Nemesis Nick at Avon Valley Adventure Park 31 August 2013

Date: Saturday 31 August 2013
Venue: Avon Valley Adventure Park
Who Went: Just me.

N.B. Any use of "today" in this report means Saturday 31 August 2013.

Introduction

Avon Valley Adventure Park is a country adventure park located near Keynsham. Its facilities include a large outdoor play structure and drop slide (all of which adults can go on), trampolines, a rowing boat lake and a riverside walk called the River Bank Experience. One other significant attraction is the indoor play barn which includes an Astra slide, two drop slides and loads of soft play equipment, but that's only for use by children within a certain height range. I've visited Avon Valley Adventure Park once per year since 2005. The first few years I went I tended to go on a quiet day in May, but the last few years I've gone in July or August. This time I intentionally wanted to go during August in order to go in the maize maze, a seasonal attraction available each summer.

Getting To Avon Valley Adventure Park

The outing began when I caught the 10:23 bus from Bath Bus Station towards Bristol. At 10:52 I left the bus at Pixash Lane, crossed the main road and walked up Pixash Lane to the park entrance.

Welcome To Avon Valley Adventure Park

As I neared the entrance I spotted some building work. That was a new entrance building under construction, which will be in use from next year. On this occasion visitors still had to use the entrance kiosks, just like previous years. Once admitted I headed straight for the outdoor drop slide.

Outdoor Drop Slide

An open-air drop slide with a vertical drop followed by a level run-out. It is located at one end of the large wooden play structure described in the next section. Adults are allowed on this drop slide. This slide has to be supervised by a Ranger; when I went on quiet days in the past I had to ask a Ranger to open it for me to have a few goes, but today it was open and supervised all day. I enjoyed twelve goes.

Large Wooden Play Structure

An outdoor wooden play structure consisting of several towers. Two towers are linked by vertical hanging tyres. Various types of bridges link the rest of the towers. One tower has a metal sloping slide protruding from the top level. At the far end are two zip wires. Adults can go on all parts of this play structure. I worked my way across it end to end, during which time I had two goes on the metal slide and two goes on each of the two zip wires.

Lunch at Barn Café

Feeling peckish at this point, I went to the Barn Café for lunch. I had chips with cheese and a cup of coffee.

Rowing Boats

Near the riverside is a boating lake. Visitors can row around the lake, free of charge in one of the rowing boats. There is a small island near each end. I had a go, I rowed to the far end, around the far end island, back to the starting end and around the island that end. Finally I rowed around the entire lake clockwise one more time before I disembarked.

River Bank Experience

Beyond the boating lake is a circular walk beside the river. Along the way are obstacles collectively described as the "junior assault course", however adults can go on them. I went on most of the obstacles. There is also a set of story boards about Herbie Hedgehog and his friends Brian Bat, Daisy Duck and Freddy Frog. Although I read the complete story on each of my visits the last three years, I found it worth reading again.

Rowing Boats

Back at the boating lake, I rowed around the entire lake including the islands in the same way as earlier. This was my final go on here today.

Movie Maze

Each summer Avon Valley Adventure Park has a maize maze. When available entry to the maze is included in the Park admission. The theme for 2013 was movies, and there were 18 pictures of films; visitors entering the maze had the chance to guess the titles of the films win a prize. Around 15:40 I went into the maze, and tried guessing the film titles. Some films I knew (or thought I knew), others I had no idea and ended up making a wild guess. I had difficulty finding my way around the maze; twice I ended back at the start as I was unable to find the exit path. Eventually I went into a far corner which led me on a path to what could be seen as a second part of the maze; the last few of the questions were in this part, from which I managed to find the exit path. About 45 minutes after entering the maze I reached the official exit. By now I had guessed 15 out of 18 films. When I handed my paper in for marking, some were wrong, e.g. the one I thought was The Lord of the Rings was in fact The Hobbit. Nonetheless I was given a lollipop anyway.

Outdoor Drop Slide

I returned to the outdoor drop slide to have as many goes as I could before it closed at 17:00. During its remaining opening time I enjoyed eight goes.

Trampolines

A group of circular trampolines. Adults are allowed to use them and I jumped on one for about ten minutes.

Large Wooden Play Structure

To round off the day, I played on the outdoor wooden play structure again, end to end. This included two goes on the metal slide and two goes on each of the two zip slides.

Summary of my day in order of activity

Outdoor drop slide 12 goes
Large wooden play structure end to end, including 2 goes on metal slide and two goes on each of the two zip slides
Lunch at Barn Café
Rowing Boats
Riverside Walk
Rowing Boats
Movie Maze
Outdoor drop slide 8 goes
Trampolines
Wooden play structure end to end, including 2 goes on metal slide and two goes on each of the two zip slides

Cumulative summary of facilities

Facility	Total
Metal slide	4
Outdoor drop slide	20
Rowing boats	2
Trampolines	1
Zip wire A	4
Zip wire B	4

Journey Home

Just after 17:30 I left the Park and began walking back to Pixash Lane bus stop. Having got there at 17:45, I only had to wait five minutes for a bus to Bath. At 18:04 I left the bus opposite Bath ODEON.

Outro

Highlights

Sliding the outdoor drop slide.
Playing on the outdoor wooden play structure late morning and late afternoon.
Two goes on the rowing boat lake.
Finding my way to the Movie Maze exit, eventually.
Jumping on a trampoline for about ten minutes.

Lowlights

Difficulty finding my way through the Movie Maze and thus ending up back at the start twice.
Not being able to play in the indoor play barn as it's only for children.

Summing Up

Altogether a fun day out in the country. It was great fun sliding the outdoor drop slide and playing on the rest of the outdoor play structure, and rowing on the boating lake. I was particularly pleased to do the Movie Maze as the last time I did the maize maze was my 2010 visit. Best of all it was a dry, bright sunny day, just what was needed to enjoy the outdoor amenities at the Park. It's a pity adults aren't allowed to play in the indoor play barn, but at least I enjoyed the outdoor facilities I was able to use.