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Jungle Falls – Paultons’ New ‘Green’ Attraction

August 28th, 2012

By Daniel Arthur

They say that the grass is always greener, but take my word for it that in this case it’s the animals. Don’t worry though, that’s not a very sick giraffe or a contagious elephant. In fact they’re not even real animals, since they are actually a collection of fantastic topiary beasts at Paultons’ Jungle Falls.

Recently completed after a two-year renovation, complete with design and construction and of course, plenty of gardening, Jungle Falls at Paultons Park is a fantastic attraction for the whole family to explore and enjoy.

The life-size topiary creatures have had some new additions as well! Besides the old favourites, which include a huge elephant, giraffe and crocodile, the newest members of the garden menagerie are a family of gorillas, two cranes (the bird, not the bright yellow construction kind) and a rhinoceros too! Guests are invited to look around and marvel at the detailed work of the gardeners and the amazing things that they can do with a set of shears.

Not only is Jungle Falls packed full with life-like imitations of the wonderful creatures found in the wildest jungles and safaris, there’s also plenty of other sights to keep the whole family entertained during your visit. Of course, the intrepid explorers amongst your family will want to take the winding track and cross the wooden bridge. Along your exciting journey, be sure to keep an eye out for the mysterious totem poles throughout the trail, before discovering the ancient ruins.

Rest assure that the gardens are beautifully manicured with an array of attractive and exotic flowers, tropical trees and charming waterfall. So even if you’re more Alan Titchmarsh than Indiana Jones, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and marvel in with a relaxing stroll.

Jungle Falls is available at Paultons Park now, as are Peppa Pig World and many other fantastic rides and attractions, so go ahead and book your Paultons family break today!

Potter Enthusiasts bring Quidditch to the Olympics

July 13th, 2012

I love Harry Potter as much as the next fan. Yes, I have an authentic replica of Hermione’s wand. And yes, upon the release of JK Rowling’s final instalment of the hugely successful book series, I did in fact queue outside my local Waterstones until midnight, dressed as my favourite boy-wizard.

But didn’t everyone?

To this day, a tiny part of me still dies inside every time I check the post in the morning before leaving for work. My 13-year-old self still hopes and wishes for that summons, written in emerald green calligraphy on a crisp and fragrant sheet of parchment paper, to sit amongst the dribble of bills, bills, bills and more bills. Alas… I am still waiting for my invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, even at the ripe old age of 25.

I do, however, draw the line at some enthusiasts parading across a field throwing balls at each other, running with a broomstick between their legs and claiming to play Quidditch.

Enter students at Oxford’s Olympic torch relay ceremony this week.

Like the Quidditch World Cup from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, enthusiasts from Australia, the U.S, France and the U.K (although I understand that Bulgaria currently don’t have an official team as of yet) apparated, port-keyed and floo powdered into Oxford to take part in the Olympic Torch relay celebrations.

The game, obviously played on foot, mirrors the book version in that there are seven players, a series of balls varying in shapes and sizes and even three hoops at either side of the pitch for each team to try and score as many points as possible. It was adapted by (wait for it) American Students (of course it was) in Vermont back in 2005, and since then has gained increasing popularity and even spread to form its own committee, the International Quidditch Association, who helped to organise the tournament in Oxford.

Suffice to say, Team USA won the competition.

For those of us that prefer our inner geeks and nerd-like tendencies kept firmly behind closed doors, you too can experience the magic of Rowling’s charming vision at the Warner Bros. Studio Tours London: The Making of Harry Potter. Aspiring witches and wizards will marvel at the place where the author’s dream was magically lifted from the pages of the books and translated beautifully to the big screen. Avid fan will revel as imagination meets reality and they can not only experience something that you can see, but touch, smell and live the actual sets used for the films… without getting dodgy looks from ignorant muggles.

Family Easter Fun

March 26th, 2012

Easter isn’t just a great excuse for chocolate eggs delivered by oversized bunnies; it’s also an outstanding time of year for UK attractions and theme parks, which open for the new season with loads of unbelievable goodies. This Easter holiday is an ideal occasion to enjoy some unforgettable family fun and electrifying thrills. Here’s a rundown of what’s on offer at the UK’s top theme parks and family days out when Easter hops along.

LEGOLAND® Windsor

LEGOLAND Windsor is now open for the 2012 season and it promises to be a jam-packed Easter with the opening of the new LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience, featuring six of the most iconic Star Wars scenes plus one from animated hit Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The attraction is a first in the UK, using 1.5 million LEGO bricks in an atmosphere of authentic sounds and lighting effects, and special event Star Wars™ Invasion celebrates its arrival at LEGOLAND from a galaxy far, far away on 24th and 25th March. Enjoy a child-friendly break to the unique family attraction this Easter.

Paultons Park

Lurking beneath the smouldering volcano is Paultons’ blazing new ride MAGMA, opening for sizzling thrills in time for Easter when the Park reopens on 23rd March. Brave adventurers will delve into the red-hot caverns in a bid to unearth the deeply buried Jurassic secret – but look out, because when MAGMA erupts you’ll be sent into a dizzy spinning rise 25 metres into the air overhead – then feel your stomach plummet as you drop back into the mountain! This fiery journey promises to be a real family treat for all riders over 1.10m.

Chessington World of Adventures

Join the exotic fun this Easter at Britain’s wildest adventure with brand new live show DreamWorks Madagascar Live! Prepare to Party. From 23rd March the little ones will love singing and dancing along with Alex, King Julien, The Penguins and all their favourites in this amazing new extravaganza. Meet the gang in their brilliant Jungle surroundings, plus pose for photos and check out the new African Trading Co. shop and Coffee Hut café.

Alton Towers

Everyone’s favourite prehistoric trio and acorn-chasing squirrel arrive at Alton’s Cloud Cuckoo Land in time for Easter for an immersive 4D encounter. Using a combination of fun-filled 3D footage and eye-popping physical effects that reach right into your seat, this Dawn of the Dinosaurs 4D Experience transports you straight to loveable Sid and Scrat’s ultra-cool world from 24th March.

As if that wasn’t enough, Alton also unleashes the fury of Nemesis: Sub-Terra, an underground lair of hair-raising horrors based on the mysterious backstory of the original corkscrewing classic Nemesis. Dare you embark on the nerve-shattering journey? Courageous explorers can step up for this scarefest from Easter.

THORPE PARK

Bag a white-knuckle break to the nation’s Thrill Capital this Easter, whether you’re a hardened thrillseeker or fun-loving family. Get twisted with the THORPE PARK Mash Up on 6th and 9th April, an explosion of Easter insanity featuring awesome live acts and a few breathtaking surprises. You’ll be among the first brave riders to get your adrenaline pumping on THE SWARM, Europe’s tallest winged rollercoaster, boasting a unique head-first inverted drop from a stomach-churning height of 127ft. For families with a taste for extreme thrills with their chocolate eggs, THORPE makes an epic Easter getaway.

Warwick Castle

Easter is an ideal time to explore the eventful grounds and historical activities of Britain’s Ultimate Castle, where families can enjoy recreations of the great siege and treacherous jousting contests with the coming of spring. The Witches of Warwick have arrived in the creepy Castle Dungeon, cooking up supernatural spells and mischievous mayhem in a bid to avenge their curse. Plus until 15th April you can catch a range of exciting shows throughout the day, offering sights of everything from majestic birds of prey and weapons of war to battling knights and the legendary tale of The Sword in the Stone.

With so much going on at the UK’s theme parks over the Easter holidays, you’ll want to treat your family to some unmissable seasonal fun this April. Book a Play and Stay ticket and hotel package today.

What’s new in UK theme parks in 2012?

January 11th, 2012

2012 is going to be a great year at the UK’s theme parks no matter if you’re into white-knuckle thrills or family fun. There’ll be new rollercoasters for thrillseekers, new family shows for the little ones and even a new subterranean scare experience for those brave enough to try it.

What’s new at Alton Towers in 2012?

Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs – the 4-D Experience
This family-friendly immersive Ice Age experience will open in Cloud Cuckoo Land on 24 March. Fans of the hit Ice Age series will love the amazing combination of 3D footage based on the third Ice Age film and fun physical effects which transport you straight into the super-cool world of Sid and Scrat.

Speaking of Sid and Scrat, be sure to keep an eye open for them, as they’ll be wandering around Alton Towers Resort to meet you and your family.

Nemesis Sub-Terra
Buried deep beneath Alton Towers Resort, a brand-new attraction is waiting patiently for the first brave explorers to step foot inside. The new subterranean scarefest is named Nemesis Sub-Terra and will take visitors on a heart-stopping journey through a network of catacombs. The attraction is based on the back story of the smash-hit Nemesis rollercoaster, which opened in 1994.

The new attraction’s scare factor is being carefully controlled by the Park’s new Director of Fear, death-defying adrenaline junkie Jack Osbourne. Be the first to experience Nemesis Sub Terra, book an Alton Towers ticket and hotel package with Play and Stay.

Coming soon to UK theme parks: Magma, Nemesis Sub-Terra, Ice Ice 4D Experience and The Swarm

What’s New at Thorpe Park in 2012?

The Swarm
Experience The Swarm – the UK’s first Wing Rider rollercoaster – at Thorpe Park in 2012. The new rollercoaster promises a thrilling flight through an apocalyptic wasteland on the wings of an invading swarm of planet-destroying baddies.

You’ll experience heart-stopping near misses and adrenaline-pumping inversions as well as a unique, head-first 127ft drop. War is coming…are you ready?

What’s New at LEGOLAND Windsor in 2012?

The LEGOLAND Windsor hotel
A brand-new hotel is opening on-site at LEGOLAND Windsor in 2012 and it’s certainly shaping up to be an incredible destination for family short breaks.

With child-friendly features including secret whoopee cushions, exploding toy boxes and treasure trails as well as Pirate, Adventurer and Kingdom themed rooms, there’s plenty to keep the family busy at the LEGOLAND Windsor hotel. Play spaces, a splash pool and regular children’s entertainment complete the package.

LEGO Star Wars Miniland Experience
The Force is coming to LEGOLAND Windsor in 2012. Seven of the most famous scenes from the six live-action Star Wars movies and one from the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars have been recreated in 1:20 scale using 1.5 million LEGO bricks.

What’s new at Paultons Park in 2012?

Magma
The mysterious Magma is due to open at Paultons in 2012. Very little is known about it other than its name and the fact that it will be volcano-themed. Some suspect that Magma is more likely to be a thrill ride since Paultons recently added Peppa Pig World for the younger guests, but nothing is confirmed.

Want to try out any of these new attractions for yourself? Book a Play and Stay ticket and hotel package today.

What do we know about THORPE PARK’s THE SWARM?

October 25th, 2011

THORPE PARK are debuting a brand-new rollercoaster in spring 2012, the exact details of the ride are yet-to-be-revealed, but we do know a little bit about what to expect from the new attraction.

The facts:

The new ride is codenamed LC12, but we all know it as THE SWARM.
THE SWARM will be the UK’s first winged rollercoaster.
It will feature a “head first, inverted drop from 127ft”.
The theme will be post-apocalyptic. Considering that there’s been an army tank outside of THORPE PARK with ‘WAR IS COMING’ written up the side for ages, it’s likely that the story will be humanity’s last stand against something unpleasant.
It will be located next to Stealth.
It will be accessible via a wooden bridge.
The attraction’s highest point will be 36.8 metres about ground level.
Theming will include a “rickety jetty”, a helicopter, a crashed articulated lorry and what seems to be the crashed remains of some sort of aeroplane or rocket.
The coaster will be located on its own island

What’s a winged rollercoaster? Does it fly?
Typically, rollercoasters have carriages which keep riders positioned directly above or below the track. If you ignore all the fire and jet engines in the above image, you can clearly see that THE SWARM’s carriages are positioned to either side of the track, leaving nothing but empty air above and below you. In essence, you are sitting on/in the ‘wings’, which should make a nice change from the standard coaster layout. Disappointingly, winged coasters don’t fly.

What are other winged rollercoasters like?
Gardaland’s Raptor looks reasonably similar to plans for THE SWARM and it seems to impressing coaster fans. The main appeal of the winged design seems to be the opportunity for designers to include plenty of near-misses with the scenery. Think of the spinning blades at the bottom of the drop on SAW – The Ride, Raptor features loads of stuff like that, and you can bet that THE SWARM will, too. The interplay between the carriage, riders and scenery appears to be the key to a successful winged coaster.

Just who/what are THE SWARM’s swarm?
Not a clue. Aliens? Bugs? Alien bugs? The word swarm can be applied to pretty much any creature that gathers in large numbers, though the chances of the ride being themed around a destructive swarm of killer penguins is slim. If I had to guess, I’d assume that it’s aliens.

When does THE SWARM open?
Spring 2012. THORPE PARK ticket and hotel package are available from Play-and-Stay.co.uk, book now to be among the first to ride THE SWARM!

Drayton Manor Hotel Now Open!

August 17th, 2011

Set amid 280 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes, the Drayton Manor Hotel is now open, catering for the modern family and boasting 150 luxurious rooms.

The hotel facilities include an outside play-area, a video games room and a Thomas & Friends Theatre, and with 11 magical Thomas & Friends-themed bedrooms, kids won’t be able to wait for bed-time!

Drayton Manor hotel is one of the few hotels worldwide to offer these captivating Thomas & Friends themed family rooms. On arrival, young guests will receive special Thomas & Friends welcome packs, before following the train tracks on the carpet to their bedrooms, complete with Thomas & Friends-themed bunk beds complete with built-in DVD players, as well as a comfortable double bed for Mum and Dad. Young guests are also invited to the Fat Controller’s story time in the Thomas & Friends Theatre, and afterwards can choose from the library of books and DVDs available from reception.

And why not top off the ultimate Thomas & Friends experience with a visit to Thomas Land, situated just moments away from the new resort. The Island of Sodor is brought to life in this exciting attraction, which includes 12 themed rides and a spectacular indoor play area. Kids can take a jaunt full-steam-ahead on Thomas, Percy or Rosie, followed by a wild ride on the Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster.

Thomas Land is part of Drayton Manor Theme Park, which caters for thrill-seekers of all ages, from the very young to the young-at-heart. Fans of the white-knuckle thrill-ride can enjoy Shockwave – Europe’s first stand-up rollercoaster or Apocalypse – named Britain’s scariest ride by Channel 5’s The Gadget Show – among other electrifying attractions. Also, new for 2011 is the Ben 10 Ultimate Mission, perfect for fans of the hit TV cartoon.

Drayton Manor Theme Park also includes the 15-acre open-plan Drayton Manor Zoo, which boasts over 100 species including big cats, reptiles, owls, monkeys and parrots, as well as a children’s farm and 12 endangered species – a must-see day out for any animal lover.

With so much to enjoy for all the family, one day simply isn’t enough to experience all the excitement Drayton Manor Theme Park has to offer. Drayton Manor Hotel offers you the opportunity to make the most of all the family fun available, giving kids a chance to continue their adventures during their overnight stay while parents can relax and unwind in comfort and style.

Weird and Wonderful Theme Parks Across the World

September 1st, 2009

Recently I came across a news story describing a Ferrari theme park due to open in Abu Dhabi in 2010. The park is set to become the world’s largest indoor theme park, with a red-roofed dome in the shape of a Ferrari GT. It will have more than 20 attractions, including the world’s fastest rollercoaster, a full-size racetrack and the region’s first Ferrari store.

Somewhat intrigued by the idea of a theme park based around the Ferrari, I went on a mission — to find a selection of other weird, wonderful and fascinating amusements parks. So brace yourself for robots, aliens, Lego and much more as I reveal my findings….

LEGOLAND:

Legoland Resort

Oh LEGOLAND! A family favourite and one I could not miss from this blog. Children over the years have had great fun building all sorts of wonderful Lego creations. So, what a great idea to turn a childhood favourite toy into a unique theme for an amusement park.

LEGOLAND has proven extremely popular worldwide with parks located in Germany, England, Denmark and the United States. Malaysia is also set to jump on the LEGOLAND bandwagon by 2012.

Suoi Tien Park:

Suoi Tien Resort

Diverting from Lego, I take you to Suoi Tien Park, a land of bright colours and Buddhas! Yes that’s right, this unusually themed park is based around the Buddhist religion.

Aptly named attractions such as Heaven Palace have somewhat distorted my previous conception of Heaven. I pictured chillaxing on clouds, however, here you splash around in a water park designed to look like the afterlife.

Think that sounds quirky? Well what about Hell Palace, similar but with frowning statues? Now I don’t know about you but I’m not sure if I could “let my hair down” and have fun if I am being glared at by sculptures. Will I face judgement if I visited Hell Palace over Heaven Palace? Where are the terms and conditions for this place?

On a happier note, the Tien Dong beach features an impressive sculpted waterfall, bearing the face of an emperor and you can even head over to Crocodile Kingdom, where you can feed some of the 1,500 live crocodiles. What this has to do with Buddha I don’t know.

Alien Apex Resort:

Alien Apex Resort

I never thought I would write about Lego, Buddha and aliens on the same day, but here I am. Fancy taking a trip to Roswell, New Mexico in 2010 for the opening of the Alien Apex Resort? I know what you’re thinking; how original! Yes I am afraid there are plans to place Roswell at the heart of alien activity once again after the famous incident in 1947.

Nevertheless the UFO-themed amusement park is said to include an indoor rollercoaster that’ll take passengers on a simulated alien abduction, which does sound sort of cool providing there’s no probing involved.

Robot Theme Park:

Robot Theme Park

Now, this I had to include. South Korea are intending to build two robot theme parks, with the first to be finished in 2013. Yes 2013 is a little while off but after all the theme is pretty “futuristic” (ha, at least I make myself laugh).

Robots are used in the nation’s key industries and the government are keen to promote the robotics industry. Apparently you will be able to see (what I can only picture as R2-D2 look alikes) compete in various events. Nothing screams “good day out” like watching robots in battle… right?

So there you have it, a selection of weird yet wonderful theme parks which exist or should exist soon. The question remains, what theme would you like to see as the basis for an amusement park?

You Know What I’d Do? I’d Ban it!

August 14th, 2009

As you are no doubt aware Alton Towers have taken the earth-shattering decision to ban skimpy swimming costumes for their male guests. They’re making them go naked – no, no, no, that was a joke; they’re making them cover up by insisting that all men wear swimming shorts while at the park and at the Splash Landings pool.

Now, if you ask me – and no, no one has – this piece of legislation is long, long-overdue. The Speedo look might just pass on the Continent, but in Blighty it’s a bit rich isn’t it? Plummeting temperatures, the threat of a downpour constantly hanging over us like a drizzly sword of Damocles? Give it a rest. Those alpha males who took to Alton Towers in little more than a pair of briefs no bigger than your average train ticket must surely have been northerners, because, as a rather delicate southerner, there is simply no way I’d brave the outside after a dip in the pool in anything less than a full-body wetsuit, a scarf and thick woolen mittens.

Anyway, that rather grisly episode is behind us all now: history has closed the page on that menacing chapter.

The only question that remains is: why stop there?

Below is a list of things I’d like to see banned from Alton Towers. Feel free to tack some on at the end. We’ll get a list together, then I’m writing to Mr Towers…

Everybody loves a good poncho

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Right, first up, I’d ban the selling, acquisition and the donning thereof of ponchos. I’m not talking about genuine ponchos, you understand; I’m not having a dig at the Hispanic overcoat of choice. No, I’m talking about the sorry excuses for ponchos that get handed around every time it gets a little bit damp. They are, effectively, shopping bags with eye-holes cut in. There is simply no way that one could protect you from one of Mrs Tittlemouse’s delicate sneezes, let alone a gale force storm. It’s preposterous:

Dad: The heavens have opened, let’s take shelter!
Mum: Don’t worry dear, I’ve got three-and-a-half yards of cling film here.

No, no, no. They’re out: right out.

What else?

Photos. Yep, I’d ban photos. Why is it that the second you step off a ride someone wants to sell you a mug with a picture of you screaming on it? I can understand the appeal when it’s a ride like Rita, Queen of Speed, but when you’ve just hopped off the Squirrel Nutty Ride I think photographic evidence is bit over-the-top. No one’s putting that on their mantlepiece.

That brings me, rather neatly, to the Squirrel Nutty Ride itself, yes I’d ban that too. Yes, I know it’s a ride for little children. It lets them “travel in their very own acorn”, but I maintain that this wasn’t made clear to me at the time… the boys from the stag do still won’t talk to me.

You know, I’ve got quite a taste for all this banning lark, it turns out… I’d ban queues, I’d ban bum bags, I’d ban loud noises, I’d ban really scary rides, I’d ban the lot.

Sorry about that. I seemed to got a bit carried away there. Anyway, if you have any suggestions about what you’d like to see banned from Britain’s theme parks add it on here, I’m drafting the letter as we speak…

Tenuous LEGOLAND Based Blog of the Week – The Cogitate Game

May 8th, 2009

I received an email recently that brought a shocking truth to my attention. Tenuous LEGOLAND® based blog of the week has been bereft of LEGO Technic stuff. I have no idea how I missed it, I’ve covered all sorts but generally it’s just good old reliable normal LEGO.

Personally I always avoided Technic, it all struck me as unnecessarily complex and I always preferred pirate ships to working cranes. What can I say, I always aspired to be a swashbuckler, not a builder.

Anyway, I’m drifting off-topic. What I really wanted to tell you about is the new game from The Institute of Engineering and Technology (thankfully shortened to IET) as you may have guessed as I’m writing about it in a LEGO blog, the game is based on LEGO, LEGO Technic to be precise.

The game (called Cogitate) was apparently designed to promote IET Discover and Inspec Direct and I can assure you, it’s disturbingly fun (and also infuriatingly difficult).

Simon Thomson, IET’s publishing director seems to be delighted that Cogitate is proving so popular and that LEGO themselves have got on board:

“Interest in the game has exploded. It was developed using a high-tech physics simulator, so the possibilities are limitless. To add to the fun, the LEGO Company found the game so inspiring they have allowed us to use LEGO Technic pieces as some of the components in the virtual contraptions.”

Give it a go, so far I’ve reached the dizzying heights of level two www.theiet.org/cogitate

Pick a Picnic Site – Competition Now Closed

May 8th, 2009

Summer’s almost here and what better way to enjoy the all-too-brief sunshine by going for a good old-fashioned picnic?

We’ve put together a list of the best spots to take your picnic blankets and cricket sets to in 2009. Take a look – if you are in the area they are well worth checking out. But we also want your suggestions for the best places to take the family for some al fresco munch.

Comment on this blog post with your ideas and we’ll send the three best suggestions one of these fancy new Play and Stay picnic rucksacks, containing:

Four spoons, knives, forks, plates, mugs, wine glasses and napkins.

Cheese/bread knife

Waiter’s corkscrew

Butter dish

Thermo-lined cooler section at the back

So, here are our suggestions. Give us yours, along with your reasons for nomination, in the comment section below:

Clumber Park

In the northernmost part of Sherwood forest and less than 40 miles from Alton Towers lies the beautiful and Idyllic Clumber Park. With 3,800 acres of open green space, more than 20 miles of cycle routes to get lost along and Europe’s longest double avenue of lime trees, the park offers peace, tranquility and adventure all in one spot.

Photo by D-Kav

Groombridge Place and Gardens

Located just outside Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Groombridge Place and Gardens is one of the best places to spend a day with the family this summer. Although it is not the cheapest park in the area (tickets can cost as much as £10 per adult in peak months), there is so much to see and do when you arrive. For older children there are a number of big swings and for the younger children there are a number of play parks. A walk through the Enchanted Forest will bring you face-to-face with dinosaurs of varying ferocity and there are even two bird of prey shows at set times throughout the day at no extra charge. The Drunken Gardens offer a welcome rest at the end of the trail and were the inspiration and setting for the famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear. It may be over an hour’s drive from Windsor, but it’s well worth checking out if you have the time.

Photo by J. Lane

Kedleston Hall

The grounds and gardens of this 18th century mansion are another stunning place near Alton Towers to enjoy a family picnic this summer. There are 820 acres of man-made park and four walks of varying lengths for you to wander along. With superb child-friendly facilities such as baby change rooms and hip-carrying infant seats for hire as well, Kedleston Hall is a great place to go on your summer holiday.

Photo by Fredspickchers

Richmond Park

Less than a ten minute car journey from Thorpe Park is Richmond Park – the largest Royal Park in London at almost 2,500 acres in size. It is home to more than 650 free roaming deer and offers a myriad of landscapes including hills, woodlands, ponds and gardens. There are a number of facilities designed to make your day out easier (cafes, lodges and refreshment points) and there’s also a playground great for the little ones to let off steam in. Hire bikes, get a fishing permit or try your hand at a spot of golf – there’s enough fun and games here to last for days.

Box Hill

Box Hill is an outstanding area of woodland and chalk downland located near to London and LEGOLAND Windsor. Better suited for the active family, this park has some truly breathtaking views over the South Downs from its many nature trails. After a steep incline, you will find a visitor centre at the summit which offers a great place to stop for a picnic. Box Hill is awash with day-trippers in the summer months, make sure you get there early.

Runnymeade Pleasure Grounds

The Runnymeade Pleasure Grounds is a relaxing riverside park with access to walks along the River Thames and local countryside. The park is a great spot for a family picnic and has a number of attractions to keep you all entertained including a playground, paddling pool, cafe and boat cruises. It’s only three miles from Thorpe Park and might just be the best way to relax after all those thrill rides.

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