The closest thing to a decently dangerous ride in my neck of the woods is a contraption in a park near Bingley – centre on this pic. You basically sit two similar sized children on seats attached to ropes from the end of the horizontal beam, then twist the ropes by walking in one direction. When you let go, depending on how many twists you’ve put in it, one kid goes about 25ft in the air screaming, while the other one is propelled into the centre pole. Awesome.

There’s a fantastic park near Chester called Crocky Trail.
Plenty of death-traps – mostly made from farming machinery and supplies.
Get in now before it gets closed down!
http://www.crockytrail.co.uk

It was quiet when we went (only us there) so I got to go on everything too. didn’t dare go down the biggest (slightly over-vertical) slide though.

Ace place.

Did none of you make your own swings?

We had one which had a very long rope hanging from a huge Elm. The arc of the swing was enormous. You had to climb upon a six foot stone wall, leap onto the dangling section of the rope which was so heavy it threatened to pull you off the wall. It swung fairly high on the other side but to add to the thrill, it was over a twenty foot parapet.

No parental supervision, no health and safety. I don’t remember anyone falling off it either.

Used to play on swings that big back when I was a little ‘un!!! No rubber mat poncyness underneath them, just solid dirt – bang in the summer, splat in the winter 😆

The seats were removed in ’85, replaced in ’91 with crappy short ones and rubber mats. Re-replaced in ’98 with stupidly short ones and more rubber matting. I can stand on the floor and grab the bar easily. I’m 5″5′.

We had one which had a very long rope hanging from a huge Elm.

Is that where your innate hatred of trees comes from mcmoonter? 😀

My Mum used to play there during WW2, She was always telling me of how high she could get those swings.

I was just going to mention the Crocky Trail. It’s truly awesome. I’ve never come back from there without a minor injury.

It’s not likley to get closed down AlexSimon, they’ve got insurance and everything now! (didn’t used to when it was free, just some signs telling you there’s no point in suing)

Proper playgrounds.
I am starting a action research project looking at play for teenagers in schools: pump tracks, BIG aparatus, boulders and caves, loose materials etc .
Should be good fun.

These spinning see-saw things are pretty good in the 21st century damage stakes – plenty of opportunity to get flipped if you’re boarding, flung if you’re riding or battered if you’re pushing – Probably due for a government banning. Still not quite up to standards of the OP though.

Theres one in sheffield where we invented the can game.

step 1, drink a crate
step 2. arange empties in a circle round the perimiter
step 3, collect them up whilst onlookers keep the speed on the silly side of mental
step 4, if loosing there was always the option of bailing out and risking broken limbs on the worryingly close fence. but then your opponent would hit the ground with an even bigger thud as the tyre dug in !

the farmer that owns the crocky trail is a bit of a local legend, when it first started it was very light on safety…

tthew – Member

It’s not likley to get closed down AlexSimon, they’ve got insurance and everything now! (didn’t used to when it was free, just some signs telling you there’s no point in suing)
Good to know! We went mid-term-mid-week and were the only ones there. The guy followed us around to start the motors, then got on with repairs/painting while we were out on the trail.

marcus7 – Member

the farmer that owns the crocky trail is a bit of a local legend, when it first started it was very light on safety…
I found it really refreshing!
A bit like some of the things we found (and appreciated) in New Zealand

We built loads of ‘Tarzers’ the best being in High House woods which was on a high branch you had to climb a steep hill with it to get on and swung out on a huge arc. You also climd the tree then with the rope the drop onto to it for greater effect. We fell off loads but as it was over a swamp which we cleared of branches and rubble before building it you just went splat.

We went to Bedgebury Forest over the summer.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury

The adventure play areas were very good for my kids (3 and 5) as there was just the right balance of safety and thrill. Well worth a look if you are in that part of the world.

Great stuff from the past and Crocky Trail looks amazing.

Wicksteed went on to manufacture all that stuff – still do.

Some of the 60’s kit I grew up using was pretty lethal.

Witches Hat certainly claimed a few broken bones but the daddy of them all was this supersized swing thing with an A frame at either end. It could take c 10 kids – 2 x big lads working it up to speed at either end and 8 terrified ‘passengers’ on cast iron bum shaped seats in the middle. Only a wee bar to hold on to. Everyone used to fly off the seats when this thing hit the stops at either end. Once you were on there was no getting off til the pair at either end got bored. Great fun…

Saw this thread and had to set myself off googling pictures of them Really Tall Slides you used to get and came across this sadly closed place in the States.
http://www.domainofdeath3.com/actionpark/