It was sunny the day we went to Pleasurewood Hills and the excitement had reached fever pitch before we even arrived at the theme park near Lowestoft.
Among our number were three boys aged eight, six and four, and the promise of fresh doughnuts and the sight of the WipeOut rollercoaster as we approached the gates had us all salivating.
First stop, then, the Timber Falls log flume to cool off – a short queue and before we knew it, we were splashing down and squealing with delight, everyone giggling and comparing how wet they were.
A succession of other rides followed: the to-ing and fro-ing of the Pirate Ship, the sedate Veteran Cars, the less sedate Dodgems, the easy going Pleasurewood Pony Trail and the breath-taking Kite Flyer. Thumbs up also for the Wave Breaker water slide - my wife’s favourite.
Pleasurewood Hills was perfect for the ages of the children in our group with the majority of the 30 or so rides aimed at young kids and families. However, there’s plenty to satisfy older children and those more inclined to a white-knuckle experience, such as the terrifying vertical drop offered by the Jolly Roger or the gravity-defying acrobatics of the Wizzy Dizzy.
The weather was on our side and what I particularly like about Pleasurewood Hills are the many green spaces that allow you to take time out. In fact, the whole 59-acre setting for the park is easy on the eye - it’s surrounded by trees with a sizeable lake in the middle, which is home to a new attraction for this year, the Pedalos.
Other new rides include Moby Dick and Woody’s Tea Party which are aimed at younger children. Also launched this summer is the frightening Hob’s Pit, a spine-tingling ghost train-type journey through a disused mine guaranteed to give you the spooks.
Our party also enjoyed a number of shows, that are performed at regular intervals throughout the day. During our visit we were able to watch the antics of Claude and George, the sea lions, and the gymnastics of the Pleasurewoood parrots, who include a range of bicycle stunts and flying tricks in their routine.
Food-wise, visitors can either bring a picnic or grab a bite from one of the many outlets – and it’s a stronger man than me who can walk past the pick ‘n’ mix without indulging.
We had a great time, enjoyed the easy-going atmosphere and couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement. Pleasurewood Hills is a special day out - I suggest you try it.
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