Whipsnade Zoo Trolls: A Field Study at Whipsnade Zoo Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.
Reviewed by Amanda Dando
Whipsnade Zoo is a ZSL conservation Zoo.
On Saturday 21 June (not only solstice day but one of the hottest of the year!) we were invited to visit and experience the brand new Trolls: A Field Study at Whipsnade Zoo. This attraction is running within the zoo from the 21 June to the 22 September, there are 12 wonderful trolls across the zoo all made from the likes of twigs, fallen branches and wooden pallets by the Danish artist Thomas Dambo. I have to say they really have to be seen to appreciate them fully, they are magnificent.
You are given your Field Study booklet on entry to help you discover all the trolls and their message! We found every troll so completely engaging, and very cleverly all in different ways. I was surprised at how many questions our four year old grandson asked about who the troll was or what they were doing.
When he laid eyes on the first one he was hesitant and held back, by the time we finished the trail he was embracing them like long lost friends, such was the warmth and depth of the imagination that created them, they really do appeal to children of all ages by the looks of the many children we saw throughout the day. They are a fantastic addition to what is a great zoo, especially for the older children, they create a sense of purpose on the way round, the kids loved finding the clues and talking about what each troll was doing.
Whipsnade Zoo is UK’s largest zoo, it is over 600 acres in Bedfordshire, my goodness you walk some steps on your visit! We haven’t visited for some time and we’re really impressed with areas added, the Viewpoint Restaurant had some simply stunning views over the Chiltern Hills. The whole Zoo was absolutely spotless, from the moment we arrived we were very taken with the staff who were very helpful when asked any questions, to the signage for facilities and car parking, and the informative information on animals.
It’s huge, so unlike us who started where our grandson wanted to see a certain animal, and being led constantly by what he wanted to see next, we should have made a clear plan! If you download the Whipsnade app before you visit you can create a clear plan for your day. I think we walked a few thousand extra steps down to poor planning! The app is super helpful on the day, as you can see where you are at all times, helping you navigate to where you want to be next.
There are so many animals to see, I think I read 11,000, you are going some to see everything in one day but we really did our best and saw almost everything. You do need to arrive early to do this mind. You can take your car in and this was helpful towards the end of our day when we had some really tired little people legs, it was easy to stop and still see the animals, and a few extra trolls!
Our grandson has already asked when we are next visiting the Zoo and we will almost certainly visit again before the Trolls leave the Zoo, they were definitely a sight to see, even as an adult, each and everyone had its own character and Thomas Dambo should be congratulated for his achievement, we loved them all. It was a great family day out and there was so many other activities going on face painting, Morris Dancing, live music, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will happily do it all again very soon!
Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £33.75 per adult and £23.65 at weekends, under age 3 years are free.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.whipsnadezoo.org
Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade Dunstable LU6 2LF