The Big Sheep - A Fun Wooly Day Out

We first visited The Big Sheep when my son was about two years old, it was a great day out for us all and so when we went back down to Devon last week, The Big Sheep was high on our list of places to visit.  With their new roller coaster, The Big One now open, the children were excited at the prospect of not only seeing some animals but getting to go on some rides too.

First we headed to the barn, where several sheep had just given birth to some very tiny and helpless looking lambs, eyes still closed and still covered in blood, it was amazing to see these mama sheep just have a baby and then carry on looking for food, such a wonderful sight and a sign that spring is well and truly here.

There were other babies to see as well, including some goats, tiny super-cute piglets, collie pups and chicks. It was a great opportunity to get up close and personal, being able to feed the sheep and pet them. The baby goats were a particular favourite and they feel a lot softer than they look.

Afterwards, we headed up to the rides, opening at different times to allow the staff to man all of them, we first tried the swinging chairs, a classic ride and one which never ceases to impress the young or old. The Big One was closed until a bit later so we headed into the show arena to learn all about the different breeds of sheep they have at The Big Sheep.

Being bought out to their own theme tune, each sheep had their turn in the limelight and we got to hear all about their different qualities and how we use them, a very interesting show and being interactive it meant that it kept the attention of the children, a big thumbs up to Vaughn who did the show.

After the show had finished, we headed back to the rides, The Big One was finally open so we managed a few rounds on it. I have to say it was more thrilling than I had imagined and the back is definitely the place to be, it is much quicker and super exciting.

We then headed for a tractor ride, a great opportunity to sit down and take in a little more of the park, it was running a little late but that meant we got to stand with the sheep for a bit longer before our ride, there were some Llamas and Kune Kune pigs to see as well. Colin, who drove the tractor was funny and had the kids (and adults) entertained the whole way round.

Next, we headed for some lunch in the cafe, there is a good selection of food and we all found something we liked, there are plenty of spaces around the park for you to bring your own picnic though.

There were then beer tastings in the show barn, so there is plenty of entertainment for children and adults alike, we were a bit late for this so headed straight to the shop to just try some samples. They have their own brewery onsite, so if you fancy some local beer or cider then this is the place to stop.

We then headed back to the show barn to see a sheep being sheared, we had seen this a few times at open farm Sunday, however this was done in a way that it explained the process from start to finish. It was amazing to watch and equally amazing to see the end fleece, completely intact.

As the weather had taken a turn for the worse, we sheltered from the rain inside the large indoor play area, with a café for the adults and plenty of fun for the children, including vertical drop slides, ball pools and climbing areas.

Once the sun came back out we went on the rides a few more times, The Big One really was great and with a 90cm height limit (when accompanied by an adult) it was even suitable for our 5 year old daughter. To finish the day we watched the famous sheep race, the sheep run down the hill, jump over a few fences all with little wooly sheep attached to their backs, it's a fun end to the day and my daughter was most upset the pink one didn't win!

After we had left the park, we headed for some dinner, if you are in this area then I can highly recommend The Pig on the Hill at Westward Ho! We had the most amazing meal there and the staff were brilliant, a great end to the day and ideally located to finish off a day at the Big Sheep or visiting Westward Ho! to take in the sea front, play on the arcades and visit some of the shops.

NB: We were given a family ticket in return for the review, however all words and opinions are my own.