Milham Ford Nature Park
Bradwell Grove, Burford, OX18 4JP, GB
Rating: 4.7 ★ (15324 ratings)
Details
More than 260 animal species make their home within the sprawling 160 acres of Milham Ford Nature Park, offering families a truly wild day out. Journey through diverse habitats, from the African plains where rhinos graze on the Manor House lawns and you can get eye-to-eye with giraffes on a special walkway, to the lush Madagascan walkthrough where lemurs leap freely around you. Get a thrill spotting big cats like Asiatic lions, or marvel at the vibrant colours of exotic birds in the extensive aviaries and the daily penguin feeding. The park's commitment to conservation is clear, providing spacious enclosures and participating in breeding programs for many endangered species, ensuring every visit contributes to a vital cause.
Beyond the incredible animal encounters, Milham Ford Nature Park provides a full day of family enjoyment and relaxation. Stroll through the beautifully landscaped parkland and gardens, a riot of colour in season, or let the little ones conquer the 'Skymaze' adventure playground with its treetop walkways and slides. For a unique perspective, hop aboard the narrow-gauge railway that meanders through the scenic grounds, offering lovely views. Numerous picnic spots invite you to unwind, or you can sample treats from the park's cafes. With excellent accessibility and ample facilities, the park ensures a comfortable and memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
Location
Opening Hours
Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Contact
+44 1993 823006
Comments
The whole place has a really welcoming feel to it and is not too large, which makes it easy to explore the whole park with little ones. We had a buggy with us which was definitely needed at times for both our boys to rest/nap in.
All the animals look really well cared for and seem to have plenty of space in their enclosures. The larger animals (lions, rhinos, etc) have even more space which is great to see.
There's a great little narrow gauge train that runs around the park. The queue was long and it does cost extra, but in my experience, this is normal for this kind of attraction.
We bought ice cream and it didn't seem too expensive and was very tasty.
There is a very good (and large) play area too which our boys made great use of. We put the park's lost child procedure to the test as at one point we lost sight of our 4 year old in the play area (it really is a large area!). The staff were brilliant and he was found within 10 minutes.
As you can see from the photos, we saw loads of animals looking full of energy and life.
The price was really reasonable, especially as it was a full (10-6) day out for us. It is cheaper to book in advance though.
I would highly recommend this as a family day out. 😁
enjoying the day ! The park can cope with them all. Relaxing parkland with animals on the whole in interesting enclosures. Loved the giraffes & picnic with rhinos in view! Gardens in springtime looking well cared for. Good value to book online. There are plenty of places for picnic in shade, sun, or under cover. Reasonably priced ice cream at £2.65 a scoop & additional scoop £2. We saw 1 scoop for £3.60 at a National trust property!!
Well done allowing dogs in otherwise we couldn't visit 👏🏼👏🏼
My mum hired a mobility scooter and found this service very easy to use and was able to go pretty much everywhere using this (apart from indoor exhibits like the bat and insect houses).
The gardens around the park had some beautiful and well maintained plants and flowers. The play area was very good and my daughter enjoyed the train ride. The animal enclosures were of a good size and all of the animals appeared well cared for. It would be nice to have more interactive shows such as animal handling but that doesn't take away from the good time we had here.
The queues for food at lunchtime were pretty long (we waited around 20-25 mins in the queue for hot dogs) and it would be nice to have seen maybe some small vans offering different types of food. That's really the only thing I think that this zoo could improve on.
Overall we really enjoyed our day out here and would definitely visit again.
There are a few refreshment bars scattered around the park. The selection isn’t extensive, but it’s more than enough for a light snack or drink during your visit. The toilets were clean, and parking was extremely spacious, which made the whole experience very convenient.
The staff were all very polite and friendly, adding to the welcoming atmosphere of the park. Overall, for the price we paid, it felt like excellent value for money. Highly recommended for a family day out!
The park slopes down to the Thames until its almost level with the river. Its nice seeing the river at your feet instead of being higher up on an artificial bank always looking down at the river.
I haven’t been to this park for many years and it seems a lot smaller than I remember it. This is primarily because a wire mesh fence has been built through it almost cutting it in half. When I first noticed the fence I thought it was one of those erected by builders before they start work on a building project. But it looks more permanent than that.
I don’t know who erected it or why but it’s sad seeing a metal fence in the middle of a green area. It looks completely out of place and borders on the sacrilegious.
One of my pet hates is that the park, like so many others, has nowhere for cyclists to lock up their bikes whilst visiting the park.