Scanning my tickets at the turnstiles, an electric rush fills the air as hundreds of visitors pour in and break into a hurried walk toward the exact same corner of Paultons Park. It is 10am on a Saturday, but this is no ordinary morning at the New Forest-based theme park.
A Spectacular New Viking World Opens
A spectacular new Vikings-themed world has officially opened its gates, and it is as breathtaking as it is exhilarating. Famous for Peppa Pig World and the gravity-defying Cyclonator, Paultons Park offers 80 incredible rides and attractions across six worlds. However, its newest land is bound to steal the spotlight thanks to its high-thrill rides and a uniquely authentic concept.
Valgard: Realm of the Vikings is aimed at thrill-seekers, history buffs, and families with older children. It boasts three hair-raising rides, including the park's first inverted roller coaster, as well as a grand Feasting Hall, live actors, and The Orchard playground. The £12 million addition could not have dropped at a better time for the park, which continues to rack up awards as one of the UK's premier destinations.
Award-Winning Park
In the 2025 UK Theme Park Awards, Paultons Park took home four gold trophies, including Theme Park of the Year, Best Theme Park for Families, and Best Theme Park for Toddlers. TripAdvisor recently named it the eighth best amusement park in Europe. With free entry for children under one metre, complimentary parking, and some of the shortest queues in the UK, averaging just 20 minutes, it is no surprise this theme park is enjoying a massive surge in popularity.
Immersive Norse Design
But today is all about Valgard. As I stroll past the entry point, marked by a huge shield-covered sign and stone Viking guards, I am instantly in awe. While long queues of excited visitors form for each ride, some of which are up to an hour and 45 minutes, I spend time exploring and taking in the detailed aesthetic of the new land. Everything has been meticulously designed to emulate the spirit of the Viking Age, with much of the area made up of vibrant red, orange, and brown wood, featuring animal-like figures, intertwined ribbons, and complex knotwork. I am impressed by the level of detail in the smallest of things: animatronic ravens perch above signs, and ale barrels are decorated with golden apples, magical fruits that were said to keep the gods of Asgard eternally young in Norse mythology. As I make my way to my first ride of the day, a picketed wooden sign chillingly warns: 'Beware! Guard your flock at night, trolls may seek to steal your sheep's delight'.
Thrilling Rides
On Vild Swing, a first-of-its-kind attraction in the UK, riders can 'brave the North winds' as they are launched 12 metres into the air on a giant swing, which gives a thrilling bird's-eye view of Valgard. Once the staff locks us in, our legs dangle as we shoot into the air, plummet, and yo-yo back up. The ride wildly swings us back and forth, sending my stomach into a sudden, thrilling freefall. Although I am pumped coming off, I can already say this is among the milder thrills, perhaps designed for younger children and riders taking on their first big ride. But, as I make a beeline for Drakon, Valgard's crown jewel, my excitement quickly rebuilds.
The park's first-ever inverting roller coaster, the high-octane ride invites visitors to 'face the fury of the beast'. The experience begins with a heart-pounding vertical ascent that slowly climbs into the sky. As I face the clouds, my weight pulled back behind me, I prepare for the beyond-vertical drop as we tip over the edge. We whoosh down with might, and it feels like we are almost about to hit the ground before we hurtle through two inversions. The ride is over in a flash, but the adrenaline lingers for minutes after. It is easily my favourite ride in the park, I just wish it was longer!
Soon after, I pass The Orchard adventure playground, complete with tower slides, a lookout point, and a Viking net swing, to take on my third and final ride at Valgard: Raven. The high-speed, bobsleigh-style roller coaster, rethemed from the park's former Cobra attraction, whips up to four riders at any one time around the rugged Viking landscape. The cart carries me along an impressively long track, treating me to a continuous rush of drops, twists, and turns along the way.
The Feasting Hall
As the adrenaline from the ride wears off, a ravenous hunger sets in. I head straight to the Feasting Hall, a spectacular, Viking-inspired space worthy of Valhalla itself. Inside the vast dining space, I am blown away by the level of detail put into the decor. Almost everything is made of dark wood, giving an intimate, authentic feel to the hall. Cloth tapestry hangs from the ceiling, a glowing stone fireplace carved into a menacing face takes up an entire corner, and rustic, traditional chandeliers are fitted with faux walrus tusks and pillar candles. Orange-hued menus feature a longboat graphic, traditional angular font, and intricate knotwork borders, along with a message that reads 'Velkomin', Icelandic for 'Welcome'. Every visitor will find something to enjoy, from Southern-fried and flame-grilled chicken to vibrant harissa chickpea bowls, mixed bean wraps, fresh salads, and halloumi rice bowls. As for sides, desserts, and drinks, standouts include charred corn ribs, toasted garlic bread, ice-cream sundaes, pancakes, iced coffee, and the all-new Golden Apple Frost, an ice-cold slushy drink of golden apple nectar topped with butterscotch froth. I settle on a five-piece chicken tenders meal with seasoned crinkle chips, a hot honey drip, and cherry Tango Ice-blast, before nabbing a free table inside the hall's very own life-sized longboat dining space. This area is particularly impressive as it makes diners feel as though they are tucking into a meal onboard the traditional ship, designed with protruding wooden oars, winding rope, vibrant shields, and a ramp to enter.
Beyond Valgard
Beyond Valgard, there is so much to explore at Paultons Park. When visitors purchase a ticket for the new Viking world, advance tickets cost £46.75, while tickets bought on the day cost £61.50, they are granted access to all other rides and attractions across the park. My companion and I spend the remainder of the day experiencing everything each world has to offer, from Lost Island's Jurassic-themed rides to the Deep South-designed Tornado Springs, which offer some of the park's most thrilling rides. After a gravity-defying experience on Cyclonator, we head for Peppa Pig World and tour the cartoon family's life-sized yellow house, before learning about an adorable colony of 16 Humboldt penguins at the live Penguin Feeding Show. Beyond its famous penguins, the park also functions as a diverse zoo, boasting a variety of exotic wildlife and birds such as scarlet ibis, pink flamingos, meerkats, lemurs, and tortoises. To wrap up the day, we wander through beautiful landscaped grounds. Complete with leafy trees, floral arrangements, streams, and oriental gardens, the area is so immersive they make you forget you are right next to a theme park. It serves as the perfect refresher after a long day of hopping on and off high-thrill rides.
Today was a fantastic opening for Valgard, though it certainly will continue to draw scores of thrill-seekers this summer, but only those ready to shed their mortal skins and claim true Viking glory.
