*I write the day plan and then my quick summary* Please read both! 🙂

I had heard amazing things about Trentham through a family friend and I decided, I just had to see for myself, so on a whim and a long day out me and my partner decided to detour to stoke.
I am so glad we did.

Firstly, Let’s just get it out there,we got lost.. there are huge signs for Trentham but it looks like an estate, we had no idea that it was a right turn into the fields. I’d like a sign post before the island explaining the directions.

Upon entering, we parked in the fields, must have been an over flow day (even though it was quite empty). There were young families every where I felt so uncomfortable! At the Kiosk, a friendly woman asked for our admission “£16.00 please”  Each? that’s good isn’t it Thomas… “Oh erm no, it’s just £8.00 each” The woman looked at me with a smile and eye brow raise “Yep, we’re cheap”.

Ooh I love a good bargain.

So, we entered into a circular layout, shops and cafe to the right and then left and straight on were children’s attractions and the entrance to the ‘monkey forest’ obviously we were excited and dashed straight to the entrance, no ques just straight in, a woman greeted us and explained the rules very poetically, almost a rap!

It made listening to rules actually enjoyable, I can’t remember it but it was along the lines of:
 “Please no shouting, running, eating food and if our lovely monkeys want to walk past please give them the right of way”

We then walked around the forest, no monkeys.. I joked for a while about it being a scam and only teddies were hung up in the trees..until the forest cleared and the flat grassy area came into view.. monkeys EVERYWHERE, I have never been so emotionally confused, I wanted to break all the rules and hug them and at the same time I really was awe shock at the beauty & completely respected the women (and one man) who were looking after them.

The monkeys are regularly fed so will be sitting out for visitors to see and they’re definitely shy when it comes to moving past you. My most important note is that the monkeys (and other natural wildlife) are clearly very happy in the ‘forest’, which by the way is huge, we must only see about a quarter of it.

Over all opinions:

Things I loved:

• Great price! You can’t get a meal in a pub for that!
• Guest can really get up close to the monkeys!
• A lot of food variety!
• Clean toileting facilities

Could improve:

• More children’s activities.
• More signage around the monkey forest, there were a few, but it could be made more interesting
• Maybe a monkey photo opp?
• More individual talks about monkeys
• Better cinema video (it looked out dated and wasn’t very fun for the kids, or adults-me)

Really happy with the monkey forest it is big enough for the monkeys to have a good roam about and there were tonnes of monkeys hiding around the park. So we were always on the look outs! Along with the chats and interaction from the staff the whole time we were there was full of monkey-buissness!
I just wish it was longer, me and my partner walked around twice and browsed the cafe and cinema (picture inset) and were still only there for 2 and a half hours.

It looks like a long list but I actually really loved it, I’d definitely go back, maybe I’d take my nephews..who knows!