There are two types of people in this world, the ones who hate heights and squeeze their eyes shut at the top of a rollercoaster (if they’ve got the guts to go on at all), and the ones who thrive on that feeling when they’re right at the peak, about to drop. No matter how weird you think the latter category is, you can’t deny that some people really love the rush.
We figured that building a sky-high structure fit to scare even the bravest of souls deserved a moment of recognition. So, if gargantuan coasters make you go weak at the knees, this list of the UK’s highest rides will probably give you full-on butterflies. You’ve been warned.
The Big One peaks at 64.9 meters so, as you can imagine, the rush of whooshing down the height of (approximately, we haven’t checked ourselves) 618 coke cans is really something. We’re guessing it’s the kind of rush your dad gets on holiday when he successfully “reserves” (read: chucks a towel onto) the best sun beds around the pool at the crack of dawn. Really thrilling stuff. Get your Blackpool Pleasure Beach tickets here!
P.S This one really is the tallest rollercoaster in the UK.
At an impressive 62.5m tall, Stealth sticks out of the Thorpe Park skyline like a gangly teenager in a crowd of shrunken pensioners. Not only does this ride stretch high in the sky, but it also packs a punch with brake horsepower of two F1 cars. We’d highly recommend leaving lunch til later, unless you fancy seeing it again pretty quickly.
Built by Dutch masters Vekoma, Odyssey at Fantasy Island in Skegness is the firm’s tallest version of their signature Suspended Looping Coaster design. Which (to you and me) means it takes you up to 50.9m in the sky before spinning you round so many times you’ll feel like you’ve been slapped round the chops by Tyson Fury then thrown into a washing machine on super spin. Sounds inviting. If you've got the bottle to ride this one, consider us impressed. It's definitely one of the more thrilling tallest rollercoasters in the UK.
Also at Fantasy Island, Millenium sounds kind of quaint these days. The experience is anything but. With a maximum height of 45.7m, this coaster reaches 55.9mph and its 2736m length includes 2 vertical loops and a sidewinder. Ride this hungover and you’ll turn green. Trust us. Been there. Done that. Had to throw away the t-shirt.
What’s the buzz about Swarm? As well as being a lofty 38.7m high at its peak, this is Britain’s only winged rollercoaster and whisks you away from attacking aliens as you crash through billboards, abandoned helicopter blades and blazing fire engines. Which is all very Hollywood if you ask us.
Does what is says on the tin, this one. A shockwave of pure motion sickness, if you’re not careful. The ride reaches heights of 36.6m, whilst also pushing you at 53mph with your body bouncing through 4g of pressure round corkscrews and bends galore. Let’s see how you feel after all of that (bet you a tenner you can’t walk).
Looking for a Suspended Looping Coaster in North Yorkshire? You old devil, you! Flamingo Land’s Kumali maxes out at a respectable 35.9m height, hits 56mph top speed and has four inversions where you’ll feel 4.7g force and a 55-foot Zero G roll. Though it may not be the tallest rollercoaster in the UK, you’ve earned humblebragging rights in the family group chat after riding this monstrosity.
At Days Out, you can book the UK’s best attractions (y’know the proper FOMO inducing ones?) -- we know where’s perfect for you. Find your next adventure.
