Alton Towers Theme Park
Our thrill seeking group couldn't wait to hit the rides at Alton Towers.
The daredevils amongst took on the colossal ride The Smiler. The theme music got our adrenaline pumping as we took our seats and were strapped in, ready to go! With 14 loops and a surprise burst of water this ride isn’t for the faint hearted! The smiles on our faces as we got of the ride were huge. We felt ecstatic to have conquered this ride! Next, we faced the mighty Oblivion. The pause at the top of the ride left us all in anticipation for the big drop, that took our breath away. But, WOW, what a rush.
The park is so beautiful, full of lush green parks and well kept flower beds. We managed to get an awesome view on the more relaxing cable car!
The atmosphere at Alton Towers was electric. There was a real party vibe and you know how much we love to party at JollyDays! I think we impressed the entertainment team with our groovy moves!
A more gentle day was spent exploring the delights that Darwin Forest had to offer. With acres of magnificent views and an abundance of walks to choose from we found ourselves navigating our way through some windy paths and conquering some steep hills. The scenery was spectacular. We felt on top of the world looking over the blanket of luscious grass and rolling hillsides.
We loved relaxing in our woodland cabins and enjoyed being 'sous chef' on the BBQ!
At the Archery hut we picked our lucky bow and arrow and tried our best aiming for the bullseye! We were thoroughly impressed by our efforts and certainly thought we would give Robin Hood a run for his money!
We set off along the winding paths of the forest on an adventure. It looked so pretty as the sun shone through the tall pine trees. Everyone loved tackling the commando style assault course and it took a lot of concentration, balance and coordination to complete. Of course, we managed it with everyone cheering us on from the sidelines.
A wonderful morning was spent at Matlock where we climbed aboard the Peak Rail Steam Train to Rowsley South. Experiencing the thrill of the preserved railway whilst travelling through the delightful Derbyshire countryside was a first for many of us. We loved waving to the other passengers on the platform and to the walkers who were out rambling. There is nothing quite like the smell of the smoke from the hot coals of the engine. We were lucky enough to meet the station master and we watched as he blew his whistle and waved off another train, chugging down the tracks.
We explored the town of Matlock which is extremely popular with the motor bike community. We managed to find a perfect spot on the river for a lovely lunch taking in the hustle and bustle of this busy town. A walk along the river was a must and we enjoyed walking over Jubilee Bridge where we stopped and listened to the sound of running water flowing beneath us.
We stopped for a refreshing drink in the afternoon sun, making the most of this glorious weather. Of course, we couldn’t resist an ice cream and we had a big decision to make; what flavour to go for? There were too many to choose from!
