chestnut centre otter, owl and wildlife park

Been twice recently and each time was different. This isn't a zoo with animals presented in such a way to make seeing them almost a certainty. The enclosures represent natural environments as near as possible and are well looked after. I would recommend 2-3 hours in the afternoon. You need patience to do a loop twice to revisit animals you couldn't see first time. The otters are the stars but the owls are a nice addition. Definitely recommend and remember the entrance fee pays to keep these lovely creatures fed.

We visited on a very cold monday, arriving just in time for feeding.We followed the keeper from animal to animal and watched whilst she fed and interacted with them.The keeper was chatty and very informative, spending time explaining the differences of each species which really enhanced our visit.The otters were amazing and we are glad we saw them feeding as afterwards they all went to bed to sleep off their full tummiesWe spent approximately two hours wandering around, reading all the information boards by each animal and bird, the owls are plentiful but to be honest just stare right back at you, reading the information about them helped to visulise them when in the wild.Cost wise we thought it a reasonable charge, knowing some of the money goes into animal care

My husband and I visited the centre on 27th feb 2015 and really enjoyed our afternoon. We saw lots of playful otters and especially liked their feeding time. The different species of owls are great but we feel they should be in bigger enclosures. The whole setting is beautiful and the little coffee shop is sweet. Good value for money and the centre would appeal to anyone. Thanks. Tonia and ken green from birmingham.

I do regret you did not enjoy the centre as much as other reviewers. The 3.00pm feed was indeed late as the keepers were very concerned about the behaviour of a group of young people who walked round the centre wearing animal masks and not behaving, in our opinion, appropriately near the animals and birds. I trust you can understand this problem delayed the afternoon feed timings etc.

We went to this centre because we love owls, and came away captivated by the otters as well! Sadly the weather on our Feb visit was cold and damp so we did not stay too long but I have to say that from my lay person's perspective the centre ssems to be doing a great job. Of course many of us would love to imagine the birds having massive cages in which to fly but that is unrealistic and would probably make seeing the owls much harder. The otters seemed happy enough, they were certainly endearing with their antics and the water I would roccomend that anyone with mobility problems ring the centre before visiting to check that they are goung to be able to manage the terrain.Yes it costs to get in but visitors have to remember that they are contributing to a conservation and education project, not just a spectacle

This was a little pricey but if you like animals and a little walk well worth a visit to see the cheeky otters splashing around.

A nice place to visit with young children on a sunny day. Quite a bit of walking involved and some of it uphill. Possible to get part of the way round with a pushchair, or all the way with some lifting. Some open fields (Deer) and some woodland with pools (Otters and Owls). There are seats at strategic positions along the route.There is food and toilet facilities on site.We took the Grandchildren (both pre-school) who enjoyed running round the little paths and spotting the various animals.I reckon 2-3 hrs would be about right, weather dependent.It isn't cheap, but reasonable considering the work and expense involved in running the place.

The weather wasn't great, but sadly most of the animals were inside their small enclosures, no staff were round to engage the kids or ask questions and we could not find the animal feeding! Worse still you had to pay for preschoolers and £30 for a family ticket was v poor, we were done within an hour.

After reading a few reviews on here, we set off not really knowing what to expect..! And my partner only lives down the road. We didn't think the entrance fee was too bad. It was Valentine's Day, and a bit of a dull grey, damp day. However we really enjoyed our visit, plenty to see and read about.... I was slightly disappointed that there didn't seem to be any Snowy Owls (the one I wanted to see)... And no explanation on their enclosure? But the rest of the Owls were visible and so were the otters! Very cute! We got to watch a bit of the feeding time which was fun, all in all we was there around 2/2.5 hours. Our only concern was a few of the owl enclosures were in desperate need of a refurb.. As the perches were broken, not much foliage and generally just need freshening up. The paths are uneven but we didn't mind that... And the gift shop was reasonably priced.. I can't comment on the cafe as we didn't stop by :)

Our favourite animals are otters and we've been meaning to drive up to the Chestnut Centre for sometime. We weren't disappointed.The entry fee, £7.75 per adult, is reasonable, considering the fee is supporting the conservation work of the Centre. We spent the whole day there, from about 11am until 3.30pm, quite happily, even though it was a rainy day.When we first arrived, a lot of the otters were in their sleeping boxes. However, many of them woke up for the first feeding time at 12.30 and, later in the afternoon, most of them were out in their enclosures. The enclosures are very natural and well-kept - attention has been paid to the animal's natural habitat. We've been to other wildlife parks where otters only had small concrete pools to swim in, so these natural pools and streams and large enclosures seemed very good. It's good to see that the animals are free to hideaway during the day if they want to, their sleeping boxes are not closed off - they are living creatures, after all, not there for our amusement. We loved the otters and were able, at some point in the day, to see all of the otters, except one of the pairs of Eurasian otters. Despite it being a cold and rainy day, the others all put in appearances. We also got to see the pole cats at feeding time, the wild cats curled up in their hay bed and most of the owls. I will admit that the owls didn't look very cheerful but since they are nocturnal creatures it's not surprising they were sheltering in dark corners of their aviaries. The cafe was lovely, we had hot soup and rolls, followed by cake. The Costa coffee machine is a good idea, although it does make a cup of coffee a little expensive. Everything else was very reasonably priced though and it made a nice break in the middle of the day, to warm up with soup and coffee! We also enjoyed exploring the gift shop. The range and prices were comparable to other visitor attraction gift shops. We really liked the prints of drawings and paintings of otters.All in all, we had a lovely day, even though it was raining and all the paths were muddy - for us this was all part of the fun. It is the Peak District, after all!However, there are a couple of reasons I haven't given the Centre an 'excellent' review. Firstly, a couple of animals were not available to see - the snowy owl and pine marten in particular. Not a problem at all, I'm sure there's perfectly valid welfare or operational reasons for this - but it might have been a good idea just to let us know so we weren't peering into the enclosure looking for the owl and left wondering where the pine marten has gone while his enclosure is renewed! More of an issue was the 'feeding time'. Admittedly, it was a wet February day with not many visitors, but the feedings times were not well managed at all. The first one was supposed to start, according to the leaflet, with the pine marten, but the pine marten was not in his enclosure so we were left wondering where we should wait. Once feeding was underway, a small group of us were watching the keepers and asking questions, so we were able to get some information from them. However, we felt the keepers didn't really volunteer any information, unless asked directly and didn't really seem interested in interacting with the visitors. This became more apparent later on, at the supposed 3pm feed - which we'd waited for especially, along with a family with small children who waited near us. The keepers made a brief appearance at the appointed beginning of the feeding time just before 3pm, said nothing to the small group of gathered visitors, then left. We waited...and waited. Until about 3.20, in the rain. Finally, the keepers came back to the Eurasian otter enclosure but there were no otters to be seen in that one. So the keepers just walked off, chatting to each other. Not a word to the public about whether the otters were there or what was happening. We followed them to the next enclosure, by which time - since they were very efficient - they'd already fed the otters and were on their way to the next pen. They made no effort to even make eye contact with the visitors who were interested. In the end we decided that it wasn't worth following them around and went to have a look at some of our favourite otters again. Now, I understand that the keepers' main role is caring for the otters and they seem to do this very well. However, there is no point putting the feeding times on the leaflet for the visitor's information if they are not kept to (or a sign put up saying they are delayed, if there is reason to delay them) and if the visitors are made to feel like feeding time isn't really a visitor experience.This was an unfortunate ending to what was otherwise a lovely day, well worth the ticket price. We commented many times what a great, well thought out place the Centre is. We'll definitely be back and fully support the work the Centre does caring for wildlife. We just won't expect much from feeding times!

I feel like this centre could do so much better while i understand money is always an issue i do believe some things should come first like the animals themselves. I quite like the fact that there's no tarmac on site and that the animals are in what would be their natural habitat but while I am no expert on the size of animal enclosures the majority of them seemed small for what they housed. A few of the animals were pacing backwards and forwards, i feel like a bigger enclosure would decrease their boredom. The Eurasian Otter that was the only one in the last pen kept crying over and over, again i don't know if he was separate for medical reasons or just hungry but i felt so sorry for him.The member of staff where we paid was friendly but the gift shop is overpriced. I felt disappointed by the day and I expected a little bit more.I've read some of the comments on here and I have noticed rude responses by the owner such as 'He most certainly did not make you feel like 3rd class citizens' i do wonder if you should apologise rather than attacking. It made my opinion of this place lower than it was.

We must have passed this place fifty times before we actually visited it, but should have done it well before. The main features are a range of owls and otters, so if you are into either of those, you are unlikely to be disappointed. The highlight must be the giant otters, which really are, well, giant. If you can't see them, hang around for a bit, because they do seem to be able to hide.Going around when the animals have just been fed is also a good idea - as owls aren't the most mobile of birds during the day...One tip is to get the map, and follow it in order - if you go to the left first, you end up back at the visitor centre and have to circle round again.The coffee shop was reasonably priced, which makes a nice change from most of the places we've visited over the last few months.

Visited the Chestnut Centre today with my 7yr old son. We have never been before and I had been looking for somewhere different for my son to see Father Christmas from the usual places. Contacted them by phone a couple of days before and booked a slot to see Father Christmas. Arrived at 11.30 and did the trail first....takes about 1-1.5hrs. Both my son and I thought it was great, he loved the deer as they come so close to you (great photo's). Also the giant otters and all of the different species of owls. Had lunch in the cafe which was basic but ok and a good place to warm up! Visited Father Christmas after this (in our 10min slot). No queuing involved like most other places and he was lovely. My son said he was the nicest Father Christmas he'd ever met!!! Would definitely recommend.

I was first introduced to the Chestnut Centre as a child by my auntie. I've been back several times since and I always go away with a spring in my step and feeling better about life. Try to time your visit to coincide with feeding time (usually 12:30pm). The staff are loving and caring - seeing the way they interact with the animals make you realise what a special place this is. The landscape is stunning and the animals are very happy here. Congratulations to all at the Chestnut Centre for taking such care in what you do. Thank you. We love our visits and we will be back. The otters are especially delightful!

Happened upon the Chestnut Centre as part of my Masters programme, and now recommend it to any and all who need a day out.Location wise, the Chestnut Centre is easy enough to get to if you drive. If you are not a driver, I believe there is a bus service that runs nearby, but am yet to test it. The centre itself has a decent sized car-park, so you should have no issues in this sense.On site there are all the usual suspects: a nice gift shop, a cafe that does some very nice food, bathrooms, picnic tables and the slightly less expected educational room (used for school visits and the Xmas grotto-another very worthwhile visit).If you have a disability that affects mobility, then the nature walk may not be the easiest as some of the paths are quite steep, but otherwise it is a very pleasant walk, with plenty of opportunities to rest.The animals in the centre are given the highest level of care, a fact I have witnessed first hand, and the centre also operates a rehab facility for injured animals (although this is not open to the public).Finally I have to give a massive shout out to the staff at the Chestnut Centre, from the Heaps, through everyone else who works/volunteers there, all of whom are amazing. Some of the nicest people, who legitimately care about the animals at the centre but also will go out of their way to make your visit a great one.