Tropical Cyclone at Subtropical Swimming Paradise

The Tropical Cyclone water ride at Subtropical Swimming Paradise is the sort of thing that makes sense when you're staying at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest - a proper adrenaline hit on a grey afternoon when the kids need wearing out. It's essentially a flume ride that sends you spiralling down into a funnel-like pool, the kind of attraction that gets queued for on school holidays and barely noticed on a wet Tuesday.

You'll get soaked, obviously. The whole point is the rush of the drop and that moment where you think you might actually go over the edge before the water catches you. It works best for older children and thrill-seekers rather than timid toddlers - don't expect them to enjoy it twice. Teenagers who've done proper theme parks elsewhere might find it a bit tame by comparison.

As a standalone visit from Newark, it's not worth the trip. But if you're based at Center Parcs or one of the camping sites around Sherwood Forest - Sherwood Pines gets solid reviews - it's a legitimate reason to spend a couple of hours at the water complex. The whole facility offers more than just the Cyclone, so families usually find enough to justify an afternoon there.

Timing-wise, go mid-week if you can, avoid school holidays unless crowds don't bother you. The ride itself takes minutes, but queue time is the real factor. It's the kind of stop that makes a park holiday feel properly complete rather than a standalone attraction.