Paultons Park unveils Valgard images ahead of 16 May Viking land opening

Valgard – Realm of the Vikings is the largest themed land in Paultons Park’s history, and the new images suggest a level of finish that punches well above the £12 million price tag.

Paultons Park has released new images of Valgard – Realm of the Vikings, the £12 million themed land opening to the public on 16 May. It is the Hampshire park’s largest themed world to date and the centrepiece of its continued evolution into an overnight destination.

The land is anchored by Drakon, Paultons Park’s first inverting coaster, featuring a vertical lift hill and two inversions. Alongside it sits Raven — a rebrand of the existing Cobra coaster — and Vild Swing, a new flat ride from German manufacturer ART Engineering. A themed Feasting Hall restaurant and a younger guest playground complete the offering. Deputy managing director James Mancey has confirmed the land has been “specifically designed to grow with our fans,” with a water experience already planned for 2027.

Valgard arrives as Paultons Park’s transformation accelerates. The first on-site Scandinavian-inspired resort was confirmed last year, and the Ghostly Manor dark ride opened recently in the park’s former 4D cinema building. Across a decade, a family-run park best known for Peppa Pig World has steadily built a portfolio that bigger UK operators are beginning to take seriously.

The TT Take: Paultons Park’s trajectory over the last decade has been the most quietly impressive story in UK theme parks — and Valgard is the clearest evidence yet that the ambition is matching the execution. The themeing in these images is sharper than anything Paultons has attempted before, and at a moment when Alton Towers feels stalled, a 140-acre family park in Hampshire is delivering the kind of investment that bigger operators ought to be paying attention to. This is a park to watch very closely indeed.