County Durham theme park named one of the best quirky…

County Durham theme park named one of the best quirky theme parks in the UK

Though the summer holidays are a great opportunity for families to spend time together, it can be tricky to find something that still captures the imagination a few weeks in.

However, there are hundreds of quirky attractions across the North East, from a museum dedicated to bagpipes, a giant spoon standing in a field, and possibly the smallest museum in the UK. And there's also a very unusual theme park - one of the quirkiest in the UK no less, according to The Times.

Diggerland in Langley Park, County Durham, opened in 2001 and has more than 20 different attractions and 100 machines which are all themed around construction. Rides include the Spindizzy, Mini-Tractors, Groundshuttle, and there are also Go-Karts and dodgems.

And for those who aren't afraid of heights, they can even enjoy the spectacular surrounding views from 50 feet up on the Skyshuttle. The Durham site was the second in the country to open, after Diggerland's first park opened in Kent in 2000.

It has since been followed by two more in Devon and Yorkshire. But it's the Durham one that The Times liked best, it seems.

The Ground Shuttle at Diggerland (Handout - Diggerland)

Of Diggerland, The Times wrote: "If you’ve ever been tempted to climb aboard a 5,000kg excavator and chuck mud around to your heart’s desire, Diggerland may be the place for you. It’s basically a construction site set up for a day of family fun.

"As with their three other sites scattered across the UK, this edition just outside Durham invites visitors to test their skills on machinery of all sizes, including smaller kids’ options. Those who tire of digging holes can clamber aboard transformed-tractors to be launched skyward, spun, swung and shuttled to and fro until it’s time for tea."

Visitors to Diggerland can have a go at riding construction equipment (Handout - Diggerland)

A spokesperson for Diggerland said: "We absolutely love the fact that Diggerland has been named one of the top quirky theme parks in the UK by the Times. What an honour.

"No theme park or visitor attraction wants to be the same as anything else. Our whole focus is around diggers, giving both kids and grown ups the chance to ride, drive and operate real construction machinery.

"Playrooms literally come to life at Diggerland, what could be more unique and quirky as that?! Visitors love having the opportunity to get hands on experience sitting in the cab of a digger and actually having a go at driving the machine and digging into the earth.

"We have guests visiting from far and wide, from the top of Scotland to the west of Northern Ireland. We've even had visitors travel to us from as far as Japan, as the Japanese absolutely love how different and quirky the Diggerland theme parks are."

To read the full article of the UK's best quirky theme parks, click here. For more information on Diggerland, click here.

What's your favourite quirky attraction in the North East? Let us know!

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