Wicksteed Park
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Wicksteed Park is an amusement park in Kettering, England. Opened in 1921 by Charles Wicksteed for the people of Kettering, it's believed to be the oldest leisure park in the UK and over 1.25 million visitors, from all over the UK, pass through its gates each season.
Wicksteed purchased 147 acres (595,000 m²) of land in 1913 with the vision of building a village on the site, however this never came to fruition and instead led to the park. One of the first features to be opened in 1921 was the 30 acre (120,000 m²) man-made boating lake.
Today the park has many amusement rides, many of which were designed and built by Wicksteed's engineering company itself, including the Laser Dome by VEQTOR, but unlike most larger theme parks such as Alton Towers it does not charge for entry. Value for money wristbands allow unlimited access to most of the rides on the day of your visit. Open all year round, the children's playground is free for all to use, and one of the largest in Europe.
The attractions at Wicksteed Park are divided into 4 themed areas:
1) Playground Area - As you enter the park you can't miss the large free playground - you'll probably want to start the day here and on the surrounding rides.
2) Fairground Area - Close by is the Fairground and Arcade Area, in this area are rides for the younger children and also in this area is the Amusement Arcade
3) Lakeside Area - Take a short walk down the hill and you'll come to the lakes and the Lakeside area, most of the rides here feature fun and water in equal amounts.
4) Arena Area - Following along the shore of the lake will lead you to the Arena area which contains most of Wicksteed's larger rides.
Of particular historical interest is the Water Chute, which is nearly 80 years old (built in 1926) and, having undergone major renovation (in 2002), it is the oldest working ride in the UK. Its most famous attraction remains the narrow gauge railway which runs around the lake. At Christmas time it becomes Santa's Reindeer Express and is a huge favourite with local families.
Along with all the fun of the rides and attractions, Wicksteed also offers various Programmes of Study based on Key Stages 1-4. There's a wide variety of topics on offer - art days, science & maths roadshow, design and story events. The Nature Trail is also very popular. It's a little over two kilometers in length and features many fascinating 'activity' points. An Education Pack is available for teachers.
The Pavilion is a characterful and attractive building located at the very centre of Wicksteed Park and used for very large corporate events, banquets, weddings or special events. The St George Suite is the ideal setting for your wedding reception. Unlimited car parking, easy road access, a large dance-floor, flexible room layout options, in-house catering and access to Wicksteed Park's attractions make it a popular company venue. At Christmas time the Pavilion has a variety of Christmas Party Nights, with a range of great acts and waitress served Christmas dinner. The Pavilion also houses the "It's Showtime" daytime musicals throughout the year, where many people come from afar to watch the fantasic shows and enjoy the waitress served meals.
Unlike most UK theme parks, the overall atmosphere is typically British rather than American (the catering facilities offer fish and chips rather than burgers and fries). There is an aviary, huge sand pit and rowing boats on the lake to complement the more dynamic attractions. The lake area is populated by swans, geese, ducks and peacocks.
The park is owned by the Wicksteed Trust, a registered charity set up by Charles Wicksteed in 1916. Now offering Caravan and Camping facilities you could easily spend a week at Wicksteed Park.
Wicksteed Park is situated in Kettering, North Northamptonshire. It is 2 miles from the A14 with direct access from the M1 & A1 and on the Midland Mainline between London and Sheffield.
