Provider of thrills and excitement,
Thorpe Park is set to open for another season. This year sees the addition of a new ride: Storm Surge.
The mere name of this ride suggests you could well be in for a good soaking – and a cursory look at the ride's description on the amusement park's website pretty much confirms the fact.
Storm Surge involves a 64-foot descent down white waters in a spinning raft. Best save that one for just
before lunch then.
Then there's Stealth. This is a ride that accelerates from zero to 80mph in less than two seconds, and reaches heights of more than 200 feet. Now I don't know if it's just me, but a ride that goes from nothing to beyond the national speed limit in less time than it takes to sneeze must surely play havoc with your neck muscles. Still, might be worth a go.
SAW – The Ride is the world's first horror-movie-themed roller coaster. With a "beyond vertical" drop of over 100 feet, this one should not be ridden without a pair of your finest brown trousers being worn. Second thoughts, perhaps they should be an old pair, as you probably won't be wearing them again.
Logger's Leap is the highest log flume in the whole of the UK, guaranteed to get you soaking wet just after you've dried out from a ride on Storm Surge.
There are more than 25 other attractions to test your nerve, with knee-knocking names such as Tidal Wave, No Way Out, Slammer, and Nemesis Inferno.
Be aware that some rides have minimum height requirements – check
the park's website for details.
No doubt some parents will be mightily relieved that their child isn't tall enough, as they can then ride together on the more genteel attractions, with heart-rate-normalising names such as Chief Ranger's Carousel and Canada Creek Railway.
Besides the rides, Thorpe Park also puts on a number of entertaining events,
starting in August.
Situated inside the M25, the park is in a great location for day trippers coming from London and the surrounding area.
