Theme park FUN

What's new and exciting in the UK's major parks this year

- SAM MURRAY

Alton Towers, Staffordshire

For an adrenaline-fuelled getaway, the largest theme park in the UK is a guaranteed hit. The 40-plus rides include The Smiler, a 14-loop thriller; TH13TEEN, with a horrifying 5m freefall; and Wicker Man, the first wooden roller coaster built in the UK for two decades. And for something a little different, brave Hex, a mindbending experience within the Grade II-listed towers themselves.

Continue the adventure with a stay at Quarry Walk Park, a wilderness retreat of log cabins and lodges. The all-wood Bluebell Glamping Pod (from £60) comes with a comfy double bed, hydro massage shower and use of a communal fire pit.

Thorpe Park, Surrey