We recently spent a whole day at KNOCKHATCH and had SO much fun that we were amongst the last ones to leave! What a day!
Last time we visited Knockhatch, the kids were smaller (under 10 years old) and I was wondering how much entertainment was available for older kids, namely tweens & teens, as lot of adventure parks/farms in the area seemed to be more geared up for younger kids.
Well, needless to say there is a LOT of entertainment available for our tweens & teens, as well as for younger ones! As I was speaking to Chris, Knockhatch’s PR & Marketing guru, he was explaining that a lot of attention was put on designing a park that will ‘grows’ with the children, and it is so true! My kids still enjoyed the Jumping Pillows or playing at the Cannon Area, as much as they did when they were younger, but also loved to discover new rides!
So, we started our visit going around the farm area. It so lovely to be able to pet the animals (at least some) on the way and observe some of their behaviours [beware this might trigger a sudden hurge of pet envy for some!]. We also had some food to feed the birds, which can be purchased from the gift shop, but please note that not all animals can be fed, read the signs featured on their fence!
We then tried out The Sherlock Holmes Experience <NEW> (age rating 12a), very atmospheric and sensory. This is not for the faint of heart, expect lots of screams and laughter! [Tip: send the kids first, if they can handle jump scares, so you get some kind of warning of what is coming!]
After a pit stop, we headed to The Dino Safari Simulator Ride (for kids over 0.9m) which was fun and thrilling, and a welcome cool break from the sunny outdoor. We then entered The Lost World Play Barn – great climbing frames and lots of slides (some of them look really steep and challenging). Beware of friction burns, and make sure your child wears appropriate clothing. Note of warning, your child might NOT want to leave… be prepared to have to lure them out. Ice-cream works a treat!
Back outside we headed to The Wave Runner (riders must be at least 1.2m, ~7yrs+) where the children and adults were certainly being pushed out of their comfort zone, but loved the thrill as they headed straight back up for another turn! I didn’t quite get the courage to have a go, but the challenge is set for our next visit!
Have you seen The Dragon Castle (see feature image/top image)? Such an amazing build, so big and can be used by children of all ages and adults!
Also make sure your visit The Jungle Kingdom <NEW>, which just opened up this summer and offers a great way to observe meerkats, mongoose, coatis, prairie dogs, cockatoo, macaws and more. The nice feature is that the enclosure/fence (except for the aviaries) are made of glass so your really get to see what they are all up to, and no need to lift the kids up so they can see! There is also a little play area with a tunnel slide that gives the children another perspective on the meerkat enclosure, and is great way to allow parents with very active kids to buy a little more time before moving on!
Knockhatch also offers close encounters (8yrs+), requiring a special ticket which includes park entry and experience: meerkat experience, owl experience and animal farm experience. This is a great way to learn about the animals living at Knockhatch, the particularities of their species and their personality, which makes it even more special.
We had short introduction of the meerkats living at knockhatch by Sam the Keeper and learned that their names were 
inspired by Star Wars! Here you will find a picture on the left of Leia [the pack leader] who is keeping a close look at the seagulls flying above!
We also had the opportunity to meet and get very close to one (or the) biggest species of owl, the Eurasian eagle owl, here with Mumbles. Thank you, Maia and Tim, the keepers for this quite unique experience!
In short, what we like about Knockhatch is:
It is big enough to keep the whole family busy for the entire day, but small enough that it isn’t a trek to go from one place to another. Even on a busy day, you don’t have to wait long for a ride and it is easy to move to something else. It offers entertainment for a wide range of ages, and definitely still exciting for tweens and teens, and I love that adults can also have go!
A few tips from us:
1) Plan to stay the whole day!
2) Bring a water bottle and fill it up that the water station (located close to the picnic barn)
3) Bathing suite/towels if your little one is likely to want to use the Pirate's Cove paddling pool.
3) Get some farm food before heading to see the birds and animals.
4) Be prepared, clothes wise, before heading to the Lost World Play Barn (t-shirt, knee length shorts, socks) otherwise it will hurt, and closed in shoes are required for most animal experiences.
5) Have a few pound coins if your child is into digger (£1 a go)
6) Have an icecream budget!
Needless to say, we are still feeling the buzz of our visit and can’t wait to go back!
Thank you Knockhatch for such a great day ❤️
Knockhatch Adventure Park
Hailsham Bypass, Hailsham BN27 3GD (for satnav use BN27 3GD)
Situated off the A22, to the west of Hailsham, and about 9 miles north of Eastbourne)
Open daily from 10am-5.30pm
picture credit: Brighton & Hove Family Grapevine
