Marwell Zoo

About this place

Before it kept giraffes, Marwell was a country estate wrapped around a hall whose origins go back to the 14th century, largely rebuilt in the 19th, and local legend has Henry VIII courting Jane Seymour in it. In 1972 the parkland around that hall became one of the first zoos in Britain built around conservation rather than spectacle. The charity that runs it, Marwell Wildlife, played a well-known part in returning the scimitar-horned oryx to the deserts of North Africa after it had vanished from the wild, which gives the antelope paddocks here an extra resonance for visitors from Arabia who know these animals from their own landscapes. The site covers roughly 57 hectares, far more than the word 'zoo' suggests. Rothschild's giraffes, white rhinos, Amur tigers, snow leopards and Humboldt penguins are the headline acts, while zebras and antelope run on wide open paddocks that feel closer to savannah than cage. Paths are paved and nearly level, so pushchairs cope well, a little road train loops the park to spare small legs (£2 a head per ride, card only), and seven adventure play areas soak up whatever energy the children have left. Allow four to five hours; anything less and you will miss the far corners. From Southampton the car is by far the easiest route: about 18 km north-east via the M3 and then country lanes to the village of Colden Common, 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, with a large free car park at the gate. There is no railway station nearby; the closest are Eastleigh, Southampton Airport Parkway and Winchester, each a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride away. Buses are sparse: the 69 from Winchester reaches the gate only on Sundays and bank holidays, so it is not something to rely on with children. One last piece of advice: book online before you go. An adult advance ticket is around £29 (about £26 if you untick the optional donation) against £33 at the gate, a child aged 2 to 15 is about £25, and under-2s go free. In July and August the park fills with British families on school holiday, so arrive for the 10:00 opening. From November to February it stays open but closes at 16:00 and tickets are noticeably cheaper, though the weather is wet and the light goes early, so it is a period to avoid if you want a long day outdoors.