Thorpe Park: A review

I was lucky enough to visit thrill-seekers heaven, Thorpe Park last weekend and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Not just by the park itself and the rides available but also by my own resolve in handling the rides and getting through them with nothing worse than a rather hoarse throat!

Spectacular rides are abound here. I managed to ride all of them with the exception of the gargantuan Stealth as it had broken down by the time I had plucked up the courage to sit in one of its imposing carriages.

We started off easy, (or so I thought), with the 50ft drop of Detonator. Rising slowly into the air you begin to sense that this ride is not to be taken lightly. Once at the top of the vertical drop, a countdown commences before the platform on which you are sitting freefalls to the ground, taking your breath away and bouncing your eyeballs to the back of your head before coming to a sharp stop. It's over before you know it and an excellent way to start the day.

Next up was Nemesis Inferno. A free-standing roller-coaster that mixes twisting inversions with near misses and sheer drops. I really didn't think I would muster the courage for this one but the queue was so short that I didn't even have time to jump the railings. This was the biggest roller-coaster I had ever been on and really shook me up to the extent that I had my eyes closed for much of it! By the time I had begun to enjoy it, the ride was coming to a close and it had well and truly beaten me.

Despite my nervous disposition after Nemesis, I decided that I had actually enjoyed it in a strange kind of way. I think this was perhaps due to the fact that I felt a sense of achievement in being able to say that I had actually ridden such a beast of a ride! Collossus was our next port of call boasting an impressively nauseating 10 looped inversions. From the start, this ride did not let up. A long, drawn-out incline was followed by a banked drop down to the left that left one's stomach at the top of the slope. Then came the loops! Certainly not for the faint of heart you find yourself completely disorientated as you attempt to follow the route of your carriage along the track. The crown for best ride of the day went to Collossus with ease after this amazing ride.

Next up were the comparatively tame rides of Rush, Samurai and Quantum - all good in there own right, but not a patch on the big boys.

After getting completely drenched on Tidal Wave we finished the day on Saw (based on the movie of the same name if you didn't know). After a 90 minute queue that only worked to heighten the anticipation further, we entered Saw's inner sanctum. Flashing imagery, murderous noises and moody ride attendants all block your path before you finally board this hell-ride. There's no going back from here and after a short yet nonetheless thrilling journey out into the stark light and cold of the outdoors you begin a vertical climb up to the top of an inverted drop staring at nothing but the clouds. Once at the top the ride really begins. The drop was the single most stomach-churning feature of the whole day and from there on in I could barely keep my eyes open due to the fear as I was thrown around my seat for the next minute! This ride easily took the crown from Collossus due to the sheer terror that it imparted on me before and during the ride.

All-in-all Thorpe park offers one of the best days out in the whole of the U.K and offers great value for money if you book your trip with accommodation. Our tickets along with two nights of decent Travelodge sleeping were just £80 each!

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Weekend break ideas in the UK

Sometimes the best breaks are the ones that are closest to home. If you think otherwise, then take a look at these suggestion for short weekend breaks in the UK

A London theatre break. For a break that the whole family can enjoy, you should certainly consider visiting the Capital for a break that takes in the grease paint and spectacle of London's World famous West-End. With such a vast variety of shows currently showing, you really are spoilt for choice. Our top tip is to combine your theatre trip with a hotel deal that can be had on many internet holidaying sites. By combining the two, you can often save money that can spent on refreshments whilst watching the show

A classic beach break. For something that is a little more traditional, pack up your bucket and spade and head to one of Great Britain's finest beaches. There is a variety of award winning beaches along the coast of the UK that have a long tradition in treating British families to charming, great value holidays. To make things even easier you could choose to stay at one of the burgeoning number of holiday camps situated along the coastline offering family holiday experiences that everyone can enjoy. Newquay offers a selection of the most popular and well-oiled beach break experiences in the country.

A theme park break. With such a wealth of theme parks available on British shores, you should really endeavour to visit a range whilst you have young children. Many theme parks have their own hotels, providing you with a convenient option. The fact that you're staying onsite means that you can take your time around the theme park and choose the best times for beating the queues! Britain's most famous theme park, Alton Towers, offers a range of sleeping options whilst providing children with excitement through their range of themed décor.

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Bath - The most relaxing city in Europe

Our very own Bath has been voted the 2nd most relaxing city in the World by a Global travel survey. The Somerset city beat off stiff competition from the likes of Florence, Washington and Rome to take the silver medal and was only beaten by Sedona in Arizona U.S.

If you ever take the time to visit this gem of a city, you can see why this place is so relaxing. Being built on the only naturally occurring hot springs in the UK, there is an abundance of spas and hotels that solely aim to take the weight off your feet and assist in recharging those batteries. The pick of the bunch is Thermae Bath Spa, where you can experience Bath's mineral enriched waters both inside and outside. A 2-hour spa session costs just £25 giving you decent value for money and a service that is difficult to beat anywhere in England.

Voted as a UNESCO World heritage site, this city has plenty of relaxing sight-seeing options; chief of which are the Roman baths that take centre stage in this charmer of a city. As well as this, Bath contains some of Europe's finest architecture such as the Pulteney bridge and the Royal Crescent both of which are lovely to walk around during the Spring and Summer months.

Blackpool - traditional British seaside resort

A lot of people in the UK have taken the extraordinary decision to holiday at home this summer. I can’t imagine why. Though perhaps the economy has got something to do with it. But staying in the UK needn’t mean having a rotten time, and you do get the odd sliver of sun appearing through the clouds. From time to time. But if you want to head for somewhere where fun is order of the day, then how about the traditional seaside town of Blackpool? On the lovely Lancashire coast and looking out over the Irish Sea, Blackpool became a major seaside resort in Victorian times, with the well-to-do Victorian ladies and gents being attracted to this resort’s extensive golden sandy beach, which stretches for a full seven miles along the whole of the seafront. Blackpool has thus grown to be the traditional British seaside resort that we know and love, with its cheeky picture postcards, stripy deck chairs, donkey rides, seaside rock, candy floss, ice cream, and fish and chip shops.

And if, amongst all the glittering amusement arcades and souvenir shops what you really yearn for is the chic sophistication of mainland Europe, you need look no further than up into the sky, for there is Blackpool Tower, which was inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and stands 158m high offering a fantastic view over the whole area, the town, the beach, the sea and the piers. Indeed – the piers. Blackpool has three of these fantastic constructions that form such an integral part of the British Victorian seaside resort. They are fabulous to walk along – in fact it’s like being on a ship, but without the sea sickness. They have shops, stalls, cafes and entertainment, and one of them even has a Ferris wheel.

One of the novelties of a visit to Blackpool and its beach, is that you can ride a tram all the way from Starr Gate in the town out to Fleetwood, eleven miles away, and the journey is all along the promenade, with a view of the beach and the sea all the way.

Blackpool Illuminations are particularly dramatic, and run for sixty-six days every year from the end of August. The illuminations are all along the promenade for several miles, and the trams are decorated too, sweeping along through the evening darkness sparkling with a multitude of lights. Children especially love the magical quality of the glowing profusion of colour.

And talking of children, they are bound to love Pleasure Beach Blackpool with its many different rides and attractions, including the fabulous roller coaster, Infusion. In fact you can enjoy the Pleasure Beach at any age.

Accommodation of all kinds is in abundance at Blackpool, from the well-known four star hotel chains, to reasonably priced bed and breakfast establishments. So if you want to get away for a bit, pack your bucket and spade, head for Blackpool, and pray for good weather.




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