🏞️ Somerset Scenes

Emma and I visited Monkey World in Dorset a couple of days after Christmas. MW is a sanctuary for rescued and abused primates from all around the world. It isn’t a zoo – these primates can’t be released back into the wild for various reasons. It’s also the European creche for orphaned orangutans, with years of experience rearing and caring for these poor babies.

We’ve been supporters for many years and used to visit with our dear friend Penny. After Penny passed away in 2023, we paid for a bench in her honour at MW, and we often visit to sit on it and think of her. If you ever visit, you can find it near the marmosets.

This visit was unexpectedly spectacular! It was a glorious day – sunny but cold – and as it was only two days after Xmas, there weren’t many people there. The primates were all very active, and we saw all the park’s big characters like Rodders the chimp and Peanut the gibbon. The woolly monkeys in particular were on top form and very entertaining.

Xanthe’s Venue Rating –  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – it’s such a magical place, doing such important conservation and welfare work.

Xanthe’s Cafe Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I had an awesome Cornish pasty! (Emma disputes this rating – in fact, her exact words are “you’re being hasty about the pasty when the rest of the stuff was nasty” because she’s addicted to puns. She’s correct about the cafe – but my pasty WAS really good!)

Piccies below – the bottom right one is of us sitting at Penny’s bench.

🐈‍⬛ Indy Snuggles ❤️

A cold but sunny day in the garden with my boy – bliss!