Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, a thrilling new adventure, opened at Paultons Park on Saturday (May 16).

Enthusiastic guests flocked to the Hampshire theme park to be the first to take a step into the attraction’s largest investment to date and also see the introduction of the park’s first inverting rollercoaster, Drakon.

The western side of the park has been transformed to create the new Viking-themed land which is aimed at families with older children and teenagers, complementing the park’s other attractions including the popular Peppa Pig World.

Valgard also features Vild Swing, a UK-first ride that swirls riders 12 metres in the air; Raven, which has seen the former Cobra roller coaster rethemed into a thrilling bobsled adventure; and the opening of a themed Feasting Hall restaurant, complete with a life-size Viking longship dining experience.

Marketing and technology director Lawrence Mancey said: “It is a massive moment to have a roller coaster at Paultons that goes upside down not just once, but twice – it is really cool.

“Obviously when you open something new you want more people to come and experience the park, but we have got lots of loyal fans that come every year to Paultons and we want to give them something new to enjoy.

“But we are not just for kids, we have got big roller coasters here, one that goes upside down – there is something for everyone here at Paultons for the whole family.”

And, the opening of Valgard is not the end of the ongoing investment at Paultons Park with Mr Mancey confirming that works ongoing for another new large ride.

“There’s more to come” he teased, with a water-based attraction set open next year which he said “is going to be a very, very cool ride”.

He added: “Valgard will be growing in 2027 with the installation and opening of the UK’s first water coaster – a hybrid attraction of a rollercoaster and a water ride where you go around a rollercoaster in a ‘boat’ and have a huge splash down at the end.

“It will be the first time this ride will be in the UK and we can’t wait to bring that to Paultons next year.”