Latest news with #PolarBears
Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
The UK's £12 train journey where you can see polar bears from your seat
It's no secret that there are some pretty scenic train routes around the UK, showcasing everything from rugged Scottish countryside to the stunning Cornish coast. But did you know there's also a journey where you can see polar bears roaming about or taking a dip? No, we haven't lost our marbles. There really are polar bears in the UK and there are four that you can catch a glimpse of from behind train windows. To be in with a chance of seeing one, you'll want to head to London Liverpool Street and hop on a Greater Anglia train heading to Norwich. Or, if you're in Norfolk, you'll do the journey in reverse and take the train to London. There are several stops along the way, but it's specifically between Manningtree and Ipswich when you'll want to keep your eyes peeled. That's because the giant carnivores can be found at Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park, just a few miles outside of Ipswich. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Their enclosure backs on to the main train line, giving passengers a prime viewing spot when the furry creatures are out and about. Owned and run by farmer and TV presenter, Jimmy Doherty, the park also doubles as Europe's largest polar bear reserve – although the 50-year-old claims he never planned to have these kinds of animals in his care. In 2022, Orsa Predator Park in Sweden closed and its unsold animals were at risk of being put to sleep, including a polar bear named Ewa. With alopecia and a broken claw, Ewa wasn't able to be released back into the wild, which is when Jimmy stepped in. He borrowed money from the bank to build an enclosure with a saltwater dipping pool plus two other lakes, two dens, a large natural woodland area and a state-of-the-art ventilated house and the bear was shipped from Sweden to Suffolk. Since then, she's been joined by Hope, who had also been at the Orsa Predator Park, as well as two other polar bears, Flocke and Tala who came from the Yorkshire Wildlife Park and are part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). The London to Norwich train line is taken by numerous commuters each day, so for many the Polar Bears will be a familiar site, but for others, they'll be pretty unexpected. In a recent TikTok video @bradleyt_28 proclaimed the bears the 'best part' of the train journey and his clip of them quickly went viral, garnering over 819,000 views and more than 67,000 likes. In the comments people were baffled, with @saffarindia asking: 'What da hell is a polar bear doing in Ipswich, England?' Similarly, @alexlcfc02 posted: 'Why do we have polar bears in 17 degree England?' Others confessed they thought they'd been 'hallucinating' the first time they saw the bears, as @mythshroom7 wrote: 'Okay listen this is my Roman Empire. I told my friends I saw polar bears and nobody believed me for months. When they finally saw them I felt so good you don't understand.' For those curious as to how the Arctic bears manage without the snow and ice, Jimmy's Farm website states that summer temperatures in parts of the tundra reach highs of 26C and most bears 'do not reside on the ice throughout the year'. They add that the temperatures in Hudson Bay (polar bear country) can also get higher than those in Suffolk. More Trending The bears at the farm are able to regulate their temperature by going into the shaded woodland and swimming in the deep pool. In addition to polar bears, Jimmy's Farm is also home to arctic foxes, arctic wolves, brown bears, lemurs, zebra, raccoons, capybara and anteaters, among others. Those tempted to go polar bear spotting can take the London to Norwich train, with prices starting from £12 and the full journey along the line takes roughly an hour and 50 minutes, although their are fast 90 minute trains. This story was first published on July 29, 2025. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: 'Charming' city in Spain is a lesser-known gem with £40 flights and 'hardly any tourists' MORE: I've been to 9 Italian cities, but there's only one I keep going back to MORE: Move over Maldives – this genuine hidden gem is cheaper and closer to UK
The Independent
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Polar bears take refreshing dip as UK faces new heatwave
Polar bears at Yorkshire Wildlife Park were filmed cooling down in a lake amid an impending UK heatwave. Footage released by the park showed the mammals splashing, play-fighting, and fully submerging themselves in the water. The UK is bracing for its fourth heatwave of the year, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 34C on Tuesday. A yellow health alert has been issued for most of England, effective from Monday afternoon until Wednesday evening. Watch the video in full above.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Orioles and Athletics Highlights
VIDEO: Abby Seders walks with the bases loaded to put Jackson softball up on Findlay VIDEO: Jackson High School sophomore player Abby Seders gives the Polar Bears the lead for good against Findlay by walking with the bases loaded 0:13 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
GC Baseball: Frost earns All-District awards
FROST — Frost's Polar Bears had a strong season on the baseball diamond this spring and two players were named to the All-District First-Team and two earned All-District Second-Team honors. Jake Weil earned All-District First-Team honors as an infielder and Connor Hammonds earned First-Team honors as a catcher. Gavin Clayton and Ried King each earned Second-Team honors as infielders, and Brady Martin and J.C. Woods were named to the All-District Honorable Mention list. Lukas Rasco
West Australian
27-05-2025
- Climate
- West Australian
Port Beach Polar Bears: Dozens of swimmers take the plunge as temperatures dip to single digits
Introducing the Port Beach Polar Bears — a 250-strong group of ocean enthusiasts who take a dip every day of the year at sunrise no matter how cold it is. Since the early 1990's, the group has been gathering at Port Beach every morning for a 15 to 30 minute early morning dip. President Col Werner has been part of the Polar Bears for about 15 years and says he takes the plunge up to four days a week. 'It's not always about having a swim, sometimes it's for older members who don't have great mobility access and they just dip in the water,' the 54-year-old said. 'The hardest part is getting in the water ... once you're in, it clears out the noise.' He said ocean swimming was all about stress relief, admitting 'I always come out of the water better than I went in'. 'We all carry some kind of stress with us, but you have to be able to release it,' he said. '(Swimming) is about releasing that stress and feeling really good and healthy, because health isn't just about your physical health, it's about your mental health as well. 'When I swim, I just focus on letting go of whatever tension I've got and just let go.' Mr Werner said the trick to braving the cold was learning how to breathe. 'Taking short, sharp breaths is the way to get your mind to stop thinking,' he said. 'The trick is to not let your mind take over.' It comes as Perth shivers through a wave of icy mornings, with the mercury dipping to just 4.2C and 6C on Monday and Tuesday respectively. Meteorologist Jessica Lingard said chilly mornings were typical for this time of year but were a shock to the system given the warm start to May. 'We've had a very warm start to May and a very dry one as well,' she said. 'We're starting to slowly come into some cooler temperatures which are typical for this time of year, but they certainly feel a little jarring, especially (compared) to the start of May being so warm.' She said West Australians could expect mild mornings and rainfall over the next few days, thanks to extra cloud coverage. 'We're going to see some increased rainfall towards the end of the week and into the early parts of next week, which means there's going to be plenty of cloud around ... so temperatures won't be as cold over the next few nights,' she said. 'But certainly, as we move into June and July, we typically see our coldest nights of the year, so we are going to have to get used to a few more of these fresh mornings.' Wednesday: 9C - 23C, mostly sunny Thursday: 11C - 22C, showers Friday: 13C - 22C, showers Saturday: 13C - 21C, showers Sunday: 11C - 22C, showers Monday: 12C - 21C, showers
