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A visit to Lightwater Valley

A visit to Lightwater Valley

Hubby and I had visited Lightwater Valley pre little man but we couldn’t really remember too much about it. Last week we decided on an impromptu visit and a day out in the sunshine.

Located just outside Ripon, Lightwater Valley is around an hour and 20 minutes from our home in Durham. It’s a theme park suitable for families and offers a range of rides suitable for any adrenaline level!

The park is well sign posted once you’re in the general area and there’s plenty of parking available with car park marshals on hand to direct your vehicle. The park wasn’t as busy as I’d expect, despite the fact we were visiting right in the middle of the school holidays.

A standard ticket for guests measuring over 1 metre and allows entry onto all rides costs £19.60 if you book online in advance. Under 1 metre tickets cost £5 and under 2’s are free which was a very pleasant surprise when we were queuing at the entrance desks. Lightwater Valley also offer a range of discounts for senior citizens, carers and emergency services staff, had I remembered to take my ID badge!

Lightwater Valley dinosaur crazy golf

The entrance to the park is home to a Jurassic themed crazy golf. You can access the crazy golf without paying to enter the park and if you’re visiting the park you get a discounted rate if you decide to visit. The little man was too young to play but he looked shouting and pointing at the interactive dinosaurs.

Lightwater Valley rides

There’s a good range of rides in the park, ranging from relaxing family friendly swan pedal boats on the lake to the adrenaline inducing ‘Ultimate’.

We didn’t go on any of the larger rides during out visit, we opted to go on the more family friendly ones or one of us taking the little man on age appropriate rides whilst the other took photo’s.

Lightwater Valley Eagle Creek farm tractors

Eagle Creek farm at Lightwater Valley

The little man almost couldn’t handle the excitement when he realised he’d be riding in a tractor at Eagle Creek farm, so much so, we rode if 3 times during out visit.

Lightwater Valley Eagle Creek Farm

Lightwater Valley

Lightwater Valley boating lake and swan pedal boats

Lightwater Valley express train

We loved the Lightwater Express train which runs round the majority of the park, stopping at certain stations to allow you to disembark or join the train. It’s perfect for tired legs and you can even transport push chairs in a special carriage.

Lightwater Valley with child riding the teacups

ride silhouette at Lightwater Valley

father and son on the rides at Lightwater Valley

metal spider sculpture at Lightwater Valley

Near the entrance to the park there’s a great falconry area. It’s home to a good range of birds of prey, snakes, lizards and even some rabbits. We all enjoyed wandering through it and found it a very calm and relaxing location compared to the hustle and bustle of the park itself.

lizards at Lightwater Valley

I would return to the park, but maybe in a year or two when the little man is a little older so he has the option of going on some of the bigger rides. I would also recommend taking a picnic with you as although the prices weren’t too inflated we struggled to find healthy choices for the little man.

What we liked

The good range of rides for children the little man’s age
Lack of queues
Plenty of clean toilets with baby change facilities dotted around the park
Lightwater Valley falconary centre
There’s plenty of grass and seating if you’ve taken a picnic
The reasonable prices

What we didn’t like

The food options were limited. I would have liked to see some healthier options available
A minimum spend of £5 is required on all card machines/shops and food outlets around the park
We found quite a lot of the staff we spoke to quite unhelpful and not particularly polite

The little mans favourite rides –
Eagles Creek farm tractors
Lightwater Express train

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22 Comments

  1. 24th August 2015 / 8:10 pm

    This looks like such a great day out – look at his happy little face!! x

  2. 24th August 2015 / 9:09 pm

    Oh wow! I haven't been to Lightwater Valley since I was at school….It's nice to see the swan pedal boats are still there 🙂 x

  3. 31st August 2015 / 5:57 pm

    Shame about the unhelpful staff, that kills a place for me, be it a shop or amusement park. Looks like you had a wonderful day though! Little man's face on the tractor is so cute!

    Georgia x

  4. 2nd September 2015 / 9:07 pm

    I love Lightwater Valley, I visited every single year as a child and when my eldest was small although I have not been for a few years now. My partner and daughter went during the holidays and my daughter loved it as she is now big enough to go on all of the big rides and went on the claw 11 times on her own, im glad I was not there or I would have panicked. Your little man looks so happy on the rides bless him xx

  5. 10th September 2015 / 5:07 pm

    Ooh it looks like such a great day out!

    C x

  6. 10th September 2015 / 5:13 pm

    This looks like a lot of fun 🙂 It reminds me of a park my mum and dad used to bring my older siblings to when they lived in England, particularly the train ride. It may even be the same park, but not 100% sure! Very cute photos, he's having a ball! 🙂

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  7. 10th September 2015 / 5:34 pm

    This looks so so nice! Photos, which are amazing by the way, remind me a lot of Westport House and Park 🙂 Pity to hear about the lack of food options though, seems to always be the way at places like these! Xx

  8. 10th September 2015 / 6:16 pm

    That looks like such good fun. My boys would love those tractors and they'd all love the train ride. Your little man is just adorable. It's such a shame about the food options, I wish more places offered healthier options
    Nicola

  9. 10th September 2015 / 9:18 pm

    Aw sounds like a great family day out. Memories to treasure forever. And sounds like the oldies enjoyed themselves too!!

  10. 10th September 2015 / 10:31 pm

    Oh my son would absolutely love everything about this! I`d heard of it but had no idea where it was! Wish i`d known about it when we visited the area in June, would definitely have gone! xx

  11. 11th September 2015 / 12:29 am

    Oh my God, that spider metal thing made my heart jump a little, I have a huge spider phobia. But other than that it looks a lot of fun for a family day! Your kid looks like he's having a great time

  12. 11th September 2015 / 8:02 am

    Lightwater Valley looks really fun for all ages! I need to go on a ferris wheel ASAP. It's on my bucket list 😛 xx

  13. 11th September 2015 / 8:21 am

    Shame that some of the staff were unhelpful. We recently visited Alton Towers and they were fantastic when ever we asked where to go etc. Sounds like a goof day though we would like to try this theme park. x

  14. 11th September 2015 / 1:34 pm

    Wow, I'm envious of anyone who has facilities like this. We have nothing up here within a 3 hour drive. We have to make do with National Trust castles!

  15. 11th September 2015 / 7:21 pm

    looks like a fab family day out, my Finn would love the tractor ride. The ultimate would have my tummy in bites just looking at it

  16. 11th September 2015 / 11:01 pm

    It's a shame staff weren't that great – customer service is very important if they want families to return. It is quite good value however for a day out x

  17. 12th September 2015 / 8:19 am

    Ugh, it's a shame about the staff, despite that though, it sounds like great fun and certainly looks it! I love that big wheel ;D Great pics. xx

  18. 12th September 2015 / 9:50 am

    We've never been to Lightwater Valley before but my youngest was sat with me while I was reading this and now he wants to go! LOL

    Louise x

    With love from Lou

  19. 13th September 2015 / 3:46 pm

    Looks like a great place to visit despite the unhelpful staff and having to pay a minimum of £5 to pay with card. I think my daughter would love it there x

  20. 14th September 2015 / 7:54 pm

    I went here once but I was so young, looks like you had a lovely time! Think we may have to visit with the little one too! Xx

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