Flambards. Gone. ☹

A sad day. A regular attraction on our holidays in Cornwall. We went as a family in 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2021. I first went as a child in 1985 when it was an aviation museum.

The kids loved it when they were younger as it was a manageable size, and they could go “free range”. Not sure that we’d ever have gone again as they are too old now.

It was starting to look a bit knackered in 2021.

Feel sorry for the staff. :-/

I used to love that as a kid!

Though it took second place to Dobwalls Adventure Park I’m afraid.

Yeah, it’s a loss for sure. We regularly holiday in Helston and could walk to Flambards – perfect size for my mini-a11ys. Like you say, it was looking a bit knackered when we were there in summer 2023 and them selling off their major rides (Thunderbolt, Hornet etc) can’t have helped.

Bugger.

EDIT – also gutted I won’t get another try at the KOM for the Cyclocopters: https://www.strava.com/segments/5028037

I’ve never been to Flambards, but I was equally sad when the American Adventure themepark in Derbyshire closed. The Wikipedia page about that place is an interesting read:

The American Adventure Theme Park – Wikipedia

I loved those tyre bumper boats they had.

@a11y

you wanna get yourself to Eftelling in the Netherlands, and have a go on the Trains there..https://www.strava.com/segments/5080812?oq=Efteling

The KOM at present is, quite frankly, ridiculous!!

DrP

but I was equally sad when the American Adventure themepark in Derbyshire closed

Just up the road from us, the Wikipedia page for it’s predecessor Britain’s Park used to be enlightening.

It’s housing now. Rumour has it that a former open cast pit with underlying deep mine workings may not be a great foundation,  as it were.

Not been to Cornwall in about a decade but it’s always felt like my second home. Been going there since a kid.

Didn’t go to Flambards as a boy but took my lad there a lot.

Sad news.

Gutted, many happy memories as a kid. Also see Merlins Magic land

Merlin’s Magic Land?

Was the one near St Ives that used to plonk some poor sod dressed as a wizard with a sign on the roundabout near Lelant?

@DrP good shout, Efteling’s already on our list for next Alps hol. Mrs a11y went there a few times as a kid with her parents and wants to relive her youth!

I love that place – have headed there with the kids every Feb half term for the past few years as it’s cheap, and the locals aren’t on school hols!
Also, it’s a lovely drive there!

Heading there next year too!

DrP

Not been back since I worked their for a season in 2000, horrid place to work.

The Last Labrynth at Lands End is what I miss.

Cornwall has also lost Dairyland this year.

These places simply don’t have the money to keep things up to date & invest.

Guess it’s all the long term Covid effect on such attractions.

Never mind Cornwall, I still miss Battersea Fun Fair, and that shut in ‘72.

We always went using Tesco Clubcard points, which are now not as generous as they used to be.

Have the days of people actually paying real money to go to good fun, but slightly naff, days out gone?

No idea what the cash ticket price for a family of four was, but I’m not sure I’d want to pay full whack to go in there.

Have the days of people actually paying real money to go to good fun, but slightly naff, days out gone?

No, but it’s called Disneyland Paris now.

In my minds eye, the banner that was towed by the planes that toured the cornish beaches in the early nineties, will have changed from,

Ferdy’s gone to Flambards

To

Ferdy’s gone too (Flambards)

I would guess Cornwall attracts a more high falutin kind of tourist now.

Merlin’s Magic Land?

Was the one near St Ives that used to plonk some poor sod dressed as a wizard with a sign on the roundabout near Lelant?

I worked there during the summer of my GCSE year, 1990.

I wasn’t the wizard though.

I used to love/hate that high wooden wall you used to dtop down from? I’m guessing you all remember that?

Coming down from the highest level never failed to unerve me, no matter how many times I did it.

I seen to remember someone got injured there a few years back and it had to be shut?

Yep. Melted the arse out of a pair of Hummvees on one of them at The Big Sheep.

Harry_the_Spider
Full Member
Yep. Melted the arse out of a pair of Hummvees on one of them at The Big Sheep.

I would have been wearing exactly the same shorts. Lol I live in Hummvees during the Summer months and they were great for camping down in Cornwall.

Leaping about with a scorched arse!

Despite going to Cornwall at least once a year since forever, never been to Flambards.

Hidden gems if anyone has little kids in that kinda area – Lappa Valley near Newquay is ace (especially for train mad kids/dads!). Park in the middle of nowhere and get a little train down the valley (think its an old proper track bed) to basically a park with even more trains, boats, crazy golf, swings/slides etc – its awesome. Then get the train back. Also, Hidden Valley near Launceston was surprisingly good. Little theme park type thing but there were activities to do like some kind of treasure trail with clues and stuff, plus minature railway, climbing frames and stuff.

I used to love/hate that high wooden wall you used to dtop down from? I’m guessing you all remember that?

The drop tower! The enemy of any exposed skin… it was such a basic idea but superb!

Is that the Flambards one?