Cassiobury Farm and Fishery

“This truly is a hidden treasure in Watford, easy to miss unless you already know about it. I had the chance to visit on its final open day, and it’s a real shame that it will no longer be accessible to the public. The staff were outstanding welcoming, friendly, and highly knowledgeable about the animals and their care. Their encounters session was well presented, engaging, informative, and thoughtfully delivered to people of all ages. The grounds have a some food stalls and bench seating, with plenty of spots ideal for enjoying a picnic around site or simply relaxing by the lake. Although it’s often referred to as a farm, it feels much more like a small zoo. Alongside the traditional farm animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens, there was an impressive collection of more exotic species, including meerkats, flamingos, small monkeys, owls, wolves, and wallabies. The entry price of £16.50 felt very reasonable considering the variety of animals and the overall quality of the experience. For children, the Jurassic Trail was a particular highlight, with life-size dinosaurs providing plenty of fun and excitement. It’s an excellent destination for families and a great way to spend a day together. The only drawback was the limited toilet facilities, I saw just four portable units on-site, which were not the most pleasant. However, this was a very minor issue and did not take away from the overall wonderful experience. Accessibility is fairly good, though it may require some effort for those with buggies or wheelchairs. Parking is not available directly on-site unless you hold a Blue Badge. Instead, visitors can park at Cassiobury Park car park, which is a 5–10 minute walk away, with options to pay via machine or online. Overall, this was a wonderful place to visit educational, enjoyable, and memorable. It’s a real loss that it won’t be open to the public in the future.”

“We had a lovely time at an open day on 15th August with our 11 month old daughter and friends. On arrival, we were greeted by children having a lovely time on pedalos to our right, and a bustling shop on the left, from which we could buy drinks, alpaca wool, honey, and ice creams. We began our visit by seeing a porcupine and the pelicans (one of which came out of the water and stood near enough on my foot, to my daughter's delight), before seeing tortoises and monkeys, meerkats, armadillos, and so much more. The tamarins seemed particularly interested in my daughter and came right up to the glass and prodded at her, which gave us all a wonderful view of them. All the animals seemed happy and relaxed. The centre of the farm is a large, picturesque lake, and people were sitting around it relaxing. The farm itself is accessible by walking through the stunning Cassiobury Park or along the canal path, so there is much to be enjoyed by the way of nature. It seems a shame that this attraction is not often open as it is a lovely place to walk and relax as well as enjoy the animals.”

“Went today for one of the very rare open days, I don't understand why they can not open more often, they get people out and also help small businesses. Its a lovely little find with some great animals. Would like more information about the place itself but for what they provide is great. Maybe hard work for buggies and wheelchairs but is manageable. Maybe a few extra washing facilities near the animals you feed.”

“A really nice day out. There are a lot of things to do and see. You can feed the animals and some can be petted, they are very gentle. There is a stall with farm produce and the eggs were really nice. Why 4? Not the best map, probably not updated. Some of the enclosures seem to little for the animals they house. There was a burger stall, but the burgers were pre-grilled so not the best taste. The lady taking orders wasn't cut out for taking orders so the que was long because she wasn't able to remember any orders. Some of the prices we on the high side. I review these places taking in consideration my kid's reaction too, hence 4 not 3 stars. She absolutely loved it.”