I saw some Monkey Business in the Forest!

Advantages: Fascinating to watch monkeys at close quarters
Disadvantages: Poorly designed facilities, cafe expensive, not a whole day's experience

...With two kids and a mother in law to entertain during the Summer holidays we decided to take our little monkeys out for a trip in the forest. Trentham Monkey Forest in Staffordshire is within half an hour's drive of my home town, so it's a place that we've visited on several occasions now. The concept is apparantly unique within the UK as the forest is home to over 140 Barbary Macaque monkeys who are free to roam as they please, within the grounds of a 60 acre enclosure. On arrival On previous visits, we've just walked straight through to the kiosk and purchased our tickets but on our last visit (mid-August, so at the peak of children's summer holidays) we found two lengthy queues at the entrance. Even more annoying was the discovery that we'd joined the 'cash only' queue which was indicated by a sign that was only visible...

jo-1976 28.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

I See You Monkey....Scratching That Ass

Advantages: Monkeys!
Disadvantages: Only one species, not the cheapest for a family morning out

...It has been decided that I need to behave more like a Brit in Mexico when I am a Brit in Manchester. And by that, I don't mean eating ice cream every day (though I may) or filling any pauses with a 'Que más?', I mean actually getting out there and seeing places I always forget to bother with when I'm home. Touristy places. I live just off the A34 in Manchester. Monkey Forest is located on the A34 near Stoke, about 35 miles away. I don't even need driving directions (though we take them anyway, and they get us lost, tsk), so off we go. The park is signed but not as early as I thought it would be, hence a small panic over whether we have gone wrong. Coming from the north you pass the Trentham estate and gardens before you come to the Monkey Forest entrance and car park, though they're only another mile down the road. We can't all go...

zoe_page 12.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

Take your little monkeys to see some monkeys

Advantages: Reasonably priced; children will love it
Disadvantages: Not enough to do there to fill a whole day out

...children loved the whole experience, they were so excited to be seeing monkeys up close rather than in a cage in the zoo. Even the baby sat in his pushchair staring at the monkeys and giggling to himself. Where is it? Monkey Forest is located in Trentham on the A34 between Stoke-on-Trent and Stone. It is easily accessible from the M6 although traffic can be a bit slow if you are trying to get there in the rush hour. There is plenty of parking at the attraction; although the car park was very full when we arrived on a day in August we were able to find a space (just about). The car park is unsurfaced and spaces are not marked which makes things that little bit more chaotic. Monkey Forest is part of Trentham Gardens and you can buy a joint ticket which will get you entry into both attractions for a slightly reduced price...

Clayeree 18.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

Monkey Forest is Fantastic

Advantages: Different every time you visit, good for kids
Disadvantages: Uphill, not suitable for people with walking difficulties or wheelchairs

...I've been to Trentham Monkey Forest on three occasions and now and I am so looking forward to going again when the weather warms up a little this year. Its a little to cold to wander round at the moment. Initially when I went to the Monkey Forest for the second time, I did actually wonder why I was bothering as I had been before and at the end of the day what's going to be different the second time from the first but it is actually a different experience every time. Trentham Monkey Forest is a 60 acre forest, home to over 140 free roaming Barbary macaques. The Barbary macaque, normally would be found in the mountains of ALgeria and Morocco, possibly Gibraltar and is a tail-less Macaque. The animal is classed as a monkey as opposed to an ape, there is normally confusion over this due to it being tail-less. At the moment there are...

blondgem 12.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

Monkey Business

Advantages: The monkeys, clean
Disadvantages: not much to see, not good value as you couldn't spend the whole day there.

...As it was Bank Holiday and the kids have been off school and play group for about 5 weeks, totally bored and totally driving me slowly but surely insane by inventing new and exiting ways to be naughty, we decided it was high time for a family day out. We\'d already done our usual haunts this summer, Blackpool, Southport, Heaton park, etc this summer and we wanted to go somewhere we had never been before. Then a work mate of my other half\'s suggested Monkey Forest. What Is It As it\'s title suggests it\'s basically a forest (Trentham Forest) with Monkey\'s in. What\'s unique about Monkey Forest it that the monkey\'s are free roaming and you can get up close to them. When I say free roaming it\'s actually a massive enclosure that the public can go into but it\'s so vast you feel just like you are wondering about freely. The Monkey...

hollywoodmum 29.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

If you go down to the woods today...get a wristband!

Advantages: Get close to the monkeys, other things to do in the estate
Disadvantages: Expensive for a whole family, park is small so you won't spend long there, rude staff on gate

...I love monkeys. A lot. So when figuring out what to do on one of my visits to my uni roommate we decided to check out the Trentham Monkey Forest. I had found out about it by reading a Dooyoo review and the fact that it was about an hour's drive from her home in Derby, and there were other things to do there such as an outlet and scenic walks, made it the ideal location for us to pass a pleasant day. Sadly, things didn't end up quite so rosy. First let me explain a little about the Monkey Forest. It is set in the Trentham Estate in Stoke-on-Trent, which as I mentioned is also home to various other attractions such as a retail village, beautiful gardens, an aerial assault course and woodland walks. You enter the Monkey Forest through a separate gate to the rest of the estate, and once through the "monkey-proof gates" get up close...

bamamo 29.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

A fantastic day out for the whole family!

Advantages: So much to do, fun for every family member, really impressive facilities
Disadvantages: Not enough time for everything!

...It's the first day of the summer holidays and we wanted to visit somewhere new, exciting and for all members of the family. We've just returned and had the best day! After reading other reviews prior to the trip we decided to park our car at 'Trentham Estate' car park, rather than 'monkey Forest' itself to avoid any queues. It's also the closest car park to the M6. We had no traffic hassle and parked easily in a huge car park. We then walked through some lovely wooden cabin shops on route to the entrance to the Italian gardens and lake walk. We bought a joint ticket to the gardens and monkey forest (new this year) for £11.50 - adult and £9 - child. I had read previously that a trip just to monkey forest would not be sufficient for a whole day out and I totally agree. When you enter the gardens you see the huge lake in front...

skus123 22.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

Monkeying around in the Midlands!

Advantages: Ability to see monkeys behaving as they would in their natural environment
Disadvantages: Not all of park accessible to wheelchair users

...Monkey Forest consists of 60 acres of woodland inhabited by around 140 Barbary Macaques. What sets this apart from similar attractions such as zoos, however, is that the monkeys aren't caged - they have the ability to roam freely across the entirety of the forest, and so as a visitor you can actually come within touching distance of them... although, obviously, you shouldn't ACTUALLY touch the monkeys! Monkey Forest is in Trentham, near Stoke on Trent in the Midlands. There are also three other parks - two in France (La Montagne des Singes and La Forêt des Singes) and one in Germany (Affenberg Salem). Details on accessing the forest are given on the website (www.monkey-forest.com) - it's easy to find either by car or by using public transport, and is very clearly sign posted. Upon arrival, there's ample space for parking your car...

Spudtastic 01.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trentham Monkey Forest

Upstairs Downstairs with Sex and Violence

Advantages: Acting, Sets
Disadvantages: Too many characters, no one to sympathise with

...Impressed by the cast-list of Gosford Park, and by the reviews I had read praising it to the hilt, I rented the video, turned down the lights and settled back for a cinematic treat. Boasting more fine British actors than you could shake a stick out, and Robert Altman at the directing helm, this couldn?t fail to be anything but brilliant. Or could it? That Cast List: Maggie Smith ... Constance, Countess of Trentham Michael Gambon ... Sir William McCordle Kristin Scott Thomas ... Lady Sylvia McCordle Charles Dance ... Lord Raymond Stockbridge Geraldine Somerville ... Lady Louisa Stockbridge Jeremy Northam ... Ivor Novello James Wilby ... The Honorable Freddie Nesbitt Stephen Fry ... Inspector Thompson Kelly Macdonald ... Mary Maceachran (Constance's Maid) Clive Owen ... Robert Parks (Stockbridge's Valet) Helen...

sandrabarber 27.07.2002 · Read review
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Review of Gosford Park (DVD)

A bit rougher than an afternoon's cricket

Advantages: Very original and thought provoking
Disadvantages: Dialogue is stifled at times

...up a game where only player will survive with every other player determined to kill E. Jonathan has to manage this situation whilst juggling with his desire to be an individual in a society without such desire. Cast: James Caan ... Jonathan E. John Houseman ... Bartholomew Maud Adams ... Ella John Beck ... Moonpie Moses Gunn ... Cletus Pamela Hensley ... Mackie Barbara Trentham ... Daphne John Normington ... Executive Shane Rimmer ... Rusty, Team Executive Burt Kwouk ... Japanese Doctor Nancy Bleier ... Girl in Library Richard LeParmentier ... Bartholomew's Aide (as Rick LeParmentier) Robert Ito ... Strategy Coach for Houston Team Ralph Richardson ... Librarian The film is one of a genre made in the seventies which questioned the direction society was heading and looked to the future allowing writers to question...

paulie1975 21.11.2009 · Read review
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