I know I've ridden this type of ride at a couple of funfairs, but I think this is the first time I've ridden one located permanently at a park. It's an interesting cross between a rapids ride and a water slide. It starts out with a rapids section where your moved forward by the current. You then climb the hill lift and descend down a slide like section, before splashing down in to the final rapids section.

Despite being a fairground ride it doesn't like one located here. I think this is because it's a large enough ride, with an extravagant enough set up to distinguish it apart from standard fairground fare. If I hadn't seen one before at a travelling fair I probably wouldn't have realised it was designed as a travelling ride.

This rapids style water ride made its first appearance at the valley back in 2009 when it was initially rented from a travelling fairground company.  For a travelling ride that toured the fair circuit and attended the likes of Nottingham Goose Fair and Newcastle Town Moor fair amongst others one would assume it to be highly unpopular and badly out of place in a theme park.  Yet the opposite is true.  This relatively small and compact water ride attracted large queues and was very popular and hot sunny days.

So, the ride review; as you walk up to the ride your first thoughts will probably be tackiness what with the large flashing sign attached to the ride supports and accompanying palm trees and photo booth.  However the park has assured it’s fans that work is still to be done to the ride’s aesthetics in the coming years so if your reading this in a couple of years time the above may not apply!  When you are on the ride you splash out of the station into the trough and make your way round to a lift hill.  Once at the top you enter a section with a little stream of water running through it (much like the Falls of Terror ride) and this allows the large circular boat to spin quickly into the first few turns and downhill spirals that are really fun as you think you’re going to fall out of the trough.

You then descend into the rides only drop and splash down into the water although it is unlikely you will get wet.  You flow with the current around the rest of the course through some rapids and your photo is taken.  But just when you think things are all over you enter a choppy s-bend and a few unfortunate souls may get soaked as the water laps up into the boat which then ascends into the station ready for the next riders.

I was very surprised by the outcome of popularity for this ride and its success for the park resulted in them purchasing it after a season long lease.  May this little ride continue to impress I say.  Lots of people like it, what do I think?  Well, it’s nothing special compared to the likes of Congo River Rapids at Alton Towers in fact it’s not even in the same league; the ride is focused in one space with no apparent theming which reminds the rider of its travelling routes but it is fun to ride and one worth trying especially on a warm day.