-old wanted to get up close and personal with some fluffy, furry and feathered friends, I'd have empty pockets by now.

Step forward Birmingham Nature Centre, a fabulous day out for little ones and their not so little companions and at a snip of the price of many similar attractions.

The Nature Centre is tucked away just two miles south of Birmingham city centre, on Pershore Road.

One of Birmingham's best kept secrets, it's just a stone's throw away from Cannon Hill Park and I've become a regular visitor with my daughters - Eleanor, aged two and her one-year-old sister, Isabel.

Children get in free and while the standard price of an adult ticket is £1.70, adults accompanying under fives are treated to a special offer of just £1.40. Senior citizens and Passport to Leisure holders pay £1.10.

But while the entry fee is remarkably reasonable, you certainly won't be short changed by the centre itself.

Covering more than six acres, it's home to more than 130 different species of animal, including deer, otters, lemurs, wallabies and red pandas.

Lilliput Village is specially designed for the under fives and is home to a variety of guinea pigs, rabbits and other small breeds, while there's also an aquarium, invertebrate house and bird aviaries.

Our most recent visit proved it's also a great place to meet up with a couple of other mums with preschoolers.

There's more than ample room for the youngsters to run around and let off steam, plus a pleasant play and picnic area when a change of scene is needed.

We ate our picnic lunch on benches outside the centre's café, which prompts my only gripes of the visit. We were a little disappointed by the service in the café, which was slow even on a non-too-busy day.

It's also a little shabby inside and a modicum of investment here certainly wouldn't go amiss.

We also spent a frustrating half an hour taking it in turns to use the single baby changing table crammed at the far end of the ladies toilets. Not pleasant!

Despite those minor misgivings,however,the Nature Centre itself was a big hit.

"What did you like best?" I asked Eleanor when we arrived home.

"The guinea pigs," she replied. "And the slide. When can we go again?"

Zoos? Pah. Save your pennies and treat them to a cheap, but totally captivating day out closer to home.

Visitor Info

Birmingham Nature Centre, Pershore Road Birmingham, B5 7RL Tel: 0121 472 7775 Website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/naturecentre.bcc Buses/public transport: 45 & 47 Pershore Rd, 61 & 62 & 63 Bristol Rd.