Lightwater Valley with The Thompsons

Lightwater Valley with The Thompsons

Lightwater Valley

Lightwater Valley was the place that dreams were made for anyone growing up in 80s/90s northern Britain. Many a happy family day out or school trip was had riding on The Ultimate, The Rat, The Devil’s Cascade or eating those giant big red lollies with the rollercoasters embossed on them. With over 20 years since either Mam or Dad had visited, it was definitely time to take the children and find out if that dream is still being kept alive…

As a parent, it’s rare to find the enchanting childhood nostalgia you remember remains the same as you encounter it with your own children and with that in mind, we set off expecting a good day out. We didn’t have a good day out though, we had an amazing day! Whilst the target audience of the park has changed to what is described as for the under 12s, there is definitely enough for the whole family to enjoy a fantastic fun-packed day.

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From the moment we arrived at Lightwater Valley, a number of things set the bar high straight away… that you can park next to the entrance without a 2k hike to the gates, the car park is free,  the place is immaculately clean and there are no long queues to get into the park! The staff at the gate were chatty and helpful, the Planet Offers voucher scanned quickly from my phone… from car to being in the park was approximately 3 minutes, which to a parent of 3 excited young boys is worth more than gold! 

 

We turned right as we went in, to a place which used to house the farm but now is the home to several smaller children’s rides. With absolutely no queues, the boys were in their element. Whilst there were a few height restrictions (Bert was too small for some rides and 10-year-old Fred too tall for others) this didn’t detract from the day as there was always a ride for them to go on at any one time. 

Being a parent also has its perks at times as it meant that although I was technically too tall for the big inflatable bouncing cushion, having a 3-year-old with me entitled me to get on anyway! 

 As we adventured further into the park, larger rides like the Eagle Claw and Dragon Drop had the older two shrieking with excitement and fear in equal measure, with Dad regretting eating that sugary doughnut while standing in the queue! Unlike many other theme parks, the rides are set out well for families, with both rides for the small and the tall placed nearby, meaning families can split up to each go on a ride, but not have to walk for miles to catch up. 

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On next to Splash Falls, the only difficult part of the day…. A 5 storey climb for 3 of us to the top of a terrifying tower, only to find it’s 2 people to a boat. Not wanting to leave one of the boys unattended at the top, it was a perilous walk back down, wishing we had read the sign clearer… we’ll know for next time! 

The Waltzer brought with it the perfect essence of fairground charm, spinning if you wanted to go faster and a 1980s rock soundtrack over which you could barely hear our screams. 

 

Onto a pirate themed area of the park with a number of mild-peril experiences, maybe not enough to send me to Davy Jones’s locker, but enough to keep 3 young boys grinning from ear to ear. 

 

While the rollercoasters near the bottom of the park we’re much smaller than those of latter years, they are enough to keep younger (and some older) kids entertained… and that the queues were short enough that we could go on 8 times in a row made it much better.

 

We had had so much fun we had forgotten to eat, so grabbed some amazing vegetarian hotdogs at the bottom of the park. A veggie option of this calibre is unheard of in a UK theme park, so we were delighted! Even in a hot kitchen on a warm day the staff were happy and keen to help (with we even got a table delivery!) 

 

As we sat in the sun, looking at The Ultimate, now out of action, there was only one thing to do, which was to Google if it was for sale (you never know when you might need to buy a rollercoaster!) It seems it’s not and the head of the park group is considering if it could re-open! This would be the only thing that could make the park better. That and The Rat! 

 

Afterwards, full of hotdogs, nachos and slush, we went for a visit to the newest attraction, The Hall of Mirrors where I encountered the biggest thrill factor of the day… a mirror that didn’t make me look like I was full of hotdogs, nachos and slush and gave me the legs of a Cindy Crawford. My ideal day was complete! 

 

A lovely leisurely train ride up past the well-manicured hedges and perfectly kept park with the epitome of a jolly engine driver was a lovely end to a fantastic day! 

 

The children skipped back to the car happily, not too exhausted ask for doughnutbs and even managed a cheeky selfie with a wizard who was happy to pose even though the park had long closed.   

 

A great day had by all! We would thoroughly recommend!