Hillside Shire Horse Sanctuary
Hillside Shire Horse Sanctuary
Hillside Shire Horse Sanctuary
4.5
Monday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
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- Considered ReviewNorwich, United Kingdom2,538 contributionsEthical, enjoyable, family day-ableThe West Runton Hillside Sanctuary is just one of those marvellous places that does what it does and allows the public to visit and enjoy it too. Giving a kind and principled home to unwanted or mistreated animals it's a wonderful charity and a great morning or afternoon out for all the family. Check website for opening times (if you can as frankly the website is a confused mess - despite the organisation's wonderful work!). Shop, cafe, seating and good feelings provided as a matter of course as part of your visit.Visited April 2023Travelled with familyWritten 2 March 2024
- Liam1 contributionWell worth a visit.Great place for kids - lovely place for a couple of hours and great that it is free. Loads of allergen friendly food and snacks available too which is great for us. We seem to head there a few times a year. Note - closed for winter then open from March, 6 days a week (closed Saturdays, except Saturday over Easter when it is open). Plenty of picnic tables and a play park if you want to stay there longer.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 24 March 2024
- Jackie RChesterfield, United Kingdom5 contributionsLovely place to visit if you care about animalsOur visit was both enjoyable and emotional. What a lovely place for rescued animals to spend the rest of their lives. The enclosures and stables were immaculate. The animals seemed happy. There are interesting museums, used book shop, bric a brac sales (which we donated costume jewellery to) and a small cafe and gift shop. Although entry is free, this is a charity and anyone who has kept large animals and horses will know how expensive this is, so please, please donate what you can to help care for these animals.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 April 2024
- Culture600699268342 contributionsGreat place.Free to entre & a very pleasant place to visit for families or couples. Although called a shire horse centre, they have everything from Donkeys to Ducks, to Alpaca's to Parrots, to pigs & sheep. The on site café is either vegetarian or vegan. But it is sensibly priced & a good place to get a drink or a snack & they do a nice child's lunch box.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 May 2024
- Ruth BChelmsford, United Kingdom9 contributionsFamily visit June 2024Excellent animal sanctuary. Many more animals than expected. My 3 year old loved the playground Ideal vegan cafe. Felt very happy to give donations and reasonably priced gift shop.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 9 June 2024
- Morgan536 contributionsWebsite doesn’t do it justice!A large group of us stopped by not expecting too much after seeing a sign and the website. We were all incredibly surprised at just how large the site was, how many animals were being taken care of and how many types of animal were there! Absolutely brilliant and would recommend to anyone. Can’t believe entry was free - we all made a donation with the QR codes / wishing well. Cafe also really reasonably priced with a good selection of food and drink.Visited June 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 12 June 2024
- lynn57Chelmsford, United Kingdom14 contributionsLovely place to visitWhat a wonderful place to visit , the animals are so calm and happy . A big thank you to the people who look after the animals. They obviously really care. A nice cafe, and a well stocked gift shop . The young lady in the gift shop was lovely, very friendly, we even adopted a shire horse. And all this with free admission, a place well worth visiting. Er will go again.Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 June 2024
- xhappydayzxUnited Kingdom20 contributionsWhat an amazing place to visitWhat a wonderful place to visit. All the animals are so looked after and you can see the care that all the staff do to make it a safe haven for them. It’s free to go in and they take donations for hay which I was more than happy to oblige. The horses are amazing to see/stroke, but they also have lots of other animals that they’re looking after. I couldn’t believe how big it was when I got there. Mum especially loved it and on her 80th birthday. If you’re thinking of a visit then I would highly recommend you go, you won’t be disappointed and a donation for hay, I’m sure they would humbly accept. Keep up the amazing work!Visited June 2024Travelled soloWritten 27 June 2024
- JakB525Bexleyheath, United Kingdom8 contributionsWell worth a visit. Lots to see.A very enjoyable afternoon out. Lots of animals to see and plenty of seats so you can sit and watch them. The animals all look well cared for. We tried the cafe, it was getting a bit late in the day so not much left. but the lovely lad serving offered to make us a sandwich. Only vegan offerings but that's fine. A cup of tea with oat milk tasted very nice! Entry is free but there are opportunities to donate.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 12 July 2024
- Ianlondon49London, United Kingdom42 contributionsHillside Shire Horse SanctuaryVisited while on holiday, a lovely sanctuary not just shire horses,plenty off other animals to see. Spent a few hours there. It's free but please give a donation it helps to run it, we bought 2 bales of hay and a wheelbarrow of carrotsVisited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
595 reviews
Excellent
468
Very good
95
Average
19
Poor
9
Terrible
4
Albatros513
Chesterfield, UK105 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
The sanctuary is not just for shire horses, there are also rescued hens, rabbits, pigs and more. its a well kept place that gives previously mistreated animals a safe home and a pleasant environment. There is also a cafe, shop, loos, a museum of horse drawn vehicles, a second hand book shop and bric a brac.
You can also adopt an animal for a small fee. Entry is free. Its a very pleasant place to walk around and watch the animals.
You can also adopt an animal for a small fee. Entry is free. Its a very pleasant place to walk around and watch the animals.
Written 9 October 2024
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.
34nella
Machynlleth, UK54 contributions
Aug 2022
I've been buying Christmas cards and gifts from Hillside for several years now and so thought it was high time I actually went to see where my money has been spent. There are literally hundreds of animals and birds there all obviously lovingly cared for. Where an animal has arrived in poor or sick condition and still looks a bit sickly or battered then it is clearly identified as being under the care of the vet which hopefully helps to prevent any well meaning but probably ill-informed criticism. The gift shop is very good and has a wide range of items including the ability to gift bales of hay or bags of carrots for the residents, you can also 'adopt' some of the animals. Also on site are a couple of basically charity junk shops which are a bit messy but i'm sure help to raise further funds. My only criticism would be of the cafe; one of the main aims of the sanctuary is to highlight the problems within factory farming and the treatment of livestock generally in food production; accordingly, the cafe is vegan. No problem, but it would have been nice if some of the cakes etc could have been home made rather than the rather stodgy and dry mass produced items that were on offer on the day of our visit. These really were a disappointment and vegan food doesn't need to be that dull. Many people we saw had brought their own picnic food and i can't say that I blamed them but given entry is now free I wonder how much the charity really benefitted from them visiting.
Having said that its a great place to take any animal lover of any age and we'll be back again soon.
Having said that its a great place to take any animal lover of any age and we'll be back again soon.
Written 24 August 2022
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.
sonya p
14 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
Lovely place to visit.
Lots of animals to adore.
Staff are very nice
Hidden gem of a second hand shop
Beautiful views
Animals well looked after
Entrance by donation, but really think a entrance fee could be charged as so much to see.
To be honest when I saw the advertisement I thought it was just shire horses so maybe advertising in a different name would attract even more potential customers as I also did not know there was a lovely cafe
A hidden gem will definitely visit again
Lots of animals to adore.
Staff are very nice
Hidden gem of a second hand shop
Beautiful views
Animals well looked after
Entrance by donation, but really think a entrance fee could be charged as so much to see.
To be honest when I saw the advertisement I thought it was just shire horses so maybe advertising in a different name would attract even more potential customers as I also did not know there was a lovely cafe
A hidden gem will definitely visit again
Written 20 September 2023
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.
CathH
Chesterfield, UK19 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
A must go to place to visit. Ideal for children, adults and families of all ages. Lots of different rescue animals with relevant information about them, and you can stroke them too. Quite a big and accessible place (fine for pushchairs and they also had wheelchairs to borrow). We happily spent 2 hours there at least, but could have stayed longer. They have scrapped the entrance fee so it’s free, but we donated the equivalent amount anyway as we were so impressed. You can sponsor and adopt animals too.
Staff really helpful and polite and knowledgeable, sanctuary really well kept, animals looked clean and very happy. Food looked good, toilets clean, seating area if you bring a picnic, and there’s also a microwave for you to heat your own food. Proper little gem.
Staff really helpful and polite and knowledgeable, sanctuary really well kept, animals looked clean and very happy. Food looked good, toilets clean, seating area if you bring a picnic, and there’s also a microwave for you to heat your own food. Proper little gem.
Written 26 August 2023
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.
Scousewife40
Merseyside, UK13 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Visited today, not expecting too much as it was free to enter and thought there would only be Shire horses to see but it far exceeded my expectations. Not only was there a good amount of Shire horses to see and pet there were many other rescued animals such as cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs & alpacas all kept in clean, spacious and calm surroundings and tended to by the hard working, caring staff. Nice play area for children & plenty of picnic tables, but none in the shade or with parasols so we chose to eat our picnic in the shaded area of grass, behind the barn, which had a few benches overlooking the animal enclosures, made all the more enjoyable by bleats and grunts from the contented goats and pigs. The large barn housed a little museum of horse drawn transport & machinery, along with a bri-a brac shop and used book store, all of which added to a pleasurable visit. Toilets were clean, along with the cafe, which I never ate in, but purchased drinks from, served by friendly staff there and in the gift shop that had a nice selection of items. Spent 3 very enjoyable hours there with two teenage boys. Thanks to all the hard working staff who provide such a lovely environment for rescued animals and human visitors. More than happy to support & make a donation to a very worthy cause. Would have been happy to pay for parking car too, which we couldn't believe was also free!
Lovely afternoon spent here, hope to return when next in the area.
Lovely afternoon spent here, hope to return when next in the area.
Written 13 August 2024
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.
Jackie D
Sheffield, UK8 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
Had a couple of hours to kill whilst waiting for low tide in Sheringham and found this animal sanctuary nearby. So glad we decided to visit, we loved it there!
We spent the morning wandering around, reading the rescue stories and giving the horses, donkeys and goats lots of strokes and scruffles. The goats in particular seemed to love a scratch around the neck - they were blissed out! This place is fab for kids, with the added extra of a little playground, but everyone, young and old, appeared to be having a lovely time chatting to the animals. There were also plenty of hand washing stations dotted around to keep hands clean.
As veggies, it was really nice to see a selection of vegan snacks in the cafe, so we decided to stay for a quick bite and give our support.
During September, entry is free, but we felt a donation and gift of grass nuts for the horses was well worth it for a few hours in the company of the Hillside animals.
We spent the morning wandering around, reading the rescue stories and giving the horses, donkeys and goats lots of strokes and scruffles. The goats in particular seemed to love a scratch around the neck - they were blissed out! This place is fab for kids, with the added extra of a little playground, but everyone, young and old, appeared to be having a lovely time chatting to the animals. There were also plenty of hand washing stations dotted around to keep hands clean.
As veggies, it was really nice to see a selection of vegan snacks in the cafe, so we decided to stay for a quick bite and give our support.
During September, entry is free, but we felt a donation and gift of grass nuts for the horses was well worth it for a few hours in the company of the Hillside animals.
Written 23 September 2021
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.
John H
8 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
What a fantastic time out. There are so many different rescued animals, not just Shire Horses, we spent a couple of hours there, but you could easily spend more. Free entry but I would advise to leave a donation no matter how small it will help
Written 14 October 2024
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.
k381ss
Leicester, UK198 contributions
Sept 2021 • Family
We visited here for the 1st time and what a great choice, there is a large area to walk round you can spend a good few hours.
There was a child's activity sheet which was definitely a brilliant idea to keep the kids entertained, the animals are well looked after and also tells you about what had happened to them.
There is a gift shop where you can adopt some of the animals for a yearly fee which make a great present and also helps the sanctuary out. There is a cafe for snacks and drinks, seating outside not much shade when it's a really hot sunny day, even walking around there were only a couple of shady spots.
A child's play area also a great place for them to just have a little play.
So glad we visited will return again.
No fee entry for 2021. Donations requested on entry, this may change next year so its best to check.
There was a child's activity sheet which was definitely a brilliant idea to keep the kids entertained, the animals are well looked after and also tells you about what had happened to them.
There is a gift shop where you can adopt some of the animals for a yearly fee which make a great present and also helps the sanctuary out. There is a cafe for snacks and drinks, seating outside not much shade when it's a really hot sunny day, even walking around there were only a couple of shady spots.
A child's play area also a great place for them to just have a little play.
So glad we visited will return again.
No fee entry for 2021. Donations requested on entry, this may change next year so its best to check.
Written 8 September 2021
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.
Jackie I
Sheringham, UK2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Loved this place. Animals are so well cared for. It’s an unexpected gem in the middle of the countryside. Pop into the farm museum and at the back is a bric a brac shop with a huge selection of items. Very informative, but easy going, so much to see and do. A coffee shop offers a good selection of vegan food and drink and the gift shop is so reasonably priced. All the staff were friendly and helpful. We will certainly be visiting again.
Written 9 October 2023
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.
Erin
Leatherhead, UK42 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
This is such an incredible place, with incredible selfless people to run it. This sanctuary doesn’t just rescue horses, they also save goats, donkeys, chickens, alpacas, bunnies, geese, ducks, pigs, deer… the list goes on and on. It’s free to go in, and personally I think they should make an entrance fee as they really do need the help to look after all the animals. All of the animals are very well cared for, and the people who work there adore their job. You can make donations, and they have a little bric-a-brac shop where you can leave money in a box for whatever you decided to take home. You can also buy a sack of hay for the animals for £5. I absolutely 100% would recommend going. It’s a gorgeous place, and I plea that everyone makes even the tiniest donation. The animals are very sweet, and lots of the horses are very friendly. They also have a cat who lives there, Luca, and is often seen weaving round peoples legs in the gift shop! It’s a wonderful place for people of all ages, and definitely worth a visit. Was by far one of the highlights of my trip to Norfolk :))
Written 5 July 2021
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.
Is this place wheelchair friendly?
Written 13 July 2022
It's set on rural land so whilst I can't remember there being steps, the paths may be a little uneven and there are slopes etc. They do have specific disabled parking spaces close to the entrance and there is a disabled toilet on site. They're really friendly so it may be best to call before you go to find out whether it would be accessible.
Written 17 August 2022
Is this open daily? It’s very unclear on their website whether you can visit everyday or they have open days and you have to book and go on one of these. I looked at the website but it really isn’t very informative or clear. Trip advisor seems to be much more informative.
Written 30 June 2021
It's open every day (10am) EXCEPT Saturday (I assume it's the one day the staff get off each week!).
Entry is free but there are other ways to contribute, eg cafe, gift shop, bric-a-brac shop, buy a bundle of hay for an animal, adoptions, standard donations etc. So you could have a completely free day out and take your own picnic if you're watching the pennies or there are opportunities to be more generous if you can.
Written 3 May 2022
Do you have to book at the moment prior to visiting?
Written 6 August 2020
No lots of car parking and great social distance rules and procedures in place, we felt very safe.
Written 6 August 2020
No this is a rescue centre to care for unwanted mis treated animals
Written 27 September 2019
Hillside
Norwich, United Kingdom
Hello Ma55i,
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. As others have helpfully mentioned, the Sanctuary is generally accessible for disabled visitors but it is an outdoor environment so in some weathers (such as rain, or when muddy) it may be difficult accessing all of the outdoor areas. There are several indoor areas to visit including the Museum, Gift Shop and Animal Friendly Cafe. Thank you for thinking of visiting our rescued animals.
Written 4 September 2019
Yes, they allow dogs on leads. We didn't have a dog with us but I am sure I saw a water bowl near the cafe for dogs to drink from.
Written 2 January 2019
yes its all ok to bring dogs as long as they are kept on a lead and under controll
Written 6 January 2019
Is the sanctury open over the Christmas week commencing 22 - 29 December. we are renting a cottage and would like to visit with grandchildren if poasible.
Written 17 October 2017
I am sorry, I really can’t answer that as I didn’t look when we were there.
Written 3 November 2017
Are you open on a Sunday please?
Written 21 September 2017
Yes I think they close on Fridays and Saturdays !
Written 21 September 2017
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