Lightwater Valley park illustration
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Lightwater Valley

North Yorkshire family adventure park tailored for under 12s. 39 rides and attractions with 24 having no height restrictions. Perfect for young families seeking age-appropriate thrills.

Data last verified on 19 January 2025. Always confirm critical restrictions with the park on the day of your visit.

Ripon, North Yorkshire
North Stainley

Quick Stats

Total Rides:
39
No Restrictions:
24
Adult Price:
£25
Child Price:
£25
Parking:
£4
Updated:
19 January 2025
Opening Hours
10:00 - 17:00 (seasonal variations)

Rides by Height Requirement

24
No Restriction
Perfect for all ages
11
Under 110cm
Great for young children
4
110-140cm
Adventure starts here
0
140cm+
Thrill rides

All Rides & Attractions

📏

Check Your Height

Enter your child's height to see which rides they can enjoy

cm
Quick select:
Intensity:
Showing 39 of 39 rides
🎪
Adventure Play
Adventure playground with challenges.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Carousel
Traditional carousel horses.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
🎠
Clownaround
Circus themed fun house.
interactiveNo restrictionGentle
🎠
Dino Dig
Dig for dinosaur fossils.
interactiveNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Dragon Boats
Dragon-themed boats on water.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Dragon Drop
Gentle drop ride for younger children.
Family
👤100cm alone
Low
🎠
Eagles Creek Farm
Meet and feed farm animals.
animalsNo restrictionGentle
🎪
Ebor's Soft Play
Huge indoor soft play area.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Elephant Flight
Flying elephant themed ride.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Flying Cutlass
Pirate ship swing ride.
Family
👤110cm alone
Medium
🎠
Hall of Mirrors
Classic mirror maze.
interactiveNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Hot Air Balloons
Rise and fall balloon ride.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Jeep Safari
Drive jeeps through safari-themed area.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
🎪
Jungle Jump
Jungle themed bouncing area.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle
🎠
Jurassic Adventure Golf
Dinosaur themed mini golf.
interactiveNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Kangaroo Jump
Bouncing kangaroo ride.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
🎢
Ladybird
Gentle first coaster - perfect for young children.
Coaster
👤90cm alone
Low
🎠
Lakeside Walk
Scenic walk around the lake.
observationNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Lightwater Express Train
Main park train around the lake.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
🎠
Meet Ebor & Friends
Character meet and greets throughout the day.
showNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Monkey Drop
Mini drop tower for building confidence.
Family
👤110cm alone
Medium
🎪
Outdoor Play
Large outdoor playground.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Pirate Swinger
Gentle swinging ride in pirate theme.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
Powder Kegs
Exciting spinning ride without overwhelming young riders.
Thrill
👤120cm alone
Medium
🎢
Rocket Rollercoaster
New gentle coaster for first-time riders.
Coaster
👤90cm alone
Low
👨‍👩‍👧
Savanna Express
Train ride through the park.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Skate Karts
Pedal karts around a track.
Family
👤100cm alone
Low
🎪
Skull Rock
Pirate themed climbing structure.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle
Skyrider
The park's biggest thrill ride - appropriate intensity for under 12s.
Thrill
👤130cm alone
High
👻
Space Pirates
Indoor dark ride adventure.
Dark RideNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Spin Bug
New spinning bug ride for young children.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
💧
Splash Falls
Gentle water ride with small splash.
Water
👤90cm alone
Gentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Swan Boats
Pedal swan boats on the lake.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
The Caterpillar
Gentle caterpillar train ride.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Tiki Raft
Spinning raft ride.
Family
👤90cm alone
Gentle
🎠
Valley Theatre
Live shows and entertainment.
showNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Vintage Cars
Ride in vintage cars around a track.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
👨‍👩‍👧
Wave Rider
Gentle wave motion ride.
FamilyNo restrictionGentle
🎪
Woodland Play
Natural woodland play area.
Play AreaNo restrictionGentle

Location

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Address

North Stainley
Ripon
HG4 3HT
United Kingdom
Lat: 54.1667
Lng: -1.55

Complete Park Guide

Complete Park Guide

Lightwater Valley Height Guide

Lightwater Valley is a family adventure park specifically tailored for children under 12. With 39 rides and attractions, including 24 with no height restrictions, it's perfect for young families seeking age-appropriate fun in the Yorkshire countryside.

Sections
12

Organized insights

Reading Time
~3 min

Plan ahead quickly

Highlights
3

Need-to-know tips

Guide Section

Park Highlights

Deliberately designed for younger children - no intimidating thrill rides.

Under 12s Focus

Deliberately designed for younger children - no intimidating thrill rides.

24 No-Restriction Rides

More than any comparable UK park - everyone can enjoy together.

Beautiful Setting

Countryside location in North Yorkshire with lakeside walks.

Eagles Creek Farm

Meet and interact with farm animals included with entry.

Height Strategy

Height Breakdown

Incredible selection for all ages:

No Height Restriction (24 Rides!)

Incredible selection for all ages:

  • Valley Theatre
  • Ebor's Soft Play (indoor play)
  • Vintage Cars
  • Savanna Express train
  • Outdoor Play areas
  • Carousel
  • Swan Boats
  • Hot Air Balloons
  • Dragon Boats
  • Woodland Play
  • Dino Dig
  • And 15 more!

90cm+ (7 Rides)

Perfect first rides:

  • Spin Bug (90cm)
  • Jeep Safari (90cm)
  • Tiki Raft (90cm)
  • Splash Falls (90cm)
  • Kangaroo Jump (90cm)
  • Elephant Flight (90cm)
  • Ladybird (90cm)
  • Pirate Swinger (90cm)

100cm+ (2 Rides)

Growing confidence:

  • Dragon Drop (100cm)
  • Skate Karts (100cm)

110cm+ (2 Rides)

Bigger adventures:

  • Monkey Drop (110cm)
  • Flying Cutlass (110cm)

120-130cm (2 Rides)

Maximum thrills for this age group:

  • Powder Kegs (120cm)
  • Skyrider (130cm) - park's biggest thrill

Planning Tips

Best For

  • Toddlers (under 90cm): EXCELLENT - 24 no-restriction rides!
  • Young Children (90-110cm): Perfect! Park designed for this age
  • Older Children (110-130cm): Great - appropriate thrills without intimidation
  • Pre-teens approaching 130cm: Good but may want bigger thrills soon

Guide Section

Themed Areas

Tropical adventures with Jeep Safari, Jungle Jump, and themed rides.

Jungle Area

Tropical adventures with Jeep Safari, Jungle Jump, and themed rides.

Pirate Zone

Pirate Swinger, Skull Rock, and swashbuckling fun.

Dino-Stone Park

Dinosaur themed with Dino Dig fossil hunting.

Lakeside

Swan Boats and scenic walks around the lake.

Guide Section

Park Philosophy

Lightwater Valley deliberately removed rides that required 140cm+ height restrictions to maintain focus on under 12s. They won't compromise their family-friendly mission for bigger thrills.

Lightwater Valley deliberately removed rides that required 140cm+ height restrictions to maintain focus on under 12s. They won't compromise their family-friendly mission for bigger thrills.

Planning Tips

Top Tips for Visitors

  1. Perfect for young families - Don't expect Alton Towers thrills
  2. 24 rides for everyone - Whole family rides together
  3. Farm included - Don't miss Eagles Creek Farm
  4. Indoor options - Ebor's Soft Play for rainy days
  5. Lakeside picnic - Beautiful spots to eat packed lunch

Planning Tips

Best Times to Visit

Quietest: Weekdays in May and September Busiest: School holidays, sunny weekends Events: Halloween, Christmas

Guide Section

Facilities

  • Multiple food outlets - Family-friendly menus
  • Eagles Creek Farm - Animal encounters
  • Gift shop - Ebor mascot merchandise
  • Baby care - Excellent facilities
  • Parking - £4 car park
  • Picnic areas - Lakeside spots

On the Ground

Getting There

By Car: A1(M) Junction 50, then A61 (parking £4) By Train: Harrogate Station, then taxi (30 mins) From Ripon: 10 minutes by car

Guide Section

Age Recommendations

  • Under 3 years: EXCELLENT - 24 no-restriction rides
  • 3-6 years: Perfect! Ideal age for this park
  • 6-10 years: Great - appropriate thrills
  • 10-12 years: Good but approaching upper age limit

Planning Tips

Money-Saving Tips

  • Book online for discounts
  • Same price adults and children
  • Bring picnic - allowed in designated areas
  • Season passes for Yorkshire families
  • Free entry for under 90cm (check website)