Sports & Leisure

Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens

Family-friendly zoological gardens (Northumberland College Zoo) just north of Ponteland, home to over 100 species with a petting barn, trails and play areas.

About Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens

Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens, also known as Northumberland College Zoo, sits within the college's Kirkley Hall campus just north of Ponteland. Home to well over 100 species — from ring-tailed lemurs, wallabies and alpacas to reptiles and the smaller animals of the petting barn — it began as a training facility for animal-care students and has grown into one of the area's best family days out, with animal talks, feeding and handling sessions, play areas and river and forest trails.\n\nOpen at weekends and during school holidays (check current times before visiting), the hall and its grounds are also a popular wedding venue. It is the closest proper zoo to Ponteland and an easy trip for families across the NE20 area.