Venues: Riviera Centre Torquay, Plymouth Pavilions, Devon's Crealy Great Adventure Park, Woodlands Family Theme Park
Who Went: Just me
Brief Synopsis
My now-annual long weekend in south Devon, with an itinerary much like Devonus Maximus (September 2010). The fun began Friday morning with a hitch-free train journey from Bath to Torre. Within Torquay I stayed three nights at the same guest house as last September, which offered a comfortable room and delicious filling breakfasts. Friday afternoon was filled with a walk from Torquay Harbour to Paignton Harbour, followed by about two hours swimming and water sliding at Riviera Centre Torquay. The bulk of Saturday daytime was spent at Plymouth Pavilions: water sliding in the morning and ice skating in the afternoon. Sadly that will be my last time of enjoying those activities there as the fun pool and ice rink are set to close autumn 2011 and spring 2012 respectively. The trip culminated in visits to Devon’s Crealy on Sunday and Woodlands on Monday, both of which featured exciting family rides and large outdoor and indoor play areas which adults can play in. The tour ended with a relaxing train journey home from Totnes to Bath Monday evening. Altogether another fun tour, what a pity about the mixture of weather (particularly the rain Friday afternoon).
To jump to individual days, click the appropriate link below.
Day One - Friday 17 June
Day Two - Saturday 18 June
Day Three - Sunday 19 June
Day Four - Monday 20 June
Outro
Day One - Friday 17 June
First Great Western, Riviera Centre TorquayJourney to Devon
The adventure began when I turned up at Bath Spa in plenty of time for the 08:57 Penzance train, on which I'd booked an Advance ticket to Torre. The said train ran on time, and I reached Newton Abbot in time for my specified connecting train to Torre. The trip got off to a bad start weatherwise: cloudy but dry on leaving Bath, and rain from Taunton onwards.
Friday Daytime
Having checked into my guest house, I considered going to Teignmouth to have a fish and chip lunch and hopefully ride the Teignmouth Pier Go-Gator (subject to it running). I phoned Teignmouth Pier and asked if the rides were running. Unfortunately they weren't, due to wind and rain. Obviously I was disappointed at not being able to ride Go-Gator today, but at least I now knew not to bother going to Teignmouth thereby wasting train or bus fare for nothing (there was nothing else I wanted to do there).
Having walked to Torquay seafront, I fancied a fish and chip lunch at Seabank Café. The wet and windy weather meant a fish and chip takeaway outside would have been unpleasant, so I ate inside instead. Next I had an ice cream. Never mind the foul weather, an ice cream is still a must-have when you're at the seaside. After that I spotted Walk 4 Life: a 3½ mile walk from Torquay Harbour to Paignton Harbour along the coast path, so I did that walk, despite the rain! It was a scenic walk, which would have been so much better on a sunny day. Having eventually reached Paignton Harbour, I enjoyed a cup of coffee at Jessica's Coffee Shop in the town centre before catching a bus back to Torquay.
Waves Leisure Pool at Riviera Centre Torquay
Late afternoon I went to the Riviera Centre to enjoy Waves Leisure Pool. This has the following facilities:
Fun Pool
This has a wave machine, but is not always on.
Water Slide
Starts as a closed tube doing a clockwise semicircular loop outside the building. Back indoors it's an open top slide for an anticlockwise spiral, and finally a closed tube for the final descent to the landing pool. A lifeguard patrols the start, and insists a slider has left the landing pool before letting the next slider go.
During term time weekdays, the wave machine and water slide aren't always available. 4pm onwards Fridays is a Fun Session when those features are available.
I was in the pool area approximately 4:30pm to 6:30pm, but only went in the pool during the wave sessions at 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:30pm and 6pm. The rest of the time I was on the water slide. The queue varied considerably; sometimes there was quite a long queue (6 to 10 in front), sometimes I got straight on to it. Altogether I enjoyed four wave sessions and 36 goes on the slide.
A large inflatable dinosaur was placed in the water when the 6pm wave session ended, and remained there until 7pm, hence there was no 6:30 wave session. Unfortunately only 8 to 12 year olds are allowed on the inflatable. Interestingly between the end of the 6pm wave session and 6:30 the slide was generally quiet; I managed 15 goes on it. One of them there was a long queue, the rest the slide was walk-on, or at worst two in front.
Friday Evening
When I left the Riviera Centre around 7pm, it was still raining outside. I headed down to the seafront. The high tide meant it was impossible to go on the beach and build a sandcastle. Having walked along the seafront to the Strand, I went to London Inn (Wetherspoons) for my evening meal: Roast of the Day, followed by sticky toffee pudding with custard. To drink, I enjoyed half a pint of Bays Best, a Torbay beer. Around 9pm I was back at my guest house and relaxed the rest of the evening.
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Day Two - Saturday 18 June
Plymouth PavilionsSaturday First Thing
My first full day in Devon began with a delicious breakfast: cereal, orange juice, Full English, toast and coffee. Due to my plan for the day, I had it at the normal time of 8:30am.
Off To Plymouth
Around 9:20 I left the guest house and headed for Torre station, a few minutes walk away. Once there I caught the 9:29 train to Newton Abbot for onward 9:49 train to Plymouth. The journey was relaxing and hitch-free. When I reached Plymouth, I headed straight for Plymouth Pavilions to do swimming and water sliding at Atlantis Fun Pool the rest of the morning, and ice skating at Swiss Lake Ice Rink mid afternoon. I bought a joint ticket to cover both activities.
Plymouth Pavilions Atlantis Fun Pool
This has the following features:
Fun Pool
This has a wave machine, which is not on continuously.
Conical Buckets
Located by the pool side, they have a continuous trickle of water flowing into them. When full, they tip up and empty on to the area below. You can stand under them, and if you happen to be in exactly the right spot at the time a bucket tips, the water lands on you.
Green Snake
A closed tube water slide all the way down, to land in a catch tray.
Orange Slide
This water slide starts much higher, and is open top for two anticlockwise loops before becoming a closed tube for its clockwise loop outside the building. Upon re-entry to the building one lands in a plunge pool. This is much more thrilling. Unfortunately this was more popular than the green snake, so I didn't get as many goes on this.
I got into the pool area around 11:20, and spent most of my session on the two water slides. Altogether I had 24 goes on the green snake and 7 goes on the orange slide. Occasionally I stood under the tipping buckets and had water land on me. My session finished at 13:00.
Lunch at Plymouth Pavilions
After that I went to Shake Away at Plymouth Pavilions for a coffee and BLT sandwich. That's all I wanted after a big breakfast.
Plymouth Pavilions Swiss Lake Ice Rink
I booked for the 2pm skating session, and was at the rink well before the session was due to start. The rink is an unusual shape so that it cannot be used for competitions. The session lasted one and a half hours. I fell the moment I first stepped on the ice, and again close to the end. Annoying because on my previous visit I had no falls at all.
Forthcoming Closure
Sadly that will be my last ever time of water sliding or ice skating at Plymouth Pavilions. I said to a various members of staff it's a shame the fun pool and ice rink are about to close, as they're both conveniently located in the city centre, and even filled in a customer comment card stating my views about the closure. Someone told me Atlantis Fun Pool (including water slides) and Swiss Lake Ice Rink first opened in 1991. Atlantis Fun Pool will close in the autumn when the new Life Centre opens. Swiss Lake Ice Rink is staying open a little longer, but will close next April. If you've not been to either of them, I suggest you go there (if you live within sensible travelling distance of Plymouth) and enjoy them whilst you still have the chance.
Rest Of Visit To Plymouth
Having left Plymouth Pavilions around 4pm, I headed down to the Barbican, whereupon I had a traditional Devon Cream Tea at Strand Tea Rooms. Got to have one of those on a trip to Devon, haven't you? Having left the Strand Tea Rooms, I returned to the station and caught the 17:38 train to Newton Abbot. Altogether a great day out in Plymouth.
Rest Of Saturday
Having reached Newton Abbot, I broke my journey there to have dinner at The Richard Hopkins (Wetherspoons): sausages and mash followed by Eli's Original Baked Vanilla Cheesecake. To drink, I had half a pint of Abbot Ale. Having left around 7:25pm I returned to the station for the train to Torre. Just after eight I was back at my guest house, and relaxed there the rest of the evening.
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Day Three - Sunday 19 June
Devon's Crealy Great Adventure ParkSunday First Thing
When I awoke it was sunny outside. I had an early breakfast at 8:10 consisting of cereal, orange juice, Full English, toast and coffee.
Off To Crealy
Just before 9:00, I caught the X46 fast bus from just across the road from my guest house to Exeter. Having reached Livery Dole bus stop in Heavitree, I ran across the road hoping to connect with the Sidmouth bus (9:31 departure from the bus station). Just my luck, another passenger told me I'd missed it by about five minutes. Annoyingly, I had about an hour to wait for the next bus, and thus reached Devon's Crealy around 11:00.
Devon's Crealy Great Adventure Park
On arrival at the admissions booths, I showed my RCCGB membership card and claimed the members' discount I was entitled to. The person in the ticket kiosk said to me "Happy Father's Day", not something I was expecting considering I was on my own. Once admitted I couldn't wait to take to the rides.
Maximus Rollercoaster
As a RCCGB member, it was appropriate for me to begin with this Vekoma Junior Coaster (207m). This originally operated under the name El Pastil Loco from 2000 to 2009. In 2010 it was renamed Maximus and given Roman theming. One subtle modification for the 2011 season was the addition of the Maximus name on the front of the loco. Apart from that, the ride experience was no different to any of my previous visits there; undeniably tame compared to the giant steelies at Pleasure Beach Resort Blackpool, but nonetheless fun to ride. One ride still consists of two laps. I had four goes (back row, front row, third row, second-from-back row).
Vortex Water coasters
Three water coasters made by Van Egdom. You slide down these water slides fully clothed in a dinghy. In order not to disturb the neighbours, you are not allowed to shout or scream on the stairs, or at the top. However you can shout or scream inside the slides, which are closed tubes. Facing the entrances from the launch platform they are:
Left: Venom
Centre: Vertigo
Right: Viper
I deliberately went on these now (whilst the queue was really short) and had four goes: Venom, Vertigo, Venom, Vertigo. Couldn't do Viper as there must be two riders in a boat on that one, and I didn't like asking anyone else if I could ride Viper with them.
The Flying Dutchman Pirate Ship
Formerly known as the Queen Bess Pirate Ship, it actually took me until after I'd returned home to discover (from the Park Map) this is now called The Flying Dutchman Pirate Ship! A pointless name change, in my opinion. During my visit to Crealy, the ride experience was no different to my previous visits. For now one go was enough for me; it's not as re-ridable as Maximus.
Dino Blasters
Electric bumper boats which have a button to press so you can squirt other users. I faced a few minutes wait when I joined the queue. When it was my turn to embark I had a green boat. I stayed on the lake quite some time until I eventually gave up my boat of my own accord. Given the number of people waiting, I was surprised I wasn't called out sooner.
Honey Swing
This is located in the Magical Kingdom, and is basically a chair-o-plane. Adults can go on it. It goes around clockwise, with the seats on an angle. My one go on this now was my only go on this all day.
The Flying Dutchman Pirate Ship
Another go on this swinging pirate ship, this time in an end row for maximum thrill. Nonetheless, riding this in the end row is still tame compared to Rush at Thorpe Park.
Funambulist Challenge
A series of wooden beams, plus some swinging steps, for you to balance on. If you've made it around all that lot, which I did, you should try the three short tight ropes which are placed just centimetres above the ground. I had no problem walking to the end of the short rope, and just about managed to walk the length of the middle-length rope, so didn't bother with the longest one.
Roundabout PlayPump
In Africa, roundabouts like these have been installed to pump groundwater into a tank as children play on the roundabout. I'm not sure whether or not the one at Devon's Crealy actually pumps water though. I sat on the roundabout and went clockwise, followed by anticlockwise.
Tidal Wave Log Flume
You get into a log, go up one lift and down. After that you go around a bend, and up a second lift, which is taller than the first. The drop which follows is taller than the first drop, and enclosed in a tunnel (which was retrofitted as a noise shield). After a big splash on landing you return to the station, but thankfully I donned my cagoule and leggings. I enjoyed four goes (logs 1, 3, 4, 2).
Victorian Carousel
Speaks for itself really, mostly galloping horses, though there are some cars on the ride. This was my only go on this all day, on the horse Penny.
Lunch at Adventure Zone
At this point I went to get a mid afternoon snack. I tried the café at the ball firing arena, only to find the whole building had been gutted out internally for a refit. Next I tried the Magical Kingdom, and finally the Adventure Zone café. All I really wanted was a sandwich and coffee, and was disappointed to hear there was nowhere I could get a sandwich. In the end I had potato wedges and coffee at the Adventure Zone café. Now I wished I'd taken advantage of the long wait for a connecting bus at Exeter; by buying a Sub of the Day from a Subway in Exeter city centre to take with me.
Afterwards I asked a member of staff about the ball firing arena, which opened in 2008, has gone after just three years. They used to get big children bullying young children in there. That was difficult to monitor. The shape of the room meant it was necessary to have three Rangers in there, which was very expensive. I then said it was Sir Walt's Diner (the Park's flagship restaurant) until 2007. Asked why they sacrificed that in 2008 to put in a ball firing arena with small sandwich / coffee bar in the corner, only to take it out again now to put in a pizza restaurant. The ball firing arena seemed like a good idea at the time, but sadly it was an experiment which failed. Said they'd just as well have kept Sir Walt's Diner until last year, then replaced it now with a pizza restaurant. That would have meant having to spend money on it only once; the money wasted on the ill-fated ball firing arena could have been saved for a new ride.
Treetops Playground
An outdoor play area which includes four metal slides. Adults are allowed on everything. I had one go on each metal slide, and had a go on the swing.
Buzzards Swoop Drop Slide
This drop slide is next to the Treetops Playground, and is enclosed in a building, but you still have to walk around the outside after leaving the run-out to return to the top. I enjoyed 8 goes.
Maximus
Two more goes on Maximus: second row followed by second-from-back row.
After that went into Dina's Lost World.
Meteorite
My final ride of the day. It's a drop tower ride, featuring one row of seats on this, on one side of the ride. Adults are only allowed to sit in certain seats for some reason. It rose and fell several times.
At this point I noticed the Dizzy Dina Ride has gone. I felt shocked considering it's only been there since 2007. Worse still, being as it had the Park mascot theming (Dina the Dinosaur), it must have been custom-made. It seemed a shame to get rid of it. The Ranger operating Meteorite was unsure what had happened to it. I've since found out it was relocated to Cornwall's Crealy last winter.
Go Wild!
A wooden play structure which opened in 2009. It includes sloping wooden box bridges, net bridges and log ramps. Best of all adults are allowed to play on it. I spent a few minutes going over all parts of it.
Adventure Zone
A large indoor adventure play complex, designed and installed by Taylor-Made Play Equipment. It includes the following:
Two 4-lane Astrozoomer Astra slides (one is yellow, one is in various shades of grey)
Two double drop slides (i.e. drop half way, flat landing, sloping bit and land in ball pool)
Red Devil drop slide (straight down and out along the run-out) – this has two launch beams
Yellow spiral tube slide and red corkscrew slide
Crawl maze
Loads of soft play equipment
Best of all, adults (or should I say adult kids?) are allowed to play on everything.
I spent the rest of my visit in here, and went on the following:
Yellow Astrozoomer: all four lanes left to right once each.
Blue double drop slide four goes.
Red Devil lower beam four goes, upper beam four goes.
Soft play equipment.
Grey Astrozoomer: all four lanes left to right once each.
Black double drop slide four goes.
Yellow spiral tube slide at back two goes.
Red corkscrew slide one go.
More soft play equipment.
Finished off with more goes on the Red Devil (all from the upper beam).
Cumulative Summary of My Rides at Crealy
Ride | Total |
Dino Blasters | 1 |
Honey Swing | 1 |
Maximus | 6 |
Meteorite | 1 |
The Flying Dutchman Pirate Ship | 2 |
Tidal Wave Log Flume | 4 |
Victorian Carousel | 1 |
Vortex Water coasters: Venom | 2 |
Vortex Water coasters: Vertigo | 2 |
TOTAL | 20 |
Sunday Evening
I left Crealy around 5:50pm, and caught a bus back to Exeter just before 6pm. Having reached Exeter, I went to George's Meeting House (Wetherspoons), for dinner. I fancied Roast of the Day, but they'd already sold out of those as it was very busy there earlier (presumably because it was Father's Day). Eventually I chose chilli con carne with sour cream, tortilla chips and yellow Basmati rice, followed by Bramley apple, pear and raspberry crumble with custard. To drink, I had half a pint of Abbot Ale.
Having left Wetherspoons, I returned to Exeter Bus Station via Cathedral Green. Back at Exeter Bus Station, I caught 20:35 bus to Newton Abbot, which took the scenic route via Dawlish and Teignmouth. Having reached Newton Abbot there was just a few minutes' wait for a connecting bus to Torre. I finally got back to my guest house around 10:30pm.
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Day Four - Monday 20 June
Daytime: Woodlands Family Theme ParkEvening: First Great Western
Monday First Thing
The final day of my long weekend already. Regardless of what the weather was to be that day, I'd rigidly intended going to Woodlands near Dartmouth that day, to the extent of booking my homeward Advance ticket from Totnes to Bath when I made the arrangements a couple of weeks earlier. My plan was to take all my luggage with me after breakfast, catch a bus from Torquay to Woodlands (via Totnes), leave my large bag in a locker all day at Woodlands, catch the bus back as far as Totnes, have dinner there and catch my home train from there. As it happened, it was cloudy but dry outside first thing. I packed my bags and took them downstairs before having an early breakfast at 8:10: cereal, orange juice, full English, toast and coffee. I left 8:57 with all my luggage and walked to the Strand (by Torquay Harbour) to catch a bus to Woodlands around 9:30.
Woodlands Family Theme Park
By the time I was admitted to Woodlands around 10:50, the sky was still overcast but it was still dry. Therefore I began with the Toboggan Run as it was working at the time, but cannot operate in wet conditions.
Toboggan Run
This is the nearest Woodlands currently has to a roller coaster. You sit on a toboggan, are carried up a lift to the top of a steel track where a Ranger is supervising. At the top you must test your brakes before setting off downhill along the steel track (set in the hillside), around a series of U-bends, under gravity. To control your speed along the way, use your brake. You must slow down as you approach the station. Thus with the lift hill, and going down the steel track, one could argue this is a coaster of a sort, but several people I've discussed this with at Club trips have disagreed with me. I enjoyed four goes on this.
Ninja Towers
Opened in 2009, this outdoor play area consists of bridges and a net crawl tunnel. I went on all those. Also there's a purple spiral tube slide, a black spiral tube slide and a red straight tube slide. I had two goes on the purple spiral tube, two goes on black spiral tube and two goes on red straight tube. They were quite slow this year, presumably due to them being damp.
Ninja Towers has been extended since my visit last year. The extension has more bridges and three additional tube slides. I had two goes on each of those new slides. They were rather slow, again that was probably due to them being damp.
From the top of Ninja Towers you can access a red and black four-lane Astra slide, which opened in 2008. I enjoyed one go in each lane left to right (as viewed from the top), but it seemed quite slow this year.
Avalanche
Looks like two conventional kids' park slides from the bottom. However you must be at least 140cm tall to ride them, which means they're about the nearest Woodlands has to white knuckle rides. You go to the station at the top of the hill, collect a plastic dinghy, which you sit in to slide down one slide or the other. At the bottom, you put your dinghy on the conveyor belt to return it to the top. Since there's two separate slides, purists would say this is really two rides. As viewed from the top, I did them in the following order: left slide, right slide, left slide, right slide.
By now light rain was falling, the rain continued the rest of the day.
Arctic Gliders
Plastic thatch laid in the hillside, and you slide down a lane on a plastic tray, to resemble sledging down a hillside. The lanes are alternately coloured red and blue, but guests can only slide in one of the six the blue lanes. Thus a maximum of six people can ride this at once. It's tame compared to the Avalanche so I only had one go (far left blue lane).
Commando Course
An assault course, set in the side of the hill. You go around a sequence of obstacles arranged in a figure of eight. Time taken 7 minutes 5 seconds.
Roundabout
Next to the Commando Course is a large metal disc which spins. I set the disc spinning and sat on it until it stopped.
Action Track 1
An obstacle course (smaller than the Commando Course), which includes a Burma bridge, stepping stumps, and tyre climb. I did one lap of this.
Triple Drop Slide
A drop slide that takes you straight down and out along the run-out. There are three launch beams at different heights, hence the "triple" bit of the name. Launch yourself off the beam and experience the freefall drop. I fearlessly enjoyed three goes from each of the three launch heights.
Master Blaster
A 3-storey indoor attraction. On the ground floor you can feed foam balls into tubes, to be transported through pipes to the upper levels. Also on the ground floor is a fountain which you fill with balls, then press a button to spray the balls into the air. On the first and second floors are pneumatic guns, you put foam balls in one at a time and press a button to fire them across the room. Great fun.
In addition there's soft play equipment around the edge of the ground and first floors, and a maze in the corner of the ground floor. There's a straight tube slide from first to ground floor, and spiral tube slide from second to ground floor. Adults are allowed on all the play equipment in here. I had a mega fun time in the maze, on the soft play equipment and firing foam balls around. I covered all the soft play equipment and maze once, and had two goes on each tube slide.
By the time I left Master Blaster, the rain was quite heavy.
Seascape Mirror Maze
Speaks for itself, it's a mirror maze. Took a walk through this start to finish.
Bumper Boats
Electric bumper boats. Unlike the ones at Devon's Crealy, you have to hold down a button to make them go, and you can't squirt water from them. When I approached the ride, all the boats were docked and no-one was on the lake, so I thought they had closed. Fortunately a Ranger was there waiting for a rider. I was allocated a blue boat (number 7) and stayed on the lake about ten minutes before giving up my boat of my own accord. Throughout that time I was the only person on the lake! Presumably the heavy rain deterred anyone else from wanting to go on it.
At the end I found out why the boats lack squirt buttons. The squirters used to work when the boats were on the lake at the other end of the Park, as that has flowing water. The lake they are on now (near The Empire of the Sea Dragon) is a stagnant lake, so they can't let people squirt its water which is polluted with mud and duck mess.
After that, I spent the rest of the afternoon in The Empire of the Sea Dragon.
The Empire Of The Sea Dragon
A large blue building at the far end of the Park, which includes themed birthday party rooms, Sea Dragon's Play City (described below), a smaller soft play area The Ice Palace for young children, and three rides: Dragon Ferris Wheel, Submarine Ride and Trauma Tower. In addition there's a café (Ray's Diner) and picnic area there.
Before doing anything else in this building, I sat in the picnic area to enjoy the Sub of the Day I had bought in Torquay on my way to the bus stop this morning.
Trauma Tower
A drop tower by Moser Rides. Having seen it not working my last three visits, it was running today. Therefore I was determined to ride it. I enjoyed two goes on it. Tame compared to the Ice Blast at PBR Blackpool but still great fun.
Submarine Ride
Submarines on spokes which go round clockwise, and rise if the lever is touched. Whilst I waited for a go, the Ranger in charge said I was too tall, and showed me its sign; maximum height 1.4 metres. I don't remember seeing that on my last visit (27 Sep 2010); it must have been introduced since then. Said to the Ranger adults have been allowed on it in the past. He said the upper height limit has always been there, but adults have been allowed to accompany young children. Anyway he let me have one go. Now I know not to go on that ride in future. This turned out to be my final ride of the day.
Sea Dragon's Play City
The largest attraction in The Empire Of The Sea Dragon, an enormous 5-storey indoor adventure play complex designed and installed by Taylor-Made Play Equipment. It includes the following features:
Barracuda 6-lane Astra slide.
Dinosaur Double Drop Slide (drop half way, flat bit, slope, ball pit landing).
Triple Decker Deep G Dive drop slide (drop part way, flat bit, slope, flat bit, slope, ball pit landing)
Depth Charge drop slide (straight down and out; it has two launch heights a storey apart)
Sea Serpent (two long spiral tube slides; one is green and one is blue)
Two other short tube slides (one goes from the first floor to land in a ball pit on the ground floor)
Maze on the ground floor
Loads of soft play equipment
90 degree tubes to crawl through at the highest level
Crawl maze
It claims to be the UK's biggest indoor play zone, and best of all adults (or should I say adult kids?) are allowed to play on EVERYTHING in there. It's even been said adults seem to get more fun out of it than children. Maybe that's why it's also known behind the scenes as the Senior Play Area.
There's so much in there it was difficult to ensure I covered everything whilst I was in there, let alone remember the complete sequence in which I did it all. Here is my slide count for the time I was in there:
Barracuda all 6 lanes left to right once each
Dinosaur Double Drop Slide 4
Depth Charge drop slide lower beam 4 upper beam 4
Triple Decker Deep G Dive three stage drop slide 12
Green corkscrew slide 4
Sea Serpent green 2 blue 2
Short tube slide first floor to ground floor, landing in a pit of balls 1
By the time I had collected my belongings from my two lockers the time was 16:42. I was tempted to have one more go on Trauma Tower. Unfortunately it was in motion. I didn't want to wait for it to finish as that would delay me leaving the Park, which could result in me missing the 16:51 bus to Totnes. As it happened, I had to hurry back to the bus stop as quickly as possible, with a mixture of brisk walking and running.
Cumulative Summary of My Rides at Woodlands
Ride | Total |
Arctic Gliders | 1 |
Avalanche left slide | 2 |
Avalanche right slide | 2 |
Bumper Boats | 1 |
Submarine Ride | 1 |
Toboggan Run | 4 |
Trauma Tower | 2 |
TOTAL | 13 |
Rest of Monday
At ten to five, I was back at the bus stop outside Woodlands. Misty rain was falling so visibility was poor. The 16:51 bus to Totnes which I hoped to catch finally turned up at 17:19 (about half an hour late). Having reached Totnes, I went to The Dartmoor Inn for dinner: carvery roast, which included a pudding (I chose apple / blackberry tart with custard). To drink I had half a Fosters. Around 7:30pm I was at Totnes station ready for my booked train home: the 20:09 London Paddington train. The journey from Totnes to Bath was a relaxing end to a fun-packed long weekend. I finally reached Bath just after 10pm.
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Outro
Highlights
Three nights' B&B in Torquay, including the delicious filling breakfasts.
Evening meals at Wetherspoons Torquay, Newton Abbot and Exeter first 3 nights, and The Dartmoor Inn Totnes Monday evening.
Achieving 36 goes on the water slide at Riviera Centre Torquay Friday.
Sliding the water slides and skating on the ice rink at Plymouth Pavilions for what will be my last time ever.
Enjoying 6 goes on Maximus Coaster and 4 goes on Tidal Wave Log Flume at Devon's Crealy.
My first ever go on Venom (one of the Vortex water coasters) at Devon's Crealy.
Playing in the Adventure Zone at Devon's Crealy and Sea Dragon's Play City at Woodlands.
Getting 4 goes on the toboggan run at Woodlands.
Lowlights
Wet and windy weather Friday afternoon.
Teignmouth Pier rides closed due to foul weather Friday afternoon (so I couldn't count Go-Gator).
Getting to Exeter Sunday morning having just missed the bus to Crealy (and having an hour's wait for another).
Summing Up
On the whole, a great long weekend away, which included riding, outdoor and indoor adventure play areas, water sliding and ice skating.
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