Camelot Theme Park, England

Camelot Theme Park is an abandoned amusement park in Lancashire, England. The park was themed around medieval knights, dragons and the legend of Camelot. The site covers around 140 acres (0.22 square miles). The park catered primarily to families with younger children. In addition, adults could enjoy several larger thrill-rides and rollercoasters.

The park opened in 1983. The theme centred around the fables of Sir Lancelot, King Arthur and the Knights and the Round Table.

For many years, you could still catch a glimpse of the remaining rollercoaster as you drove passed on the M6 motorway. Sadly, even the distant view of this rusting hulk is now but a memory.

Decline and closure of Camelot Theme Park

The park changed ownership several times over the years. The popularity of the park began to decline in the mid-2000s, with declining visitor numbers. However, it still managed to struggle on until 2012. Later in the year it was announced the park would not re-open for the 2013 season. Subsequently, most of the rides and rollercoasters were sold. The Whirlwind went to Skyline Park in Germany. One of the Dragon Flyer cars went to Pleasureland in Southport. Other rides purchased by Southport include Excaliber 2 and The Galleon, as well as and several other smaller rides.

The Rollercoasters

The main attractions for adults/teenagers were the rollercoasters. These included:

• Caterpillar Capers (“wacky worm” children’s ride, featuring a worm and a large apple).
  • Opened 1991, relocated to Gulliver’s Kingdom in 2013.
• Dragon Flyer (diesel-powered rollercoaster that encircles part of the park).
  • Opened 1987, track remains at the park. One car is in Southport Pleasureland, the other in Algeria.
• Junior Dragon Coaster (children’s rollercoaster).
  • Opened in 1992, now in Oakwood Theme Park in Wales.
• Knightmare
  • Opened 2007, demolished 2010. Built on the site of former “Tower of Terror” rollercoaster
• Whirlwind
  • Opened in 2003, now resides in Skyline Park in Germany.

The Knightmare rollercoaster was built in 1987. Originally residing far away in a Japanese theme park. When this park closed in 2005, Camelot acquired and shipped the ride to Lancashire. The building costs were around £3m. The ride was once one of the most intense in the UK, owing to the numerous tight turns, multiple helix twists and the huge vertical bend where riders would experience 5G of acceleration.

The Dragon Flyer was a powered coaster. Each car had a diesel engine which pulled the car along the track. A driver sat at the front and operated the ride manually, the engine driving tyres underneath the carriage. Most powered coasters rely on electric motors. The Dragon Flyer is one of only two known combustion engine powered rollercoasters, making this a humble rarity. The dragon-themed car travelled around an oval-shaped track. The track encircling the perimeter of the Knights Valley area of the park.

Recent events at Camelot Theme Park (2020)

January 2020 – Knightmare rollercoaster demolition, planning application rejection

There have been some change in recent years. The Knightmare rollercoaster was demolished in January 2020.

Over recent years, various planning permission applications to build houses on the site of Camelot Theme Park have been rejected by Chorley council. These plans were originally filed in 2014, for 420 houses. The local community fought back, filing 261 public objections. Residents cited that the location is within a Green Belt, making new housing development prohibited.

December 2020 – Final Demolition of the theme park begins

Finally, the widespread demolition phase of Camelot Theme Park began in December 2020. As the bulldozers level the site, almost all the remaining buildings of this abandoned theme park disappeared.

Camelot Rises: Immersive Zombie Drive Thru & Cinema 2022

In 2022, the site of Camelot Theme Park begane to be used as a drive through immersive zombie attraction as well as a drive-in cinema.

Nostalgia from my childhood

Camelot Theme Park has some rather nostalgic triggers for me. I have always been a big theme park lover, ever since primary school days. I remember vividly visiting here regularly, likely driving my parents/friends insane and nauseous with my insatiable desire to go on the Tower of Terror rollercoaster. Knightmare, newer rollercoaster, eventually replaced this rollercoaster. The replacement must have happened after I “outgrew” this theme park. Therefore, I never got to ride the Knightmare myself (regrettably).

Camelot is somewhat infamous amongst the UK exploring scene; like it or loathe it (I suspect many of you are of the latter persuasion 😉 ). Many aspiring photographers hop the fence for the first time here, in search of adventure and this “exciting” urban exploration lifestyle. There is something alluring about an abandoned theme park, it seems. True to the great tradition of “popping your urbex cherry” in this derpiest of all theme parks, Camelot was my first urbex location in the latter half of 2015.

It was quite sad to see the theme park stripped of almost all the rides, and covered with graffiti. We spent several hours wandering the park, and even managed some sunset shots before departing.