We visited the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Barns, the perfect day out for nature lovers in the school holidays

Summer is almost here and we’ve been to visit a hidden treasure, perfect for a family trip during the school holidays.

Tucked away at Stonham Barns, seven miles from Stowmarket, we found the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary just waiting to be explored.

Keen to help with my review was my three-year-old Spencer who let’s just say is a mini David Attenborough, particularly when it comes to our feathered friends.

Joining him was eight-year-old Rosie who last visited the owl sanctuary when she was still in a pram.

First things first, there is plenty of space to park at Stonham Barns, we visited on a busy Sunday and parked in the field where the regular carboot sale takes place.

However if you have got little ones I would recommend taking a pushchair as it is a fair walk to the sanctuary,if you do end up parking there, and you don’t want them to be tired out before they get there.

At the entrance we found some very friendly members of staff who gave the children maps and an activity sheet to fill out as they walked around – always a winner.

The ladies at the desk handily pointed us in the direction of the showground, where excitingly a training session for owls, kites and other birds was already underway.

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary team wowed us with their bird facts whilst the owls and kite impressed us by swooping in over our heads – some of them even caught chunks of meat mid-air.

After the training session had finished experts Dolly and Rob let us have a sneak peak of a cheeky buzzard, brilliantly named Leighton, who was very keen to stretch his wings.

Dolly was great at answering Rosie’s many questions about owls, which ranged from: ‘how many types of owls are there?’ to, ‘how may wings do owls have?’ (Rosie assures me she meant feathers).

It was clear to see how passionate Rob, Dolly and the rest of the handlers are about the birds in their care and they explained in child friendly terms the impact bird flu has had on the sanctuary, which is a registered owl conservation charity.

Whilst we were visiting the birds were still getting used to being exercised again.

Members of the public are welcome to watch their relaxed training sessions, which take place throughout the day.

Over the coming week the team will get back to their regular show times.

After our chat about all things owl related, we properly started to explore the sanctuary, stumbling across Meerkat Kastle.

There may be more than 80 different birds at the owl sanctuary but the meerkats attract visitors for their cuteness factor alone.

It appears they may be on the move, within the sanctuary soon…watch this space.

As we walked around I noticed lots of little nods to how the attraction is embracing nature: from a beautiful woodland walk - to a hedgehog hotel.

Heading across the road from the original part of the site, we found owls and vultures, the Cobwebs Corn a playarea, and a very fancy sandpit.

This part of the attraction was completely new to me and still partly under construction.

Admittedly I don’t have much expertise when it comes to owls and vultures, but to my untrained eye they all looked happy and healthy in their new, tall enclosures.

Cobwebs Corner was a big hit with my young reviewers, not so much my husband who was eager to see more birds…

A sign at the playarea said it was suitable for children with disabilities and there were plenty of families there at lunchtime, enjoying a break from walking around.

There is also a indoor discovery centre with ride-along-toys perfect for toddlers, and containing the all-important baby changing facilities and toilets.

The discovery centre was the ideal spot for us to cool off on a hot day and take a minute to have a sip of water and do a bit of colouring.

At the end of our visit we returned to the entrance and gift shop where Rosie and Spencer got to choose a prize for completing part of their activity book.

The ladies at the front desk were again really friendly, taking their time to chat to the kids rather than rush them along.

Compared to other family attractions in Suffolk I would say the owl sanctuary is reasonably priced. Adults pay £10, children (4-16) and concessions pay £8.50.

You can also get a family ticket for five, which costs £37.50.

Children under three go free which works really well if you are looking for a mini day out, which won’t tire you or your toddler out.

There are food outlets at Stonham Barns Park or alternatively you could always pack a picnic.

Just don’t crack out the sandwiches when the owls are strutting their stuff, or you might get a bit of a surprise!