The UK is packed full of weird, wacky and wonderful coasters but today we’re taking a look at just 10 of the roughest roller coasters in the UK.
Despite being shaken into oblivion I still love rough coasters, they certainly spice up proceedings (and your hairstyle).
In no particular order here are our top 10 roughest UK roller coasters.
Tornado at M&D’s
This Pinfari RC70 is certainly an end of the day ride. The coaster is so rough that it could ruin your entire trip!
Opening in 1998 this 78ft coaster loops, banks and shakes ferociously through every piece of track.
Update: The coaster was torn down and sold. Removed from the park in early 2021.
The Ultimate at Lightwater Valley
The Ultimate lures you in with a relatively normal ride for the first half of its duration. After the second lift hill drop thou, however, hold on to your potatoes Dr.Jones!
What an uncomfortable experience as the fiberglass train literally drags you throughout the second half of the track.
Update: The coaster was removed from the park in 2023 after being closed for a number of years
Odyssey at Fantasy Island
Let’s be honest, any Vekoma SLC could have made this list with ease but out of all the rough rides that I had at any theme park last season Odyssey was certainly up there.
Whilst Infusion is a rough ride of the head-bashing variety Odyssey took me into full-on Slipknot concert headbanging territory. I wasn’t even concerned about the ride or where the track was taking me I was more concerned with keeping my neck on straight!
Rattlesnake at Chessington World of Adventures
This steel wild-mouse coaster opened in 1998 at the park and has been shaking people up every since.
A relatively normal ride in this particular list but on the corners and especially the end breaks is where this little mouse goes feral.
Colossus at Thorpe Park
In addition to the ridiculously short legroom, you have a rough ride to deal with too. The heart line rolls feel more like barrel rolls and the coaster is certainly showing its age. Colossus makes Saw the Ride feel like the smoothest roller coaster around!
Shockwave at Drayton Manor
The only stand-up coaster in the country and it certainly lives up to the name Shockwave.
Standing up makes the experience all the worse through every single inch of the track and the insanely sharp brakes at the end send your ribs straight out of the seat behind you.
Update: This coaster is now no longer a stand-up coaster. Sit-down trains were installed in 2024 and the coaster is now named ‘The Wave’
Looping at Pleasureland Southport
Looping could also easily take the title for the UK’s worst coaster as you’re shaken around so much that loose change fell out of my pocket.
Do you know how hard you must be shaken for loose change to fall out of your pocket?!
Update: This ride has now been removed.
Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
For a coaster that’s 85 years old, you’d expect some sort of shaky ride but funnily enough Grand National is one of the smoother rides on this list.
Don’t get me wrong it still shakes as Jack Torrance shook outside in the snow in The Shining but it’s certainly nowhere near as bad as some of the above!
Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Everything after the first drop on Big Dipper is a wobbly ride of epic proportions. It’s the beauty of riding such old, classic coasters.
Big Dipper never fails to scare me if you sit anywhere but the front row and just watch those wobbling train wheels look like shopping car wheels skittling around a supermarket store.
Corkscrew at Alton Towers
Dismantled in 2008 after 28 years at the park Corkscrew was a legendary coaster.
Towards its latter years, Corkscrew at Alton Towers became so rough that it had to be dismantled.
I was honoured to ride the coaster in its final year and it was actually the first roller coaster I ever went on and it was a rough, insane and absolutely incredible ride!
I know what you’re all thinking. Where is HERO at Flamingo Land on this list?! Well, I’ve only been on the coaster once and didn’t think it was fair to add it to my personal list because my ride experience was nowhere near as rough as any of the others above but I’ve certainly heard some horror stories!
I’m sure there are other coasters people would add to this list and if there is, please do let us know in the comments box below what you feel is your roughest UK coaster.
