The Welsh Hawking Centre
The Welsh Hawking Centre
The Welsh Hawking Centre
3.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
3.5
117 reviews
Excellent
42
Very good
25
Average
21
Poor
9
Terrible
20
Yasmine
4 contributions
Aug 2019
I bought the Half Day Experience for my grandfather's birthday, as he has seen a bird show before and enjoyed it, this would be the next step up for him to get a bit more hands on.. He absolutely loved it!
The trainer, Jamie, was very friendly and funny which made my grandfather feel comfortable straight away. He was very knowledgeable and gave some history on falconry and the birds, along with his own anecdotes which were very interesting to hear.
The session was 3 hours long and he had a go at flying about 4 or 5 different birds including owls too, which he was absolutely thrilled with!
The birds were beautiful to look at and we were surprised how many were there! The facility could do with a little updating however It's not as bad as the reviews below suggest.. It's not London Zoo so don't expect that.. it's a small family run facility so appreciate the time and effort that is put in to care for the birds.
All in all, we were super pleased we brought him along for a day out, it's definitely a day he will remember for many years! Thank you so much!
The trainer, Jamie, was very friendly and funny which made my grandfather feel comfortable straight away. He was very knowledgeable and gave some history on falconry and the birds, along with his own anecdotes which were very interesting to hear.
The session was 3 hours long and he had a go at flying about 4 or 5 different birds including owls too, which he was absolutely thrilled with!
The birds were beautiful to look at and we were surprised how many were there! The facility could do with a little updating however It's not as bad as the reviews below suggest.. It's not London Zoo so don't expect that.. it's a small family run facility so appreciate the time and effort that is put in to care for the birds.
All in all, we were super pleased we brought him along for a day out, it's definitely a day he will remember for many years! Thank you so much!
Written September 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zzzxs
Barry, UK12 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
I had visited before with our other grandchildren
It s a great place to go for a couple of hours out
The children all learnt a great deal about endangered species and they loved all the owls
Jamie was brilliant with the display and making it fun and interesting and interactive with the children being allowed to hold the owls
Would recommend to all thank you staff of Hawking Centre
J Hicks
It s a great place to go for a couple of hours out
The children all learnt a great deal about endangered species and they loved all the owls
Jamie was brilliant with the display and making it fun and interesting and interactive with the children being allowed to hold the owls
Would recommend to all thank you staff of Hawking Centre
J Hicks
Written August 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Melangell
2 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
We bought a membership here this year as we have two boys who absolutely love the birds. We often time our visits to coincide with the display times (12pm and 2.30pm) and I can't recommend them enough. We could watch the displays for hours and the boys love the chance to get involved and hold the birds.This is a small family run enterprise (if you come expecting Bristol zoo then you wil be disappointed). It is clear when it comes to the birds the owners know their stuff. My only feedback would be that I'd like to see more information boards so I know what I am looking at.
Written August 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
chickenpieHampshire
Hampshire74 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
I don’t know what they do with your admission price £16 for a family. The birds live in very poor conditions with no stimulation Orr variety that was obvious in their tiny cages, there is so little to see. & do. Half an hour & we had done it all. Couldn’t bare to wait another hour for the flying display as there was absolutely nothing else to do. The whole place was completely run down. Perhaps they should visit to Hawk Conservancy in Andover to see how it is done properly.
Written August 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
RD123
1 contribution
Jul 2019 • Family
This place can only be described as a Colditz for birds !! In fact Colditz treated its inmates better probably ... perhaps a Russian gulag or stint on the eastern front during the first world war may be more relaxing for the birds and visitors alike.
The staff ... poor and rude .. smelt loads and a visit by the RSPB and environmental health should be advised , perhaps send in the SAS to rescue the animals here.
This visit has left my family ( young ) with a vision of hurt and pure disgust .. do not give these jokers your money they will probably spend it on plastic and chuck it in the sea !!!!
The staff ... poor and rude .. smelt loads and a visit by the RSPB and environmental health should be advised , perhaps send in the SAS to rescue the animals here.
This visit has left my family ( young ) with a vision of hurt and pure disgust .. do not give these jokers your money they will probably spend it on plastic and chuck it in the sea !!!!
Written August 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
cath138
Barry, UK28 contributions
Apr 2019
This is a wonderful place especailly for children, we visited when they re opened this year and they made us so welcome. Although a flying display was not planned they did fly one of the birds. This was our second visit and my niece and nephew really enjoyed finding out about the birds.
Written August 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
derek t
Cardiff, UK20 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
Not bad value cpl of hours out not somewhere you could spend a whole day I think it could do with a cafe and a better gift shop
Written August 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
EMDREW
2 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
As keen birders, we wanted to learn more about various birds of prey and initially thought the hawking centre was a sanctuary for rescues. It didn’t take long to realise that it wasn’t a sanctuary at all, as there was barely any information about the birds. Some appeared in good health and others had scruffy feathers, flying into the cages which as you can imagine, was heartbreaking. We decided to continue looking around in hope we would see more information or speak to someone about how the birds are maintained and treated. The gardens and grounds were clearly well looked after and I’m sure the owners have a passion for birds, we just felt wrong for being there, seeing such large birds kept in cages that they’re clearly not meant to be in. We sadly regret making the decision to contribute to visiting this centre as it’s not a rescue centre, merely a breeding ground for beautiful birds restricted to captive environments.
Written July 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lex
United Kingdom103 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
This site is clearly run by people who truly love their work, and this is their passion.
The current roadworks on the public road outside are clearly affecting their business, so hopefully if you’re on the fence about going then this will tip you in the right direction. Go.
There are of course a large selection of raptors such as falcons, vultures, owls and eagles. There are also some more domesticated animals that look to have been rescued such as parrots and cockatoos. We also saw some bunnies running around (not near the birds!) and stabled horses.
There are daily flying displays, at the time to writing these were 12pm and 2.30pm. This was great fun and our guide, Jamie, was clearly very passionate about the birds and their well-being.
Buzz, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, was definitely our favourite. He was used in the flying display, and was quite vocal!
In terms of facilities, there is a large, flat, gravel car park, toilet block, lots of seating and picnic benches, light refreshments available in the shop and gifts/literature on birds to purchase. The site is fairly level, but you’d need to check with them about step-free access if needed.
The current roadworks on the public road outside are clearly affecting their business, so hopefully if you’re on the fence about going then this will tip you in the right direction. Go.
There are of course a large selection of raptors such as falcons, vultures, owls and eagles. There are also some more domesticated animals that look to have been rescued such as parrots and cockatoos. We also saw some bunnies running around (not near the birds!) and stabled horses.
There are daily flying displays, at the time to writing these were 12pm and 2.30pm. This was great fun and our guide, Jamie, was clearly very passionate about the birds and their well-being.
Buzz, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, was definitely our favourite. He was used in the flying display, and was quite vocal!
In terms of facilities, there is a large, flat, gravel car park, toilet block, lots of seating and picnic benches, light refreshments available in the shop and gifts/literature on birds to purchase. The site is fairly level, but you’d need to check with them about step-free access if needed.
Written July 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
irishdave
4 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
It felt cruel conditions to keep birds. There was not enough space for them to move around and they appeared to be tethered by the legs for long periods of time.
Written July 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The Welsh Hawking Centre (Barry) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about The Welsh Hawking Centre
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- (0.51 mi) Travelodge Cardiff Airport
- (0.48 mi) New Farm
- (1.22 mi) The Vale Park Hotel & Touring Site
- (0.52 mi) Y Golomen in the beautiful Barry
- Restaurants near The Welsh Hawking Centre:
- (0.89 mi) Cwm Talwg
- (1.45 mi) Paletta Pizzeria
- (0.48 mi) Toby Carvery Rhoose in Barry
- (1.50 mi) The Little Olive
- (2.11 mi) The Six Bells Penmark