If you've ever wanted to get up close and personal with the likes of a peregrine falcon, a snowy owl or a vulture then there's a park near Manchester where you can see the largest collection of birds of prey in the north west. Gauntlet Eagle and Vulture Park in Knutsford has been delighting visitors for the past 20 years with its array of majestic birds from across the world.
There are over 160 birds in aviaries across the large park atttraction. And each day, there are special live shows and flying demonstrations where visitors get to watch the majestic winged animals swoop over their heads.
The family-run centre was first started by Graham Bessant back in 1996 with just 13 birds. There are now over 180 different birds on the Cheshire site that Steve, his children as well as staff and volunteers help to tend to and train.
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Gauntlet has just reopened after their winter break, and are open every day this week through the February half term for those wanting a day out with the kids. Then from March onwads, they open Wednesdays to Sundays and in school summer holidays this goes to seven days.
Steve first started the centre with the goal to help raise awareness of birds of prey, of how they live, hunt and feed as well as the dangers they face in the modern world. The park is home to a huge range of birds, from eagles, hawks and owls to vultures and kites.
There is also more unusual birds at the park, including caracaras, seriemas, storks and pelicans. Visitors can also get to meet the park's non-feathered friends -goats, meerkats and ferrets.
Graham's daughter Daisy, 21, is one of the falconers on the site and has literally grown up with the birds. She's even considered "mum" to many of the birds on the site - including Cory the peregrine falcon who stuns visiors with his speedy flights across the park. She says the aim of the centre is to both entertain and educate, and they raise money for the Gauntlet Conservation Trust throughout the year.
She said: "We were very much a Bird of Prey centre, but now we're very much a conservation centre. The centre was first started in 1996 by my dad, he had a massive passion for birds, he's flown birds ever since he was younger so his dream was to make his passion into an everyday thing.
"He started it with 14 birds and a pot belly pig and two goats, and now we're here with over 160 birds and 65 species."
During flying demonstrations that are held throughout the day falconers talk all about the different birds as they fly right over your heads in the auditorium space. Through the summer months and kids holidays, they hold a special bird show at 3pm each day which becomes a live extravaganza with 30 birds released to music.
They also hold events and workshops like the Young Falconer’s Club and Owls by Moonlight and Birds of Prey experiences, where you can get up close to the birds and fly anything from a Little Owl on a Taster Experience to a huge White-tailed Sea Eagle on an Ultimate Eagle Encounter.
There is a cafe and gift shop with seating indoors and outdoors on the site, which is right next to a large play area with the "Gauntlet Fort" offering slides and climbing for kids. There's also a sandpit here too.
How to get there
Gauntlet Birds of Prey is on Manchester Road, Knutsford, WA16 0SX, next to the Fyer's Roses Garden Centre. It's around a five minute drive from Junction 19 of the M6 at Knutsford, and from Junction 7 of the M56 at Bowdon in the other direction.
It's recommended to book your tickets online to avoid disappointment, these are priced at £10.50 for adults, and £8.50 for children aged 3 - 16, concessions are £9. Under 3s go free, while a family ticket for two adults and two children is £38.
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