Longleat

[Amarillo]

I'm planning to take my boys there this summer.

Should we bypass the monkey enclosure, or run the gauntlet?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Run the gauntlet, or, upset your boys!?

 

[vwsween]

I'm planning to take my boys there this summer.

Should we bypass the monkey enclosure, or run the gauntlet?

To do Longleat properly you need 2 days.
and there is a good chance you will get some damage.

 

[Volkywagen]

If you fancy having to replace half the exterior on your bus go ahead. Say bye bye to any solar panels and wipers.
There is one near us in Knowsley. The monkeys seem to go for the taller vehicles so a Vw bus with be target number one. Unless you go in your Citigo, you might get away with it.
Not that I’ve been through in mine, but did witness a vivaro getting stripped to the chassis last year from the fence as we watched in horror. It was more entertaining than the monkeys. Bad.

 

[blondebier]

To do Longleat properly you need 2 days.
and there is a good chance you will get some damage.

I agree. We went last year and made a long weekend of it.

There's plenty to keep kids occupied for 2 days.

On day 1 we took the Longleat Bus tour. You go through the monkey enclosure and watch everyone else's cars getting ripped apart.

Day 2, take the California round, use the bypass lane to avoid the monkeys and spend more time at the interesting bits you saw on day 1.

 

[Loz]

We went for the fireworks, and took the bus tour, you see more and it goes through the monkeys. Stayed at the caravan club site next door.

 

[Louis II]

I have been to longleat twice with my kids, both times driving through the monkey enclosure with no damage, but not in the cali.
I was prepared to take the hit on a bit of trim wiper etc but on the second visit monkeys were pulling parking sensors out of bumpers. That combined with the partly exposed rubber seal round the roof would put me off going in the cali.
My guess is a 1 in 3 chance of making it through unscathed!

 

[LemonDrop]

Take the new car instead?

 

[tuono001]

We went many years ago in an old mondeo, they managed to peel back the metal trim strips in the roof! I thought they had stopped cars going through and you took the bus.
No way I'd go in with my cali.

 

[Borris]

They're a bit more brazen there than the secretive monkeys at Legoland where they only nick your spare wheel. The Longleat troop must have encyclopedic knowledge of how to take each make and model apart by now. They probably have some form of mail order spare parts scam going on.

 

[Jason wallace]

We did.....can drive the rest though.

Can highly recommend the Caravan and Motor-home club site. You can leave the van on site and walk up to the park. You could always book the bus and get to see all the animals.

Jason

I'm planning to take my boys there this summer.

Should we bypass the monkey enclosure, or run the gauntlet?

 

[Amarillo]

Reading through these messages, there is no way I'm driving Amarillo through that monkey enclosure. I've seen first-hand the havoc cheeky monkeys can do at the top of Gibraltar. Very funny to watch - not so funny for the victim having their passport, driving licence and cash lobbed down a mountain while the little devils look for food in the hapless tourist's man bag.

While I can see the attraction of a red-arsed chimp hanging off the bike rack, buttocks pressed hard against the rear window mooning at the boys within, the thought of the carnage they may be causing to the rooftop solar panels sends shivers down my spine.

So thanks for the suggestion @Loz and @blondebier we'll probably take the bus.

 

[WelshGas]

Bus only through the Monkey Enclosure or bypass it.

 

[Bill R]

Longest also has the largest ( at least it used to be) Hedge Maze in the world if the kids might like that ? God knows how long you’d end up in there though

 

[WelshGas]

Longest also has the largest ( at least it used to be) Hedge Maze in the world if the kids might like that ? God knows how long you’d end up in there though

From experience, a Long Long time.

 

[DavidofHook]

Reading through these messages, there is no way I'm driving Amarillo through that monkey enclosure. I've seen first-hand the havoc cheeky monkeys can do at the top of Gibraltar. Very funny to watch - not so funny for the victim having their passport, driving licence and cash lobbed down a mountain while the little devils look for food in the hapless tourist's man bag.

While I can see the attraction of a red-arsed chimp hanging off the bike rack, buttocks pressed hard against the rear window mooning at the boys within, the thought of the carnage they may be causing to the rooftop solar panels sends shivers down my spine.
So thanks for the suggestion @Loz and @blondebier we'll probably take the bus.

Yes, know what you mean about Gibraltar. My wife has blonde hair and an ape jumped on her head almost as soon as soon as we got to the top of the Rock. Looking down a steep drop and having a large ape jump on your head wasn’t a great experience for her ! She had been warned that they like blondes but she prefers not to wear a hat, she's a bit more flexible now!

 

[capt kirk]

Do the bus thing and leave the van safely outside, those monkeys can reek havoc on your pride and joy

 

[ArunAlec]

Monkey World in Dorset, a lot safer. Although they can still be buggers.... last week I watched a Gibbon swing across the top of its enclosure and spread eagle on the fencing pee out over the viewing area from 30ft. Missed me .... just

 

[BikerGran]

I would NEVER take my Cali through the monkey enclosure! Went through with a car years ago and counted ourselves lucky to only lose a wiper blade!

 

[Jason wallace]

And on that i'm sure we've all seen this...

I would NEVER take my Cali through the monkey enclosure! Went through with a car years ago and counted ourselves lucky to only lose a wiper blade!

 

[Amarillo]

 

[DrJuanKerr]

Yes, know what you mean about Gibraltar. My wife has blonde hair and an ape jumped on her head almost as soon as soon as we got to the top of the Rock. Looking down a steep drop and having a large ape jump on your head wasn’t a great experience for her ! She had been warned that they like blondes but she prefers not to wear a hat, she's a bit more flexible now!

I spent sometime stationed in Gib, damn apes were a pain in the arse. Anything not securely fixed was classed as fair game. They had a strange penchant for steel tea pots!!

 

[OGII]

...sadly couldn't find a stripped Cali pic.

No hold on, not sad at all