As we pulled into the car park at Paultons Park the red twisting track and towering beyond-vertical drop of Valgard's jewel in the crown, Drakon, set our hearts racing. I visited for the launch event with my husband and our sons Odhran, 10, and Reuben, 8. Theme park fans had arrived early and gathered at the entrance to the park, keen to be among the first to ride Paultons first inverting rollercoaster. As the gates were opened, the crowd made its way to the back of the park where a spectacle of Viking warriors, dramatic fire and smoke effects, alongside rousing music, celebrated the opening of Valgard.
We queued for about 45 minutes to ride Drakon, which I don't think was too bad considering it the was the opening morning. After pulling down our safety guards, we began the slow and thrilling vertical climb to the summit. As we plummeted down the other side, it was an exhilarating start to the ride, but the best parts were the inversions, where I felt my bottom lift up off the seat. The ride was over in seconds (it maybe felt a bit too short) and we were keen to go on again towards the end of the day. But the queue time had reached 50 minutes and after six hours enjoying the theme park we'd tired ourselves out. Drakon is a lovely smooth ride and it's a great level up coaster for kids who've hit 1.25m in height and are looking to try out their first inversion coaster. It's the perfect addition to Paultons Park.
Valgard offers two more exciting rides. Raven is a family bobsleigh style coaster that darts along the track like its namesake bird, soaring and diving through the air. It has tight wild mouse turns that make you feel like the carriage could tip over the edge of the track as it whips round. Riders must be a minimum 1.1m tall. Then there's Vild Swing, where you can pretend to be in a Viking ship on a stormy sea as you're launched 12 metres into the air and experience stomach-flipping weightlessness. The minimum height for this is 0.95m, making it perfect for younger riders seeking bigger thrills.
The Viking theming in Valgard is fantastic, and we loved the attention to detail, such as the sheep in a wheel that looks like it's powering the carriage of Drakon up the lift hill. The Feasting Hall has a Viking longship at its centre, and serves everything from wraps to burgers and fried chicken (meals priced around £14 to £18). There are veggie options and Little Viking Meals for kids priced between £8-£9, which come with a drink. They also serve tasty desserts and Odhran and Reuben tucked into Nutella and strawberry crepes with toffee sauce. Valgard brings an extra thrill factor to Paultons Park. So grab your little warriors for a legendary day out.
What else does Paultons Park have to offer?
We've been visiting Paultons Park since Odhran and Reuben were toddlers and it's great to see its evolution over the years. Located in Hampshire, on the edge of the New Forest National Park, Paultons is set within 140 acres of parkland and is home to the only Peppa Pig Theme Park in the UK. But it's not all about Peppa, as the attraction offers 70 exciting rides and attractions in total - and now the new Valgard section! It's a multi award-winning family theme park, which among other honours, last year scooped the coveted title of Theme Park of the Year at the UK Theme Park Awards.
We've visited twice this year, and went along on Easter Monday during a stay at the nearby Sandy Balls holiday village. The sun was out and the sky was blue, but there was a spring chill in the air. The most recent visit for the opening of Valgard obviously saw the park at its busiest but one of the things we love about Paultons Park is that it's one of the few theme park in the UK where you don't need a fast track pass to make the most of your day. With the exception of Peppa Pig World, which can get busy during peak times, you're rarely queuing long. The longest queue we faced during our Easter trip was for Flight of the Pterosaur, which was about 25 minutes. All other rides, we either walk straight on to or join a short and fast moving queue.
Peppa Pig World
Another thing we love about Paultons Park is how bright and clean the whole park appears, and this colourful charm really comes to life in this part of the park. This is the world's largest Peppa Pig World and features nine themed rides, indoor and outdoor play areas, and character meet-and-greets. There's Peppa's Balloon Ride, Miss Rabbit's Helicopter and George's Dinosaur Adventure. There's also a splash zone, so bring a swim suit and swim nappy. Little piggies will delight in seeing their favourite cartoon brought to life. We visited several years ago for Reuben's third birthday. Back then both boys delighted in the experience. You are able to pay for an early play pass, which allows you to enjoy 30 minutes early access to the rides in Peppa Pig World, and as it was a special occasion, we decided to pay the extra. It allowed us to cover the main rides and do a character meet-and-greet before the crowds, so we were able to then enjoy the rest of the park at a leisurely, stress-free pace. The boys absolutely loved it. So, on recent visits to Paultons its been a little heartbreaking when they refused to have their photo taking in this section of the park as they considered themselves far too grown up and deem it 'totally cringe.' Reuben was a big Peppa Pig fan as toddler and I've precious memories of snuggling on the sofa with him to watch episodes together. If you're kid's at that age, you'll want to grab the chance to visit Peppa Pig World before they outgrow it.
What is there for bigger kids?
So, now with a 10 and eight-year-old on my hands, does Paultons Park still have enough to offer? The answer is - absolutely yes! Storm Chaser in the Tornado Springs area is a spinning and swirling rollercoaster ride and one of our favourites. I don't have the stomach for Cyclonator - a giant spinning spin, but it's another more thrilling ride in the park. We love the rollercoasters in the Lost Kingdom section of the park - Velociraptor and Flight of the Pterosaur, and though tame and suitable for younger kids too, Odhran and Reuben still run towards Buffalo Falls water slides and the Sky Swinger. Valgard obviously ups the thrill factor for bigger kids, and the opening of Serpent's Curse water coaster next year will send brave riders into the heart of the Viking realm for mighty battle against the waters. Paultons Park is perfect for families with both toddlers and pre and early teens.
How much does it cost?
Days tickets to Paultons Park booked in advance online cost from £46.75. Children under 1m go free.