There’s just something about going to the fair that transports me straight back to my childhood. The sweet smell of candyfloss wafting through the air, or freshly made donuts making your mouth water, and of course the thrill of the fairground rides that make your tummy flip and have you grinning from ear to ear…or wanting to throw up!! Well a trip to Hollycombe Steam In The Country gives you all of this and more. It’s a traditional steam fair with original rides that are many years old, however that still provide a great deal of enjoyment even today. This place gives you a wonderful sense of nostalgia as soon as you step outside, with the old fashioned music playing constantly in the background, and the thick smell of steam filling the air, with the sound of the steam train chugging along as it makes it’s way around the tracks, it’s all instantly exciting.

Our first ride was the carousel, I mean who doesn’t love a carousel?! With beautifully painted horses that glide gracefully up and down while whizzing you round and round with the wind running through your hair…totally like a scene from Mary Poppins!

It was brilliant, and certainly started our day off well. From here we hopped from ride to ride, fully immersing ourselves in the wonder of the fairground, from the famous big wheel in all its glory,

to the haunted cottage with its areas of darkness and uneven floors.

Each ride provided a different experience and was a welcomed change from the usual ‘big thrill’ rides you get at the likes of Thorpe Park or Alton Towers, although this is not to say that Hollycombe cant provide you with it’s very own white knuckle ride. The ‘Razzle Dazzle’ is a ride, which in my opinion everyone should go on at least once (that is, if you actually like fast rides) just to experience the intensity of an old fashioned white knuckle, which involves a LOT of spinning, tilting and slipping and sliding all over the place…seriously, safety obviously didn’t seem to be top priority back then, and I can honestly say it is the most sick I’ve ever felt coming off of a ride, but then again, maybe this is how they measured how thrilling a ride was, and in turn received its ‘white knuckle’ status. Anyway, once was definitely enough… however this didn’t stop me being dragged on another 2 times by the kids!! Oh, and if you’re thinking it gets better the more you ride…it doesn’t!! But still, give it a go!

This was the perfect time to take a break. We’d packed a picnic and there are plenty of benches to sit at for lunch, there is also food available to purchase.

After this we took a ride on the steam train, which was just lovely. We went down the tracks and stopped at South Downs view where we took in the breathtaking scenery before making our way back again, where of course we just had to experience even more rides. There are lots of child friendly rides to explore, and the whole place provides hours of entertainment for the whole family.

We highly recommend Hollycombe Steam In The Country for a good old fashioned family day out at a traditional fair, where you yourself can feel like extras in the fairground scenes of films like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or Pollyanna!

We advise you plan ahead as Hollycombe is only open certain times of the year, and its also worth noting down the different events throughout the year which we’re sure are well worth a visit.

We hope you enjoy your visit, let us know your thoughts….especially if you ride the Razzle Dazzle!

“Roll on up see the main attraction, Get your money ready to step inside, Line up here for the roller coaster, Keep your arms in And we’ll take a ride” ~ David Essex ‘All The Fun Of The Fair’

Much Love,

2 Birds 1 Love

Xxx