For the second year in a row my family and I visited Blackpool for the amazing “Vampire Beach” weekend event at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Despite the arctic blast that hit the Fylde Coast on the weekend everybody involved had a fantastic time. Here are just few photos and highlights from our trip. Hope you all enjoy 🙂
We arrived at Blackpool around 9am, having left Cumbernauld at about 5. This was the view from outside our hotel (the excellent Delton Hotel). Safe to say we couldn’t have asked for a much better view !
Fortunately, before long the sun was out and this was the view once we’d dropped kids off for the day at the Sandcastle.
One of our main reasons was visiting the spectacular Tower Ballroom. Made even more popular in recent years through Strictly Come Dancing, this venue should be a must for any visitor to the town, young or old.
After spending a couple of magical hours in the Ballroom, it was time for a walk back along to South Shore, where we were lucky enough to catch an image of the newly named “Charlie’s Tram”
After a brilliant dinner at the Red Pepper restaurant in Central Drive, our first day ended with a walk back to South Pier where our kids were brave enough to ride the Skycoaster. It’s well worth a go for any adrenaline addict !
Onto Saturday and the main reason for our trip….a day at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. For this Saturday the park was open from 10am until 10pm. Our wristbands cost only £22.50 each. For any thrill seeker it’s hard to imagine better value than that from absolutely anywhere. Here are just a few photos from the day.
Almost first in line for the park and most of us (not me !) were dressed appropriately for the cold weather ahead.
This was our first chance to ride on Icon, the Pleasure Beach’s newest (and best ?) Roller Coaster. As you can see the queues were large. However, they were shifting quickly. We never waited more than 40 minutes and on a 3-train service credit has to go the Park and the Ride-Ops
Excitement was building the closer we got to the station. It’s hard to describe just how good a Roller Coaster this is. Credit must go to the Park and of course Mack rides.
One of the kids’ favourite rides of the day – The Tango Ice Blast. Looking great in the autumnal sunshine.
With temperatures of around 3-4 degrees and a real feel closer to zero, it’s perhaps not a shock that Valhalla didn’t have much of a queue. Still, the cold didn’t stop us donning our ponchos and giving it a go. Dread to think what it would have been like to have gone on it without one and then walked the park with wet clothes for the day !
Our kids enjoying the Ice Blast.
Just before the evening it was time to nip back to the hotel and get ourselves ready for the Vampire Beach weekend. Here the kids have their face masks and blood stained clothing ready 😉
Few parks anywhere can rival the atmosphere at Blackpool Pleasure Beach when its dark. Here the Sir Hiram Maxim’s Flying Machines are looking particularly impressive.
View of the Big Dipper “flame” and Big One first drop from FY4. By this time it was really freezing, but the park was still busy and the atmosphere was just brilliant.
Impressive by day, Icon becomes even more impressive at night. Just about managed to capture one of the trains here, but guess my shutter isn’t fast enough !
To round of the night there was a spectacular, if not a little brief, firework display at the Pleasure Beach. These rounded off a fantastic 12 hours on the park.
And that was that, and it was soon time for bed and the drive back up the M6 on the Sunday morning.
People often talk about Blackpool in negative terms and about how people just don’t go there anymore. However, from what we saw Blackpool is in a very good place right now. Lots of work going on to improve the place and visitor numbers were very healthy. Everywhere we went was really busy and it was good to see so many “No Vacancies” signs on the hotels.
The years may be creeping up on me, but my sheer enthusiasm for this town – which I often refer to as my happy place – shows absolutely no sign of waning at all.
Here’s to the next visit.
Thanks for reading 🙂
Dave Kerr
Mark can also insert temperature gauges normally used for checking meat cooking inside his nose..
