Wookey Hole is one of those places I had repeatedly seen signs for but had not got round to visiting. And, with the weather looking a bit unpredictable last weekend, this felt like the perfect excuse to finally give it a try.
However, with tickets costing £24 per adult and £19 per children 3-15, this was not going to be a cheap day out so my expectations were set high. For that kind of money, I expected a lot of high-quality entertainment.
Located just north of Wells in Somerset, the drive over to Wookey Hole caves took us just under an hour. The site has a large free car park and, on the day we visited, there were plenty of spaces.
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We started our visit by having a tour around the caves. Unsure about what to expect, I thought they were very impressive and the tour itself informative.
You get a chance to look around several chambers and, for me, a particular highlight was seeing all the water underground. Having done caving through work before, I am always struck by how calm being underground makes me feel.
With two children under 12 and two toddlers in tow, they were all engaged by the walk around the caves in different ways and this bit truly felt like there was something in it for everyone. There is also the option to do an adventure trail (Wild Wookey) at an additional cost, giving you a different way to explore the cave complex (£72 per person).
After leaving the caves, we spent some time looking around the Enchanted Valley and Dinosaur Grove. This was a total hit with the toddlers, who were mesmerised by the huge animals. They also enjoyed the sandpit where you got a chance to dig for your own fossils.
The site also has a museum, with Wookey Hole’s history with paper-making dating back to the 1600s. We didn’t spend that much time looking around it, with the children excited to get to the soft play by this point and the adults feeling ready for a sit down.
Despite looking a bit dated, the soft play was big, across two rooms, and the children had lots of fun climbing and running around. There is a small toddler area but, as of course was going to be the case, my son was more interested in playing with the arcade machines.
The restaurant had a real old-fashioned vibe and was what you would expect in this kind of place, and we thought the food was average but pricey. However, you are also able to bring your own food which allows you to keep costs down.
We finished our day with some adventure golf, which we all loved even if we got wet as it was raining by this point. The toddlers loved getting involved (and surprisingly no one was smashed with one of the golf clubs) and the older children enjoyed the challenge.
Wookey Hole is certainly a much more expensive family day out than your average, but it was something a bit different to do (how often do you get the chance to look around some caves?). Besides, there was lots more to do apart from the caves, including indoors which is needed now that the weather is turning more unpredictable.
The Home of Halloween is on at Wookey Hole until November 3. You can find out more here.