Edinburgh Zoo
16/06/2023
As a family we like a zoo and have been to many around the UK over the years, this however, was our first time to Edinburgh zoo.
The assistant at the tills at the times of sorting our tickets did mention, in his preamble, that the site is "like most of Edinburgh, built on a hill". Well, he wasn't lying!
We took the decision to walk to the top of the site and then make our way back down. In the blistering heat this didn't initially seem like the best decision, as it was a slog getting up the hill to the top, but it did make the coming down, as we finished the day, a lot easier.
You shouldn't be put off by the hill factor, as this really is a wonderful zoo, with some good enclosures for the animals. Our only disappointment was not being able to see the Giant Panda outside - we did get to glimpse them through the glass of their indoor quarters, but it didn't seem quite so real as seeing them in "the wild". Mind you, we have visited at a good time, as Yang Guang, (in Madarin meaning Sunshine) and Tian Tian, (Sweetie) are returning to China soon, having failed to produce any offspring in the 12 years they have been at Edinburgh.
We did, however, get to see a Koala bear, a first for us all...
As is the current trend with a lot of zoo and wildlife parks Edinburgh has a display of dinosaurs, situated at the top of the site. As mentioned before, it's a bit of a climb - but worth it, particularly for young children.