Simon Ritchie and family enjoy a day out in the country.

Monk Park Farm is one of North Yorkshire's tourism success stories.

Last year, the children's farm attraction at Bagby, just south of Thirsk, had a record 50,000 visitors - and this year it'll probably be even more.

It's the sort of place that people go to again and again, always finding something new to see on each visit.

One of the great things about Monk Park is that youngsters (and adults for that matter) can get up really close to the animals.

Children are encouraged to give the creatures a cuddle and a pat. And you will be friends for life if you give them sometime to eat - bags of food are available at 50p a go.

Our three-and-a-half-year-old son, Elliot, was in his element giving food to the ever-hungry sheep, goats and cows. His favourite bit was feeding milk to the hungry lambs. An experience not to be missed.

His baby sister, Zara, thought it was great fun when the animals scrambled over each other to get at the tasty treats. She had only seen such animals in picture books before, so this was a new, and highly-enjoyable, experience for her.

In the main animal shed, we saw lots of cute lambs, pigs and piglets, guinea pigs, poultry chicks, chinchillas, rabbits and goats as well as calves. And if any if the animals do get out of their pens there's a sheep dog at hand to gather up any strays.

Outside we got to see rare breeds such as Highland cattle, Longhorn cattle and belted Galloways, Saddleback and Gloucester Old Spot pigs as well as Moroccan sheep and llamas.

There are also a couple of donkeys who give rides at weekends, pheasants and peacocks, fallow deer and a lake full of ducks and geese.

Both Elliot and Zara loved the wallaby enclosure, where these enigmatic creatures hopped around with their baby joeys tucked in their pouches.

But there's more to Monk Park than just the animals...

The adventure playground with its slides, monkey bars, up-and-over wall, rope ladder and giant sandpit kept Elliot amused for ages.

And the caf has recently been extended and redeveloped to incorporate an indoor picnic area and a room for children's parties (held from 5pm).

Monk Park is impressive. The enclosures are clean, the animals well looked after and the staff friendly and helpful. It's a great place for a day out.

Fact file

Monk Park Farm Visitor Centre, Bagby, Thirsk Tel 01845 597730. www.monkpark.co.uk

Opening hours: Open every day until October 31, from 11am to 5.30pm.

Admission: Adults, £4, children and senior citizens £3.

How to get there: From York, take the A19 north towards Thirsk, take the right turn for Bagby, Balk and Kilburn, then at the top of Bagby village, turn left and drive half a mile. Monk Park is on the right.

Updated: 08:35 Saturday, July 30, 2005