Theme parks, are some of the most exhilarating fun you can have whilst being in little danger…abandoned theme parks, on the other hand, are creepy apocalyptic and dangerous! As serial Urbexers (urban explorers) this local park had been on the radar for a while especially as we visited many times as kids when it was open. Exploring this lost world was a lot like travelling, stepping outside of our normal comfort zones and into an alien landscape of another world and time.
When the theme park closed down a few
When the theme park closed down a few years back we had it on our list of places to explore. However, the security around the site was notoriously tight, after a few failed attempts we set our sights on other explorations and almost forgot about this overgrown amusement park.
Having grown up in the region in which the rusting theme park sits I had first had the experience of it in its former energetic glory. School trips every year to ride on “Excalibur 2” and “Knightmare”, to have banquets, cheer on a jousting contest and explore the medieval past in an exciting and thrilling park. However as the years went on and other UK theme parks grew as well as more and more of us heading over to the giants of Orlando, Camelot struggled to keep up.
The park faded into the background of the new rides of Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and budget trips to the US. When others were investing in new and state-of-the-art rides Camelot’s owners lacked the interest or investment to build bigger and better. Knightmare, the rollercoaster which still towers over the area and can be seen from the passing motorway, remained the largest and most exhilarating ride for over 5 years.
It’s true not many parks have a ride which can pull 5G’s but then most also buy their rides new and custom made, not a budget reconstructed cast off from a Japanese theme park! But nevertheless, Camelot holds a special place in the hearts of many people from the north west who enjoyed its offerings. For many of us it was our first theme park experience, sure it wasn’t the best but back then we didn’t know any different!!
Our Exploration!
So, on to the visit! After almost forgetting about its rotten existence deep in the overgrown forest of Chorley a number of new articles started popping up documenting its current state. It seemed that for a time the security paid to keep the site safe had either been removed or become woefully lax after the sale of many rides and attractions.
Then a spate of articles began to pop up online detailing the discoveries of a few local explorers, it seemed the park was open again…but for a different type of visitor! Our minds started to once again wander about visiting this theme park. I mean, an abandoned theme park, for lovers of all things creepy and apocalyptic this is the jackpot. Then just as we were checking our complex bus route over there we get an unexpected text message… Camelot? Hell yeah, Camelot!
A friend who was new to Urbex had seen the park from the motorway and knew we would be the ones to ask! It’s nice knowing we are the ones to call when adventure is on the cards.
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Getting in was as easier as it ever could be, after climbing up the side of buildings, abseiling down riverbanks and traversing across rotten bridges to get into places this was a walk-in! But with openness comes company, from all angles we could hear the sound of glass crunching under foot, often you never know what type of person you might come across in these abandoned places.
As we scurried around the site trying to keep a low profile we came face to face with some older-looking people inside one of the food tents. Initially, they appeared not to be your typical explorers and we wondered if we had been rumbled, instead, they warned us of a car patrolling the grounds as we cautiously moved on.
One of the first items which really caught our attention was the old Dragon Flyer ride, we all remembered the trips around the circumference of the park on this tame but unique mini rollercoaster. One of the only diesel-powered rollercoasters in the world it was strange to see it rusting and overgrown. Following the tracks deep into the undergrowth of the forest, the ground below dropped steeply!
After exploring many of the other buildings and tents, wondering what each was for and recalling how sad it was that this place with so many happy memories was rotting in such a way we turned our attention to the main prize…the huge rollercoaster! Not many of the rides still stand in this park having been sold off, but ironically this multi-million-pound coaster is still the main attraction!
As we worked our way closer we had to dive behind a set of false dry stone walls to avoid the security car. We glanced over to the rollercoaster to see two fellow explorers perched on top of its 80ft peak as the car in question screeched to a halt below! At this point, we wondered whether our aim of scaling it for ourselves was over!
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But as we edged closer and we saw the two explorers being escorted off the premises we knew this was our time to strike, whilst the guards were distracted and busy with other matters. Stepping onto the rusting stairway the nerves and excitement began to build, we quickly gain halfway height and hid behind an emergency platform. From here on in there was nowhere else to hide!
Looking down we realised just how high we were, the metal of the rollercoaster creaked and cracked as it expanded with the heat of the day. Something usually covered by the screams and shouts of happy park goers, for us every little noise broke the eerie silence yet again! Gone are the medieval sound track and whooping teenagers, instead the noise of gradual dereliction, crunching glass and the overtaking wildlife.
Now we rose to the highest point on the ride, towering 80ft high we could see for miles. Gone was the protective tangle of metal and cables, here we were exposed! The wind whistled through the ageing park and whipped around us as we teetered on the edge of the ride’s highest drop.
As we heard the security vehicle returning back to the park in the distance we decided it was time to count ourselves lucky and make a quick exit to reflect on an eerie but exhilarating exploration. There is just something about an abandoned theme park which, alongside hospitals, schools and asylums are both terrifying and yet irresistible to the explorer!
For us exploring our hometown/ region through alternative means is a way for us to experience some of that sense of discovery we get when we travel. It’s all part of the same desire to see things differently for us and you know…to be renegades!
Have you ever done any urban exploration, or what do you do when you aren’t travelling to satisfy your adventurous side?
Book a Rental Car
Best Place to Organise a Rental Car
Depending on the type of trip you’ve got planned you might just want to rent a car.
This is a great way to see much more of a place and get to some pretty out-of-the-way and hard-to-visit places.
When it comes to options, we always use Discover Cars to find the best deals.
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Yo, I’m Nic (they/them), one-half of The Roaming Renegades.
I’m an adventure (and halloumi) obsessed traveller with a passion for hiking mountains, exploring cities, watching Arsenal win, moshing out to Rammstein in random European fields and getting hopelessly lost on a motorbike somewhere in Asia! I am also a proud member of the LGBT+ community.
I’ve explored 80 countries, lived in Australia and New Zealand, and spent months wandering Southeast Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, all while trying to avoid growing up!
Did it work? I dunno, but my back hurts, and I still collect Pokémon cards! Who wants in?!
I love exploring abandoned sights! We’ve been road tripping through the US and there are oodles of ghost towns scattered about. Although I love roller coasters, I’m not sure I’d actually CLIMB one, though ;). My husband wants to visit Chernobyl–apparently there’s an amusement park there that either never opened, or was only open briefly before the nuclear disaster closed it down. I believe they make you wear a Geiger counter (seriously!).
Oh that sounds great. have always wanted to road trip across the US, heard there are some amazing ghost towns! The roller coaster was a little rickety to climb but not too bad! We are hoping to visit Chernobyl this year!
I’m a fan of abandoned places, too. Climbing the rollercoaster looks more fun than the ride it used to offer. 🙂
Ha ha, yes the theme park itself used to be rubbish, far better exploring it now!
I’m going up soon to see it, any tips or tricks to the place? Anywhere I can hide my car? Thankyou in advance
It’s been a while since we went so this info might not be entirely up to date. But watch out for the security when you’re going in and walking around pretty much at all times just be aware and move slowly. We parked a little way down the road and walked, I can’t remember where but I think it was just at the side of the road but about 10 mins walk.