Report - Lightwater Valley - North Yorkshire, UK - December 2022

[Explorer 007]

This well thought out explore took place in late December 2022 and as you can see, I was only interested in The Ultimate.

With Lightwater Valley today officially confirming that they are dismantling the iconic coaster, I felt that it was time to register to this great website and document this visit. I was going to register 28 days after the visit, but todays sad news made me do it sooner.

As some of you may know, The Ultimate last operated in 2019, which is the same year it received two new chain lifts from UK based Renold Manufacturing - what a waste. In 2020 as we all know, COVID put a massive dampener on things. In January 2022, the rides lift hill generators were removed and rumours began to spread amongst theme park enthusiasts that the end was indeed near. Then, in August 2022, an email from Grace at Lightwater Valley to a customer indicated that The Ultimate was now decommissioned with no further plans to operate. Prior to this, the park had confirmed that they were catering the park and attractions towards under 12s. Regardless, hearing this news from Lightwater Valley was the kick up the backside I needed. The planning immediately began. Multiple drives to the area and sending up a drone on a few occasions helped me ascertain exactly what I needed to know.

Todays news is heart breaking and a very sad outcome for theme park enthusiasts. With the land that Lightwater Valley has, especially the green between The Ultimate layout, there was serious potential to make this place a mini Alton Towers of the north, but for that to happen, you need owners with ambition. Owners Brighton Pier Group have made a wrong decision here.

Apologies that my first explore came so late towards to Ultimate's demise and that it was on the back of negative news.

I hope you enjoy. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

Richie aka Explorer 007

 

[MrDevla]

That was the first proper roller coaster I went on and it was fantastic. Great report and thanks for sharing.

 

[Explorer 007]

That was the first proper roller coaster I went on and it was fantastic. Great report and thanks for sharing.

Thank you sir. It was my first coaster too - I think that's what hurts about its confirmed dismantling. Not like they can relocate it due to its unique layout to the landscape. In hindsight, they had already started the deconstruction when I visited. There was me hoping they were bringing it back up to spec :s

 

[sneakycoasters]

That's funny that others have checked this out. I went in December 2021, as I was curious about what happened to this thing. I went again December 2022 as well to see if anything had changed. Got a lot of photos/video I can put in a report some time

 

[Jenal Urban Exploration]

Brighton Pier Group have evidently turned Lightwater Valley into Shitewater Valley by making these decisions. At this rate it'll only be a matter of time before Yorkshire has it's own Camelot.

 

[Lndnpdd]

Great explore, its amazing how quickly the vegetation has started growing over the tracks already!

 

[westernsultan]

Not interested in roller coasters as such but this one had British Rail Engineering Limited [BREL} to oversee construction. More history at Ultimate (Lightwater Valley) - Coasterpedia - The Roller Coaster and Flat Ride Wiki and update at The Ultimate (roller coaster) - Wikipedia

 

[Explorer 007]

Brighton Pier Group have evidently turned Lightwater Valley into Shitewater Valley by making these decisions. At this rate it'll only be a matter of time before Yorkshire has it's own Camelot.

I can't disagree with you. As much as I love theme parks, what BPG are doing now, in my opinion is suicidal. I want this to backfire on them, but not sure if it will as it has won family awards. A sad time for the coaster community. Alton Towers retrack Nemesis after 30 years to give it a new lease of life, BPG do the complete opposite. Absolutely backwards.

 

[Explorer 007]

Great explore, its amazing how quickly the vegetation has started growing over the tracks already!

Thank you - I can't help but feel LV knew a long time ago that this was always going to happen - as recent as a year ago, the bush/vegetation etc. was all trimmed and the train had completed a circuit for testing. Even if they made this an upcharge attraction, LV would be quids in long term.

 

[Explorer 007]

That's funny that others have checked this out. I went in December 2021, as I was curious about what happened to this thing. I went again December 2022 as well to see if anything had changed. Got a lot of photos/video I can put in a report some time

Get your photos/videos up buddy.

 

[Explorer 007]

Not interested in roller coasters as such but this one had British Rail Engineering Limited [BREL} to oversee construction. More history at Ultimate (Lightwater Valley) - Coasterpedia - The Roller Coaster and Flat Ride Wiki and update at The Ultimate (roller coaster) - Wikipedia

Truly a unique ride in a unique setting. A ride that can never be relocated due to the unique terrain/landscape.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

That's really cool, not many abandi Ed roller coasters in UK & looks proper reclaimed by nature

 

[Explorer 007]

That's really cool, not many abandi Ed roller coasters in UK & looks proper reclaimed by nature

Sad state of affairs isn't it - I would like to think LV would sell parts to coaster enthusiasts, like Blackpool did when retracking parts of the Big One, but I sadly cannot see it.

 

[ckycky]

I visited here in December 2021 and September 2022 as well. Really interesting explore. Gutting that the park is destroying history with this unique ride.
There's some other interesting areas in the park too, I havent posted any pics or video yet but will be doing some time.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Love this. What an attraction. Everything a good roller coaster should have. Going through grasslands is very unique