Swarm island

Swarm Island is Thorpe Park's dedicated thrill zone, and it's absolutely the part of the park where adrenaline junkies should camp out for the day. You're looking at five intense coasters packed into one island - Fastrack, Detonator, Storm Chaser, Vortex, and the big one, Swarm itself, which was the world's first winged roller coaster when it opened. The experience of riding these things, especially Swarm with your legs dangling either side of the track, is genuinely disorientating in the best way.

Who's this for? Adults and teenagers after serious thrills, without question. If your kids are still at the stage where log flumes feel extreme, give this a miss - you'll spend more time queuing than actually riding. Families with younger children would be better off exploring other zones at Thorpe Park.

You're looking at full-day admission to Thorpe Park to access Swarm Island. Best strategy is to arrive early and head straight here before queues build up midday. Summer holidays are rammed, so spring or autumn half-terms are more bearable.

For park-based holidays, you're close to Chertsey - several caravan sites sit within a couple of miles, including Chertsey Caravan Park and the Camping and Caravanning Club Site. It's a convenient base for multiple days at Thorpe Park without the hotel prices. The sheer intensity of Swarm Island means you'll probably want to pace yourself across two visits rather than cramming everything in one marathon session.