Flamingo Land

WHY? There are two great things about Flamingo Land, and one bad thing. First, it’s on our doorstep. Secondly, it keeps evolving.

Every year something is added. This year, it’s looking better than ever. And now for the bad part: there is far too much to see in a day. What with all the rides and the zoo, you can’t do half of what you’d planned. New this year is the fabulous Children’s Planet area, which our two, Elliot, nine, and Zara, six, thought was great. It’s a massive adventure playground set in a mini-wildlife park. There’s a tunnel into the meerkat enclosure. You pop your head up into a transparent sphere and, if you are lucky, face the little creatures.

We loved Splash Battle, which involves driving around in yellow submarines firing water cannons. We came prepared with a set of spare clothing, but others weren’t so forward-thinking. Prepare to get wet too on the Lost River Ride, where your ‘boat’ travels among lions, zebras and giraffes before taking a 60ft plunge.

For edge-of-seat thrills, try the jaw-dropping 98-feet long Mumbo Jumbo, steepest rollercoaster in the world with a drop of 112 degrees.

Others for the brave are Velocity, the only motorbike rollercoaster in the country, The Wild Mouse, Corkscrew and the vertical drop Cliff Hanger (which I can’t even look at!), and Kumali, a looping rollercoaster that attains a G-force of 4.5. There are also plenty of rides for younger children.

The best way to chill out after all that excitement is to saunter round the zoo. Here you can see Siberian tigers, lions, rhinos, hippos, baboons, chimpanzees, camels, lemurs and sea lions. Watch out for Roofus, the ever-so-cute baby giraffe, pictured above.

To get your money’s worth, arrive when the gates open as queues for the popular rides can be long, although if you buy a queue-buster ticket you will get a text message when it’s your turn to join the front of the line.

REFRESHMENTS? Plenty of restaurants, cafés, takeaways, and also a Costa Coffee, plus lots of picnic places.

FAMILY FRIENDLY? Very.

WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY? Yes, although some of the zoo-viewing areas may be difficult to access. Disabled toilets available.

PARKING? Lots.

HOW TO GET THERE? By car: A64 to Malton bypass, A169 towards Pickering, following signs to Kirkby Misperton. By train: Nearest station is at Malton.

OPENING TIMES: Gates open at 9.30am, rides start at 10am. Closing time is 5pm, or 6pm. Season ends on October 30. Admission: Adults and children aged over four, £27; under-threes free; family ticket for four, £95; senior citizens and disabled, £18.

• For more details, phone 0871 911 8000, or visit flamingoland.co.uk