Alton Towers

Got back late last night from our annual trip to Alton Towers.

Husbit first took me when we'd been dating a couple of years and he discovered I'd never been. Since then, the only year we didn't go was 2011, when we went to the Blood Bowl World Cup in Amsterdam instead. We usually either go in the middle of the summer or, as this year, for the Fright Nights.

The pumpkins were hungry

We dragged my brother, Husbit's sister and two of the guys from our Pathfinder group with us, setting out in the early hours of Wednesday morning to arrive around noon. The Fright Nights are great because later closing time means we don't miss out (and I really like riding in the dark). 

 

My brother is a massive bully who wouldn't let the poor cold ghosty have any of his coffee!

Going mid-week meant we avoided the worst of the crowds: last year, we went for a weekend nearer Hallowe'en and it was too busy for me. I ended up with a migraine, although now know where the first aid room is and they were fantastic, letting me lie down in a cool, dark corner until I was functional again. This year, fortunately no migraine!

It's a jackdaw. Not, as Husbit insists, a blackbird.

Because it's a bit of a trek for us, we stay in a local B&B overnight. One day, we'd love to use the hotel.

just maybe not the pumpkin rooms

I love the little live action bits they add in for Hallwe'en - the Zombies and particularly the 'Scary Tales'. It's a little sad that you now have to pay for the bigger ones in the Towers themselves separately.

As for the rides, Nemesis and Air remain my favourites, although both Thirteen and Smiler are up there (particularly Thirteen in the dark: we queued for it last year and it broke down as we got there so I was really pleased to get on it this year). I don't particularly like Rita (I just don't like the acceleration) or Oblivion (the view of the park is lovely, but I don't like heights and that's sort of the whole point of the ride), and this year was able to sit them out without being lonely as I wasn't the only one. I love Hex for story and optical illusion.

I really love the log flume, but only Paul and my brother would join me. Then we saw the others at the water cannon and realised why...

We managed to have a bit of a wander through the gardens, which I always like, but the Towers were closed for the extra bits which meant we couldn't investigate those - something I like to do when we come up in the summer. I like the juxtaposition of the building and the rides.

Next year's trip is already in the scheming...