South West Deer Rescue
South West Deer Rescue
5
Nature & Wildlife Areas
This location was reported permanently closed
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles115 reviews
Excellent
110
Very good
2
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
2

Paula P
St Austell, UK37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
We went for My husbands birthday and to be honest were not expecting too much but were blown away by the size of the place, the amount of deer, the knowledge and friendliness of the guys and how tame and gentle the deer were. Would highly recommend, we were on our guided tour for around 2.5 hours. Definitely take wellies, waterproofs if wet and plenty of carrots and digestive biscuits for the lovely deer. We would love to go back again some day, maybe to their open day on the 1st weekend of July.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debbie H
Chard, UK359 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Myself, husband, children and grand children spent a fabulous time at The South West Deer Rescue which is run by Mike. You do have to book in advance and amazingly, a large party who were expected did not arrive. This was totally their loss and our gain as we had Mike's undivided attention and enthusiasm for these wonderful creatures. Through Mikes hard work, dedication and love for these animals he has totally gained their trust and many of them seemed to enjoy hugs and cuddles! The walk lasts for about an hour and half and is muddy so wellies are a must! You get to meet them all as he gives you a fully guided tour amid the beautiful rolling hills.The world needs more people like Mike.What a magical place it is!
Written December 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maryanne W
21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Family
What an amazing place . Passionate and caring staff . Not suitable for prams or wheelchairs as rough under foot .However walking amongst the deer , feeding them and learning about them was amazing. Make sure you take plenty of carrots and digestive biscuits for the deer . There is no fixed cost but they ask for a donation as they have no other funding so give generously. Wellies required in wet weather.
Written November 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LauraHam1
Newbury, UK18 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
We needed to call in advance to make sure that we could walk around the sanctuary, guided by Mike who runs it. He was friendly and incredible knowledgeable about the deer, happy to answer any questions that we all had. All of the deer clearly adore him and there is a kind atmosphere across the whole place. We went at our own pace and the walk took about 2 and a quarter hours. We brought digestives along which you feed to the deer - they love them! You might get mobbed! Me and my husband took three packets between us and they cleared us out. You can take carrots too. I can't believe this was free - please go and support Mike's amazing work by contributing what you can.
Written November 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

292sean
Yeovil, UK7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
An unforgettable treat for Grandparents, parents and children of all ages. Fantastic setting a wonderful close up experience and a great guide. 2 hrs well spent and one visit is not enough. When you go please be generous with your donations it really is worth rewarding the people who live 24/7 for these animals and deliver such a rewarding experience to every visitor.
Written October 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Postponer15
Cornwall, UK73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Couples
We booked on last minute as another group were already visiting, so firstly, thank you for accomdating us. We spent a good few hours with Mike and friends enjoying the company of a range of deer. Getting up close and personal and learning about these beautiful creatures.

Couple of tips I learned from others... Take lots of apples, carrots and plain digestive biscuits, at least one pack per person. The deer love them and it really enhances the experience you will have. There is a Lidl near by where you can purchase these items very cheaply.

If possible, take a few extra bags as a donation to the rescue, I wish we'd taken more!

Wear wet weather or walking boots as walking through fields, grass, mud, slugjtly uneven terrain.

If you're a keen photographer, take a decent camera, lots of photo opportunities!

Please take cash to make a generous donation. The rescue relies on the generosity of visitors.

Suggest donation of at least £10 per adult for the close up experience you receive.

Written October 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dave coleman
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Family
We came across this whilst holidaying in chard, phoned up to see if we could go the same day and they kindly let us .

This was like nothing I've ever been to, walking with deer, or should I say they walk with you, hand feeding, stroking and cuddling them.

The two that showed us around was Ken and the wonderful Mike, the love they have for their deer are second to none, we had planned to go to the zoo that day and all of us including our 12 year old said it was far better than any zoo.

Thank you so much for an amazing experience.

Entry is free, but please donate towards the running of this place , when you see what goes into it you'll be happy to
Written October 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jo207
Sandhurst, UK28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019 • Couples
We were immensely privileged to be the only two people to visit today.
Mike & Ken were very welcoming & gave us a fantastic tour of the centre, sharing their 40 years of knowledge & anecdotes about the deer.
We were truly amazed at how close we could get to these beautiful animals, being able to hand feed & even cuddle them.
We took 3 large bags of carrots, 2 bags of apples & 6 packs of digestive biscuits & the deer ate them all from our hands!
A beautiful & peaceful location with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
You must book in advance to go on a tour.
We both absolutely loved the experience & will definitely go back soon.
A truly magical morning & a true privilege to be able to get so close to these beautiful & gentle deer.
Written September 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Jaunter
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
An Amazing day with the Deer ....for Adults as well as Children and the team working there are really friendly knowledgeable and helpful....and really create a wonderful experience... admission is by Donation so you can pay whatever you can afford ....bring lots of Biscuits & Apples And Carrots because the Deer love them ....and dont forget your smartphone or camera to take loads of photos and videos like I did
Written September 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

S Hawker
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
The Deer sanctuary is amazing. You need to book a day to visit and take digestive biscuits and carrots. The deer will come up to you and feed out of your hands. We were amazed at how friendly they are and it was an awesome experience, we will be visiting often.
Take plenty of digestive biscuits and carrots for the 150+ deer they have. The very experienced staff take you on a tour of all the fields the deer are living in, it takes a good couple of hours. Some of the deer follow you around, for more carrots and biscuits. You need lots!
The visits are free of charge as they rely on donations.
The best place we went to in our Summer holidays.
Written September 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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South West Deer Rescue - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)