Farm Experience & Colchester Zoo with Midi & Marguerite

 Farm Experience & Colchester Zoo

We headed to Boydells Dairy Farm for an unforgettable hands-on animal experience. We met goats, guinea pigs, cattle, chicks, kittens, lambs, alpacas, chickens and ponies, with highlights including holding tiny kittens, bottle-feeding lambs and pampering Snowy the Shetland pony. Farmer Fin was a fantastic host, sharing lots of interesting facts along the way. 

Our trip to Colchester Zoo was another huge highlight. We saw an incredible variety of wildlife, including Amur leopards, chimpanzees, a huge green anaconda, Komodo dragons, wolves, rhinos, giraffes, elephants and an Amur tiger. 

The private giraffe-feeding experience was particularly special, while walking through the lemur enclosure was another memorable moment. After a fish and chip dinner, we relaxed back at the lodges, with some enjoying the hot tubs and others settling down for a film.

On Friday, we headed towards Maldon and visited a wonderful animal sanctuary. The group had the chance to hold snakes, stroke a bearded dragon, meet rabbits and hamsters, and even get close to a skunk! 

We also fed sheep, goats and alpacas before enjoying ice creams, a riverside stroll and some shopping. 

Saturday was a real treat, beginning with a peaceful visit to Mersea Beach before heading to Tiptree, where we explored the museum and enjoyed a delicious deluxe cream tea. The jam and cream scones were a definite 10 out of 10!

We visited Colchester Castle before heading to the cinema to watch the Michael Jackson film. 

Sunday took us to Brightlingsea for a fantastic boat trip along the River Colne. With the sun shining and the water calm, it was a wonderful way to see the Essex coastline. We spotted a cormorant and an oystercatcher and enjoyed learning more about the local wildlife and waterways from our captain.