Alice meets the locals at Peak Wildlife Park

A Lane Head family day out, reported by Jason

Another day, another little Peak District expedition.

This time Angela, Vicki and Alice headed off to Peak Wildlife Park for the day.

I stayed behind again, which is becoming something of a theme.

Judging by the photographs, Alice had a considerably more exciting afternoon than I did.

That photograph probably tells you most of what you need to know about whether she enjoyed herself.

Getting a little closer

There is a big difference between seeing an animal from twenty yards away and being close enough to actually meet one.

Alice got properly involved.

There were wallabies wandering around, deer coming over to investigate and lemurs doing what lemurs do best, which appears to be making absolutely sure everybody is looking at them.

For a five-year-old, that is considerably more exciting than reading the information board.

Wallaby Way

I rather like the fact there is actually a Wallaby Way.

More importantly, Alice found the wallabies at the other end of it. Unlike some family attractions where you spend much of the day looking through glass or across barriers, this looked much more immediate.

Being able to get close to the animals turns it from seeing some wildlife into a proper little adventure.

Apparently the deer approve too

Then there was this chap.

Whether this was a friendly greeting or a review of the catering is unclear.

The deer appears to be sticking its tongue out at Alice. Alice, unsurprisingly, looks completely unfazed.

A very easy family day out

For families staying at Lane Head, this is exactly the sort of place I want to include in the Journal.

Not because we're trying to compile an encyclopaedia of every attraction in the Peak District — there are plenty of websites already doing that. I'd rather share the places our own family have actually been to and enjoyed. That feels much more useful.

If you're visiting with younger children, there will inevitably be days when another six-mile walk across a hill isn't quite what everybody has in mind. Animals, wallabies and the chance to get properly close to some of them — the sign pictured at the top of this page — is a fairly convincing alternative.

And judging by Alice's verdict, this one definitely gets added to the list.

Still not tired

You might reasonably assume that after a day wandering around a wildlife park, meeting deer and feeding wallabies, a five-year-old might be ready to sit down.

Apparently not.

Back at Lane Head, with rather more energy left than the rest of us.

So I think we can safely call the day a success.