Lotherton

There is only 88 days until Christmas! So why not pop into our Wildlife World shop and browse our Christmas range 🎅🎄☃️

It has been a busy day for our penguins as they have been having their annual health checks. These checks are the ideal opportunity to give the penguins a full physical examination including listening to the heart and lungs, checking their feet and taking a blood sample. At the end of the checks the penguins were treated to a nice big bucket of fish! #wildlifewednesdays #healthcheck #penguins 🐧 🌡 👩‍⚕️ 👨‍⚕️ 🐟

Breeze Leeds, our partners who deliver The Christmas Experience, are currently recruiting for casual event staff to work here from Nov 23-Dec 23. If you love Christmas, are lively and have a love for theatrics and performing apply now and join the team! https://jobs.leeds.gov.uk/arts-events-tou rism-cit…/29511.job

The weather stayed kind for us today. Here are a few pics from 'Cars in the park'

Why not come and trick or treat yourself with our exciting Halloween range is now available to buy in the Wildlife World shop! It's spooktacular 💀👻🎃

Mining Memories - Community Event
Good Times Old and New, Thurs 27 Sept at 2pm, A Community Presentation of the highlights from events of Mining Memories Exhibition including mining songs sung by councillor Jane Dawson.
£7.50/£3.50 for members Includes estate entrance/tea and cakes

We now have three motorised scooters available to hire at Lotherton. For more information and to book one please contact the pay cabin on 0113 3782974

It’s that time of the week again! Here is a lovely photo of Ben, one of our Visayan warty pigs, digging a wallow for himself. Pigs use their snout to dig a hole in the cool ground to cool off 🐷💦🐽 #wildlifewednesday #muddynose #wartypig

Do you fancy an afternoon of classical music followed by tea and yummy cakes! Why not book a place on our Young Artist Recital, Sun 23rd September, 2pm. To book please contact Wendy on 0113 3782966 🎼🎵🎶

Light Night is one of the UK’s largest annual arts and light festivals, and over two special nights some of Leeds’ most recognisable indoor and outdoor spaces will be transformed by spectacular artworks and captivating performances by local, national and international artists.
Help keep Light Night a free event by purchasing an official FESTIVAL GUIDE for just £2. We are selling these in the Wildlife World Shop. Buy your copy today. @lightnightleeds 😊💡🔦

We have a volunteering opportunity here at Lotherton for Spooky Scarecrow &/or Christmas Experience Installation volunteers. If you’re interested in applying, follow the link to find out more including how to apply. Closing date is 7 October 2018! 🦇🕷️🦇😀☃️❄️🎄 https://www.leeds.gov.uk/muse…/join-in- and-support/volunteer

SUNDAY 23rd September Sports Cars in the Park is a firm favourite with not only sports car owners and enthusiasts but also visitors looking for a fun day out. This year’s event has a wide range of prestigious classic, vintage and cult car marques on display including Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Audi Sport, BMW, Jaguar and MX5, as well as Mini and hot hatches. Last year’s highlight was a LaFerrari Who knows what it will be this year.
McLaren Leeds will be th...ere with a P1 and other impressive McLarens as well as Noise Automotive with some very rare machines like a Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo, Ferrari 512 berlinetta boxer and others.
The event brings together large and small car clubs as well as individual enthusiasts who are happy to chat to visitors about their highly prized cars - making the event a must for all car aficionados.
For information about the event or how to display your car then see our website at www.scitp.co.uk“
See More

Whilst you visit Lotherton why not have a browse in our Wildlife World shop. Lot's of quirky gifts, greeting cards and maybe pick up a little treat for yourself! 🎁😊

For everyone coming tomorrow to the outdoor cinema remember to bring seats / picnic blankets and be prepared for the British weather! Also please note: no dogs allowed into the event, BBQs or alcohol other than that bought at the event 🎬🎪🎟

We have a volunteering opportunity here at Lotherton for Spooky Scarecrow & Christmas Experience Events Stewards. If you’re interested in applying, follow the link to find out more including how to apply. Closing date is 7 October 2018! 🎅☃️❄️😀🎃🧟‍♀️👻 https://www.leeds.gov.uk/muse…/join-in- and-support/volunteer

27 October - 4 November Spooky Scarecrow Trails is back! As well as our ever popular Spooky Scarecrow Trail, this year we have extended our opening times into the evening to make it even spookier with a scary walk through the haunted woods. Why not visit the new Scarecrow Shanty Town, where you can see the scary side of the wild west, but only if you dare! With creepy craft activities every day, there will be plenty to entertain your little terrors with this Halloween! For full details keep an eye on our website 👻💀🧟‍♀️🎃

Young Artists Recital - Sun 23rd September. Join us for an hour of classical music in the Drawing Room, followed by tea and cakes in the Servants' Hall. Booking is required. Please contact Wendy on 0113 3782966 or email wendy.shuttleworth@leeds.gov.uk 🎶🎵🎼

Went yesterday with the family, and had a great time. Lotherton has improved over the years, with new things being added all the time. As the girls are a bit older now, they were very interested in the bird garden, and the new penguins. My only criticism would be that the girls were looking forward to seeing the Fairy garden, but no sign of them. Possibly make this an all year fixture? That aside, we enjoyed it so much, we became annual members.

We love it here! Great to just bob for a bit to get the kids out or even for a full day out! We love the new penguin section! And had so much fun at the tots session! Our fav is the woodland walk though we can spend hours going round and round it! So much to do well worth getting the pass! We have one and use it loads!

We always love coming here, plenty to do for everyone. My boys love the gardens, the park, the bird sanctuary, especially now it has been refurbed. The summer tents and deck chairs are such a great idea, very thoughtful. Christmas is always magical here too. Great family day out <3

My Sister and I visited today with our Great Niece, we had a fabulous time ! It was our first visit but certainly won’t be the last . The house was very impressive and the staff very polite and helpful. We just loved the Flamingos and Penguin enclosure and seeing the White Peacock was a bonus too ! The food in the cafe was very nice , it was a brilliant day out at very affordable prices too ! Hope to visit again soon .

Lovely place. Lots to see and lots for kids to get involved with all year round. My grandkids love the penquins and the warty hogs and seeing all the birds. We have found the staff extremely friendly and helpful at times and especially when requesting a mobilty scooter free of charge. The Deer are amazing and so much is explained about them. Love the place and take the grandkids on all the trials/hunts they have especially the halloween one.

Lovely place. Great for family's. Lots to see, walks, a small zoo, park house and amazing ice cream outside the cafe. I'd suggest to not get food at the cafe as nothing special lots of picnic areas on a nice day. Really nice day out!

I love Lotherton and am a frequent visitor with family and friends. Today, however I've enjoyed it even more than usual. We visited the penguins, tapir and capybara for a second time as well as the flamingos and other birds.

The education centre was open so we popped in to warm up. There were 2 lovely ladies in there who spent time talking to my son about the animals and we made a penguin with the craft equipment.

All the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful as always. Fantastic.

Had great day with my son and 2 yr old grandaughter. The new wild life centre is a great attraction, and the drawers of flash cards and toys etc in each of the rooms as a gretat idea, kept her occupied while we looked round.

Had a great day out, with my 11year old daughter, two grandsons, loved every attractions especially the peguins, cost us 11 pound entrance which is nothing for a full day out, will be returning very soon

Can see where the improvements are being made, they are putting the money straight back into the site which is great to improve the bird garden and play areas. It all takes time. Only thing I would say is the cafe seating needs a good clean.

We live close by at Garforth we visit regularly one day woodland walk another day the gardens then another day visit the house and activity centre not forgetting the bird garden then another day across to see the deer not forgetting ice lollies slush puppies and “”ice cream every visit””

We have been coming to Lotherton for years when the kids were young, it was all free then. cost us £6 to park car in disabled bit. They let me use a disabled scooter as mine is only a travel one and I wanted to go round the woods. Luckily there was one but the lady said usually you have to book. There is no phone number on your brochure to ring in advance to book. The cafe area outside was just,left with dirty plates and cups, no one came out to clear any tables while we were there. Some improvements could be made but we still enjoy going there

Really beautiful place and great selection of animals, however the food in the cafe is very overpriced, £5 for a panini with barely any filling is not what I call value for money

It is a lovely place to spend the day. I loved the bird gardens and watching the penguins being fed was magical. The tea rooms were very welcoming even though we appeared 'en masse' for tea and scones. The walk round the house was vry interesting too.

I haven’t been since they finished the Wildlife section and was looking forward to seeing the penguins. Not disappointed- you can get really close to them. Other animals/birds are the same. Having the gift shop part of entrance AND exit was “cheeky” but I also thought it was a good shop. Loads of decent things to buy at different budgets. The new field parking around the back means you are “forced” to see more of the estate (which is not a bad thing). Thought the fairy garden was lovely for small children. Go for a great afternoon.

Great family day out at the food & drink festival it was our first visit ! Music was for all ages with great food and lots of choice for everyone taste - we took a picnic and the picnic area was very well planned out with deck chairs and brollies to shade ! lots to do with the little ones my little girl loved it ! Fun fair to baking classes to feeding of the penguins the sun made it for us would definitely recommend to families of all ages �

Been to Lotherton loads as it's quite local, however today was the first time we've been since the revamp in the Bird Garden.

They have done a cracking job with the new penguin enclosure, new area for the Flamingos, Capybara and Tapir, really nice and a nice spanking new (if a little overpriced) gift shop.

Unfortunately the rest of the Bird Garden seems to have been neglected with most of the enclosures being overgrown and tatty.

The African enclosure which was the flagship enclosure when it opened is now a shadow of it's former self, overgrown and the waterfall not running. Such a shame.

Normally i would give Lotherton a 5. Been coming here all my life and now lucky enough to bring my own children here.



However..........



Today I went to Lotherton without my partner and with our two children, a three year old and a 16 month old (still in her pushchair). We had just arrived after a 30 minute journey, our son needed the toilet. As I had the pushchair and nobody to leave my daughter with whilst I took my three year old to the toilet, I remembered there were larger toilets in the cafe and we would all be able to fit in. It would have been quite difficult manoeuvring a pushchair in and out of the male toilets in the courtyard area. It was just after 10am and there was one table occupied at this time. I walked in and asked a lady who worked in the cafe if it was ok for me to use the toilet. I'm sorry to say the lady was incredibly rude, she didn't once give me any eye contact, barely lifting her head when she said I could go ahead and use the toilet. She must be having a bad day I thought. However when I left the cafe saying 'thank you very much for that' TWICE whilst standing right in front of her with only the counter between us and she never acknowledged me - that's rude.



I went on to have a lovely morning at Lotherton as always and enjoyed a lovely lunch with the children.

Lotherton is a lovely place to visit and with the recent added attractions it’s becoming very popular. However, on special event days, such as Yorkshire Day, the queues to get into Lotherton are horrendous. The roads surrounding the entrance were at a standstill causing impatient drivers to take dangerous risks. I think extra ticket kiosks and 2 lanes to enter could help. Many people turned round and left. It’s usually a very peaceful place to unwind 👍