Have a Splashing Good Time at the National Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, Cornwall

For animal lovers, the National Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, Cornwall is an excellent place to spend some time. Although it is primarily a place where seals are nursed back to full health so they can return to the wild, they aren't the only animals living there. During your visit, you can expect to see otters, penguins, ponies and much more.

The most surprising thing about the National Seal Sanctuary is its location. It is situated in a small village, and if it weren't for the signposts, you could easily think you'd gotten lost on the way! The car park is situated behind some houses, but once you have paid your entrance fee, you have to go on a bit of a trek to reach the attractions. You can walk along the road between the trees to the Seal Sanctuary in around ten minutes, but there is also a bus which will get you there in less than half the time.

The first area you will see is the Common Seals pool. This is where the star of the park lives. Babyface is one of the oldest known common seals in Britain and moved to the Gweek sanctuary in late 2010. It's a little bit unfortunate that the main attraction is the first place you will reach, but it won't make the rest of your day any less interesting. Following the path around the park, you will see the Convalescence Pool, then pools and enclosures which home Grey Seals, Cape Fur Seals, Sea Lions, Penguins and Otters.

Throughout the day, the staff give well informed and fun talks at each of the pools so you can learn about the different seal species, and more about the specific seal residents they care for. One of the most entertaining parts is seeing the animals at feeding time. The sea lions are always particularly interesting to watch!

Once you have learned all you can from the talks, you can take a walk back up the hill to visit the ponies, sheep and goats which also live at the sanctuary. Although there isn't anything remarkable about them, they are definitely worth taking a look at as they are always very popular with the youngsters.

If you want to prolong your time as a visitor, it is a good idea to pack a picnic. There is a designated picnic area which is ideal when the weather is nice. There is also a cafe on the site and refreshments kiosks too, so if you really don't feel like bringing your own food, you won't go hungry.

The only downside of the Seal Sanctuary is the lack of facilities. If you need to use the bathroom when you are halfway around the park, it is a pretty long walk back towards the first attraction where the only set of toilets is located. I would suggest that if you have children with you, you make sure they use the toilets before you get started to lower the risk of any little accidents.

Although the National Seal Sanctuary isn't the cheapest day trip you could go on, the money goes towards helping them to continue with their work rescuing seals. One handy tip I picked up which will help me next time I visit, is that you can get a '''£3 off voucher from their website. I would recommend making use of this before you go!

How to get there:

From Helston, follow the A3083 as far as the roundabout, then turn left onto the B3293. Follow the road for half a mile, and follow the signs to Gweek. When you reach Gweek village, follow the signs for the Seal Sanctuary.

National Seal Sanctuary

Gweek

Opening Times: 10am daily (closing times vary by season)

Telephone: 0871 423 2110

Website