Overlooking the cliffs on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight, Blackgang Chine is famous for the frequent landslides and erosion which mean the park's excentic attractions regularly have to be moved inland or they are lost to the sea.
| Opened | circa May 1843 |
|---|---|
| Season | March to November |
| Website | blackgangchine.com |
| Nearby | Paultons Park (27 miles) Thorpe Park (66 miles) Legoland Windsor (67 miles) Chessington World of Adventures (68 miles) Hyde Park Winter Wonderland (81 miles) |
The Fairy Castle features scenes from Sleeping Beauty
Blackgang Chine sits on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, and is famous for the regular landslides which cause the park to be shifted further inland as it is gradually lost to the sea.
The coastal erosion has been part of the park's attraction since its earliest days as a Victorian holiday resort with pathways and gardens laid out across the steep cliffs down to the beach. The original "chine" was lost many years ago, but the park remains - now aimed at young families with its quirky mix of the most eccentric of British entertainment.
One of Blackgang Chine's earliest attractions was the skeleton of a full sized whale which was washed up near The Needles on the western tip of the Island in 1842. The whale can still be seen at the park today.
Other attractions include Nurseryland, featuring scenes from famous fairy tales and nursery rhymes; Restricted Area 5, a themed trail past animatronic dinosaurs; and the Mouth of Hell, a giant sized mouth that visitors can walk inside. Cliffhanger is Blackgang Chine's rollercoaster, which is perched high up on the cliff at the top of the park.
Blackgang Chine is one of those visitor attractions that you describe as "quintessentially English", and the kind of place that gives a warm feeling inside as you tour the weird and wacky experiences on offer. Elsewhere, some of the exhibits might look very out of place and unsuitable for a modern tourist destination, but somehow they seem to fit right in with the nature of the park.
Land featuring recreations of scenes from famous nursery rhymes and fairy stories
One of the park's earliest attractions, including 10 mirrors from Paris added in 1933
Exhibition about the coastline surrounding Blackgang Chine, and featuring the famous 1842 whale skeleton
Walkthrough house with wonky scenes and crooked floors
Nautical themed playground with a large pirate ship to climb aboard
A giant mouth that visitors can walk inside
Animatronic dinosaur walkthrough
A pet shop inhabited by animatronic singing animals
A spooky haunted house full of creepy ghosts, goblins and wizards
Wild West town area
Fairy village set in the woods
