Venue: Puxton Park
Who Went: Just me
Introduction
Puxton Park is a farm park north of Weston-super-Mare which opened in summer 2007. It includes the Fun Farm Play Barn (indoor play area) with giant slides and soft play equipment (which adults can play on), McPuxtons café, Adrenaline Zone (outdoor play area), boating lake, Puxton Fort, crazy golf, assault course, conservation lake, conservation area (which now also includes assault course obstacles), falconry centre, pony riding centre, open-air maze and dairy. In addition there's Meadows Restaurant and a farm shop, both of which are accessible to customers not paying to enter the Park. Not all the features were there when it first opened in summer 2007, many have been added since.My desire to visit Puxton Park one weekday late March seems to have become an annual fixture in my calendar now. After my previous visits in March 2009, March 2010, March 2011 and March 2012, I was equally determined to go there during March 2013. For various reasons I ended up going at the end of April 2013.
Getting To Puxton Park
A 6am rise was necessary for me to leave Bath city centre around 7:30am on a bus bound for Bristol. Having reached Bristol city centre, I caught the Weston-super-Mare bus for Puxton Park. Although a slow way of getting from Bath to Puxton Park (two buses, changing at Bristol), it was the cheapest method, using a FirstDay South West bus ticket (one day's unlimited travel on First buses in the south west). Having arrived Puxton Park bus stop (on the A370) around 9:10am, I walked up Cowslip Lane to the reception.Welcome To Puxton Park
The Park was already open when I reached the reception about 15 minutes later. Once admitted I went to McPuxtons for a much needed cup of coffee.Puxton Park Outdoor Areas
Around 10am I began exploring the outdoor areas of Park. The Farm Walk encircles the Park, and various farm animals are present in different parts of the Park. Areas that deserve a specific mention are as follows. Boating Lake
A rowing boat lake which opened summer 2011. I would have liked to have gone on it during this visit, but when I walked past it was closed. One park ranger I asked could see no reason for it not opening due to the beautiful sunny weather, but was unable to give a definite answer as to whether or not it would open. I didn't bother asking anyone else later in the day; I think it only opens certain times of the year.Bouncing Pillow
Outside (close to the Fun Farm Play Barn) is a large inflatable pillow, which (to the best of my knowledge) adults are allowed to jump on. However I ended up not going on it all day.Conservation Area
An enclosed area in the far corner of the Park. A circular path runs around this area, with information boards about various country flora and fauna. This area has changed quite a bit since my last visit; the course of the path has now been made windier, and several new assault course obstacles have been placed alongside it. That was enough to make it worth seeing again.Starting at the Conservation Area entrance and working clockwise, the obstacles are as follows:
Stumps > Balance Beam > Monkey Climber > Stumps > Suspension Bridge > Trapeze Traverse > Swinging Steps > Postman's Bridge > Plank on springs > Post Weave > Chain Walk > Stilts > Crossover Chain Walk > Balance Beam.
I began by walking one clockwise lap of the circuit, reading some of the information along the way, but not going on any of the obstacles. Afterwards I did two more clockwise laps of the route, going on all the obstacles both times as follows.
First lap: untimed.
Second lap: 3 minutes 12 seconds.
Falconry Centre
Birds of prey (falcons and owls), some in cages and some on pedestals. The birds were not flying at the time. Trampolines
A group of circular trampolines near the Falconry Centre. I first saw them on my March 2011 visit here. I gave these a miss this time.Fun Sports Pitch
I first discovered this when I went in March 2010 (it was called Sport Skills Area then), and at the time there was a football in the area which I kicked around. Since then I think you have had to pay to hire a football from the reception. Anyway I gave this a miss as I wasn't particularly keen to kick a ball around.Maze Of Knowledge
I first saw this during my March 2012 visit (it wasn't there on my March 2011 visit). At each T-junction there are two answers to a question, each with an arrow. If you take the turning related to the wrong answer you lead to a dead end. Taking the turning related to the correct answer leads you to the next question. I answered all the questions correctly and made it through the maze start to finish quickly and easily.Puxton Fort
This first opened in summer 2010. Adults are allowed to play here, so I entered the fort and explored it. This includes a conventional slide which I had three goes on. Adventure Course
This opened in summer 2009. It's a series of obstacles between START and FINISH boards. The obstacles include leaping bars, hanging bars, parallel bars, balance beams, stilts, a postman's bridge and a Burma bridge. I had a go at this assault course, and completed it in 2 minutes 51 seconds.Lunch At McPuxtons
Puxton Park has a café called McPuxtons. Around 12:30 I went there for a burger and fries, plus a fizzy drink.Adrenaline Zone
Located close to the Fun Farm Play Barn, I first saw this outdoor play area in March 2012. It includes a treadmill, two zip wires and swings. Adults can play on all of it, and I had a go on the following:Swing
Treadmill
Tyre swing
4 goes on one zip wire followed by 4 goes on the other zip wire
Swing
Fun Farm Play Barn
This is a vast three level indoor adventure play complex, designed and installed by Taylor-Made Play (now called David Taylor Design). It has the following facilities: Rainbow Slide
A six lane Astra slide (bumpy slide), also known as Multi Moover. It's in all colours of the rainbow, red at the top working to blue at the bottom. You have to use a mat to slide this.Blue Double Drop Slide
A blue double drop slide (i.e. vertical drop, flat bit, slope, land in a ball pit), also known as Blue Bantam.Red Rooster Death Slide
A red drop slide, i.e. a tall vertical drop followed by a level run-out; it has two launch heights. If you like Oblivion at Alton Towers or Griffon at Busch Gardens, you'll love the Red Rooster. Forget being harnessed into your seat on a ride car, you just sit on the beam, push yourself forwards whilst holding the beam, and let go to enjoy a 28 foot free-fall drop with no harness whatsoever. Not for the faint hearted. Blue Curly Whirly Slide
A blue spiral tube slide running from the second floor to the ground floor.Green Slide
A green straight tube slide running from the first floor to the ground floor. Although the shortest slide in the play area, it's still quite fast.Soft Play Equipment
Loads of soft play equipment, including swinging steps, spinning poles, over and under barriers, an X-changer, a tumble tower, a zigzag web climber, a slither chicane, and v-net bridges. There is also a zigzag maze with low headroom that you crawl through.Best of all, adults (or should I say adult kids?) are allowed to play on everything in the main play area. In fact parents are encouraged to join in with their children.
A separate mini soft play area with ball pit is available for children under 3.
Session Overview
I entered the indoor play area at 1:13pm. Just like my previous visit in March 2012, I didn't have a pair of jogging bottoms with me, therefore I entered the play area wearing my jeans which I'd worn all morning. From past visits to the two Crealy parks, Woodlands and Portsmouth and Swansea Playzone, I fancy I tend to go a bit slowly on slides wearing jeans, and can go much faster if I wear jogging bottoms. You have to slide the tube slides and drop slides without a mat, therefore my jeans were in direct contact with those slides. Nonetheless I still went surprisingly fast on the two drop slides and both tube slides in jeans.Here's what I went on during the afternoon:
Rainbow Slide
I began with six goes on the Rainbow Slide (one go per lane left to right). Even though I was using a mat, this seemed a bit slow to me. I had a tendency to stop short of the end and I noticed some other sliders did too.Blue Double Drop Slide
Next I approached the Blue Double Drop Slide. Unfortunately a fair few other people were using this at the time, so I had to wait a few minutes for each of my goes. Despite the waiting times, I enjoyed eight goes.Red Rooster Death Slide
Now for the Red Rooster drop slide, straight down and out. Thankfully no-one else wanted to go on this slide at the time. I fearlessly enjoyed eight goes from the lower beam followed by eight goes from the upper beam.Soft Play and Crawl Maze
At this point I took to the soft play equipment. Starting at the front left of the ground floor I worked my way around as follows:Ground floor outer obstacles clockwise: 3 swinging steps > over and under barriers > right turn > X-changer up-down > 3 spinning poles > crawl maze > right turn > up tumble tower > down zigzag web climber > square spinning pole > up level changer to first floor.
First floor outer obstacles clockwise: v-net bridge above Red Rooster run-out > v-net bridge above Rainbow Slide run-out > 3 spinning discs > down fireman's poles > up pull-up ramp > slither chicane > right turn > X-changer down-up > bungee snake forest (thin pendulums) > padded pit > right turn > over top of tumble tower and zigzag web climber > bish bash pendulums > single spinning pole > right turn > v-net bridge above Red Rooster run-out > v-net bridge above Rainbow Slide run-out > down fireman's poles.
Ground floor centre front to back: ratchet door maze > wringer rollers (horizontal rollers) > (round the block) > rollerway (one pass) followed by up X-changer to first floor.
First floor centre back to front: 6 spinning discs > 2 swing-over nets followed by v-net bridge above Rainbow Slide run-out > up sloping v-net ladder to second floor.
Second floor centre front to back: challenge rollers (vertical rollers) > net traverse (3 steep net pairs) > down double ladder climb to first floor and back up double ladder climb to second floor.
Blue Curly Whirly Slide
Although I had already enjoyed several goes on the Rainbow Slide and two drop slides, I had yet to go down the Blue Curly Whirly Slide. Therefore at this point I enjoyed two goes on this blue spiral tube slide. Between goes I went up the X-changer ground to first floor followed by up the padded corner stairs first to second floor.Green Slide
There was just one more slide for me to try, the Green Slide. Although the shortest slide, this straight tube slide was still great fun, I enjoyed two goes on it.Afternoon Coffee
At 2:35pm I returned to McPuxtons for a much-needed coffee and ring doughnut.Rainbow Slide
When I returned to the indoor play area I enjoyed another six goes (one go per lane left to right) on the Rainbow Slide.Blue Double Drop Slide
Now for another eight goes on the Blue Double Drop Slide. Thankfully no-one else was using it this time, thus I was able to go straight down it each time.Red Rooster Death Slide
I was now thirsty for more goes on the Red Rooster drop slide; eight goes from the lower beam followed by eight goes from the upper beam. Once again I was able to go straight down it on all my goes.Soft Play and Crawl Maze
Back to the soft play equipment. Once again I started at the front left of the ground floor and worked my way around as follows:Ground floor outer obstacles clockwise: 3 swinging steps > over and under barriers > right turn > X-changer up-down > 3 spinning poles > crawl maze > right turn > up tumble tower > down zigzag web climber > square spinning pole > up level changer to first floor.
First floor outer obstacles clockwise: v-net bridge above Red Rooster run-out > v-net bridge above Rainbow Slide run-out > 3 spinning discs > down fireman's poles > up pull-up ramp > slither chicane > right turn > X-changer down-up > bungee snake forest (thin pendulums) > padded pit > right turn > over top of tumble tower and zigzag web climber > bish bash pendulums > single spinning pole > right turn > v-net bridge above Red Rooster run-out > v-net bridge above Rainbow Slide run-out > down fireman's poles.
Ground floor centre back to front: rollerway (two passes) > (round the block) > wringer rollers (horizontal rollers) > ratchet door maze followed by up front stairs to first floor.
First floor centre front to back: 2 swing-over nets > 6 spinning discs followed by up double ladder climb to second floor.
Second floor centre back to front: net traverse (3 steep net pairs) > challenge rollers (vertical rollers) followed by down sloping v-net ladder to first floor.
First floor outer obstacles clockwise: 3 spinning discs > down fireman's poles > up pull-up ramp > slither chicane > right turn > X-changer down-up > bungee snake forest (thin pendulums) > padded pit > right turn > over top of tumble tower and zigzag web climber > bish bash pendulums > single spinning pole > down level changer to ground floor.
Ground floor outer obstacles clockwise: 3 swinging steps > over and under barriers > right turn > X-changer up-down > 3 spinning poles > crawl maze > right turn > up tumble tower > down zigzag web climber > square spinning pole.
Rainbow Slide
My final round of sliding on this six lane Astra slide. Once again I enjoyed six goes (one per lane left to right).Blue Curly Whirly Slide
My final two goes of the day on the Blue Curly Whirly Slide. Between goes I went up and down the X-changer followed by up the padded corner steps ground floor > first floor > second floor.Green Slide
Now for two goes on the green straight tube slide. Between the goes one Ranger asked me if I was having fun, I said I was.Blue Double Drop Slide
My final round of sliding on the Blue Double Drop Slide. As much as I like this slide I deliberately limited myself to four goes as closing time was not far away now and I wanted to have some goes on the Red Rooster before leaving.Red Rooster Death Slide
Where better to round off my day than the hair-raising Red Rooster? I enjoyed eight goes from the lower beam. After that I tried to have as many goes as I could from the upper beam before closing time. In the remaining available time I clocked up twenty goes from the upper beam; on some of those there was just one other slider in front of me, and the rest of my goes I was able go straight down.At 5:20pm I left the indoor play area for the final time, collected my belongings from my locker and walked back to the bus stop on the main road.
Summary of my session in order of activity
Rainbow Slide 6 (1 per lane left to right)Blue Double Drop Slide 8
Red Rooster lower beam 8 upper beam 8
Soft play and crawl maze
Blue Curly Whirly Slide 2
Green Slide 2
Coffee and ring doughnut at McPuxtons
Rainbow Slide 6 (1 per lane left to right)
Blue Double Drop Slide 8
Red Rooster lower beam 8 upper beam 8
Soft play and crawl maze
Rainbow Slide 6 (1 per lane left to right)
Blue Curly Whirly Slide 2
Green Slide 2
Blue Double Drop Slide 4
Red Rooster lower beam 8 upper beam 20
Cumulative Summary of Slides
| Slide | Total |
| Blue Curly Whirly Slide | 4 |
| Blue Double Drop Slide | 20 |
| Green Slide | 4 |
| Rainbow Slide[i] | 18 |
| Red Rooster lower beam | 24 |
| Red Rooster upper beam | 36 |
| TOTAL | 106 |
Altogether an afternoon of fun, Taylor-Made fun. This was my first time of playing on soft play equipment, an Astra slide and on drop slides for 2013.
Journey Home
At 5:45pm I was back at the bus stop. Two minutes later I caught a late-running X1 bus to Bristol city centre. Whereas I would have missed that particular bus had it ran on time, another bus was due at 5:54pm. Having reached Bristol at 6:22pm, I caught the next available bus to Bath. I finally left the bus opposite Bath ODEON at 7:13pm. Outro
Highlights
Beautiful sunny day for the trip.Going on the new obstacles in the Conservation Area for the first time ever.
Other outdoor play areas: Adventure Course (near Conservation Lake), Adrenaline Zone (treadmill, zip wires, swing).
Playing on the giant slides and soft play equipment in the indoor play barn most of the afternoon.
Getting 20 goes from the upper beam of the Red Rooster drop slide before closing time.
Lowlights
Multi Moover six-lane Astra slide seemed a bit slow. Summing Up
A mega fun day out. Although it finally happened a few weeks later than I originally hoped, it was well worth the wait. With the outdoor play equipment I enjoyed before and just after lunch, plus the indoor play barn I enjoyed even more all afternoon, it was great to be a child for the day. The indoor play barn is smaller than the Adventure Zone at Devon's Crealy, but never mind, I was glad to be allowed to play in a soft play area with Astra and drop slides as so few such places allow adults to play.
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