Anybody who knows me personally tell you I'm a obsessed with Blackgang Chine! This post is everything you need to know to have a brilliant visit to the best place on the planet!!
Blackgang Chine is located on the south-western point of the Isle of Wight and offers specualtor views of the coast line of the back of the wight and on to the dorest coast! The name Blackgang comes from the colour of the grey clay which makes up the material of the cliffs. But the victorians came up with the vision the name came from the activities of the local smugglers. A chine is a chasm or a gorge that has been formed from the erosion caused by the wind and water.
Getting to Blackgang
Getting to Blackgang is easy. If you drive, the park is located on the A3055, which is the coastal road from Ryde to Totland. This runs through the main coastal areas of Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor and Freshwater.
If you use public transport, Southern Vectis runs the route 6 bus which leaves Newport 8.55am and then every 2 hours. The first bus leaves Ventnor at 10.05, then every 2 hours after.
There is also the Island Coaster service which is a coastal service which starts at Ryde and then travels through Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor before arriving at Blackgang. It carries onto Freshwater and then The Needles. It then returns to Blackgang later in the afternoon. This bus is not as frequent and can have 1 round-trip a day, or more depending on the season, so its best to check the Southern Vectis website for the frequency of this service.
Blackgang History!
Before the opening of the park in 1843, Blackgang was a small village, made up of a few houses. During the early 1800's the village grew slowly with the opening of a hotel and a spring drawing visitors. In 1836, Alexander Dabell visited the area after a shipwrecked brought the national spotlight onto the area. Alexander then discovered the business opportunity in the area. He got the lease according to the distance he could throw a stone. After he started work on putting in gardens and steps down to the beach. In 1843, Blackgang Chine opened to the public! In 1844, a whale was seen floating off the Needles. Alexander had the idea to buy the whale, sell of the everything except the skeleton. He put the skeleton on display with a gift shop underneath it. The skeleton is still part of the park to the this day, located in St Catherines Quay! For the rest of the century, the park grow with the inclusion of a shipwreck collection and improved gardens.
The first new attraction was the Funny Mirrrors. These where located in a lttle building close to the entrance. After a short period being in storage, they mirrrors moved from the entrance to their current location at St catherines Quay. St Catherine's Quay opened in 1984, showing the original whale and engine room. There was also a display showing the past and present Isle of Wight ferries. In 1994 a exhibit showing the effect erosion has had on the park.
In 1934, some of Blackgang's most famous residents arrived, the gnomes, located in newly created gardens at the top of the chine gorge.
In 1953 the chine saw the addition of a model village to rival the one at Godshill. The collection included Osborne House, Ryde Pier Head, Cowes and Carisbrooke Castle.
1954 saw the first attraction based on the area's smuggling past, The Smugglers Cave. This was a animotronic attraction, showing the history of the famous Clarendon shipwreck in 1936. The attraction was moved due to erosion in 1985 and closed at the end of the 2016 season.
In 1963 the maze was planted. It originally had over 5000 bushes planted. It is now one of the last original attractions and is close to the ever moving cliff edge. Next to the maze was a Water Garden area, which had fountains and ponds with fish in. This area was particularly amazing during the illuminations season! The water gardens sadly started crumbling in the late 2010's and have been filled in for safety.
In 1967, Dick Dabell and his family took a trip to Disney in the US. He realised families would want more attractions in the future to keep them visiting. On his return the chine saw major attractions and themed lands open almost every season. In 1968 The Crooked House opened with the themed wacky rooms inside. The attraction moved in the 1980s due to the erosion and recieved a re-theme in 2022.
One of Blackgang's most famous lands opened in 1972, Dinosaur Land. The land was made famous for being on Blue Peter, who followed their construction and transportation to the island, and their helicopter lift to their final location in the park. One of the most recognisable parts was the caveman family in their Cave. In 2014 the land had a major refit with new large animotronic dinosaurs all set in a new land called Restricted Area 5. You come face-to-face with a T-Rex who makes the entire platform shake as he roars. In 2015 a new family of triceratops arrived in the ar
NurseyLand opened in 1974, with life size models of Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffit and The House that Jack Built. The land is one of the few remaining parts of the original chine left, but the cliff is slowly getting closer.
There was also in 1974 the addition of Jonah's Whale. A giant walk-through whale, that originally contained a aquairum and squirted water at guests. Because of the erosion in the area, it was relocated next to the St Catherines Quay.
1976 saw the creation of Frontier Land! Home to a canteen, native Indian camp and a train. Pinewood Studios helped design the area to make it seem authentic. In 1994 due to a major landslip, the entire land was moved to its current location above Five Rooms House. 2015 saw a major refurbishment of the land to include a stage for live shows.
In 1989 one of Blackgang's most famous residents arrived, the Weather Wizard. It was a walk-through attractions, throught the different seasons until you meet the wizard. The attraction was mergered into the new Fantasyland in 1991 with the introduction of the Dragon and Liquorice Allsorts House.
The Weather Wizard and Fantasyland left the chine in 2017, being replaced by Underwater Kingdom. Here you could dive under water and meet Giuseppe the Crab and help him find his missing children. The end of the the land is dominated by a giant whale you walk under
In 1993 Five Rocks House was converted into Rumpus Mansion, a walkthrough mansion thats been taken over by goblins and other mythical creatures. The attraction is also home to Rumpus Mansion Live during Halloween. Live actors add a little bit more madness to the attraction!
In 1994 the park became home to the Triassic Club! Darwin the Allosaurus welcomed visitors into his home. Visitors got weighted before entering. Instead of numbers the scales had Snack, Main, Dessert! You then walked into his main room and greeted by him singing for his supper. This attraction was sadly removed in 2016, replaced with the Mouth of Hell. The Mouth of Hell is a giant face you walk in with images of the devil. This attraction had been located in the original dinosaur land until Restricted Area 5 was installed.
You can now see Darwin and friends during the Jurassic Events during the summer holidays!
In 1992, The Musical Pet Shop was added to the park. Home to a bunch of singing animals, with a very catchy song! The area around pet shop has become known a Pirate Cove since 2012. Home to 2 walk-on pirate ships and play equipment, There is also The Vortex, a spinning tunnel thats sure to make you dizzy.
In 2013, the park became home to a bunch of Dodos in Dodo Valley. With a pirate dodo, karoke dodos, fishing dodos and many more.There is even a birthday cake to celebrate the parks anniversary's with a surprise inside. The park also has 2 roaming dodos, who make apperances during the parks events!
2011 saw the addition of Fairy Land. A walk-through castle with scenes from Sleeping Beauty inside it. From the castle battlements, you can look down on the fairy village at the bottom of the castle. This is the new location for the castle as it has been moved several times because of erosion.
From 1998 the chine started adding rides to entertain visitors. The first was The Water Force, the only water slide on the island. There is 3 slides, 2 open slides and a enclosed slide! Perfect opportunity to race friends.
In 2005, the Cliffhanger rollercoaster was added to the park. Located on the cliff edge, the ride gave visitiors amazing views of the coastline, for a few seconds before a mega drop! The coaster left the park at the end of the 2022 seasons, with the location now home to a dinsoaurs meet-and -greet
Located next to Cliffhanger a tea-cup style ride opened. Themed to barrels to fit in with the chines smuggling theme!
In 2022, 2 new rides joined the park's lineup. Shipwrecked is a magic-carpet style of ride that gives riders views all over the park. Evolution is a drop-tower. Located on the cliff-edge, riders can either take in the views of the park or the cliff edge, before dropping down suddenly!
In 2023, the park had one of its biggest new attractions added. Extinction is a swing ride that sends riders over on a 120 or 360 degree spin, with views across the entire back of wight if you have you eyes open
New for 2024 is the The Jolly Robin. A Swing Ship ride which is themed to a ghost ship that has been sunk by a giant whale. You enter the ride queue through the mouth of a whale and through a brilliantly themed priate area!
(image credit: Vectis Venture)
Another new attraction for 2024 is the Blackgang Beach. A giant water pillow themed to a beach in the former Cliffh
Landslides
Because of the parks location and the geogoloy of the ground, the park has been affected by landslides for its entire history. Even before the park was created, erosion was taking its toll on the village of Blackgang with a farmhouse called Pittlands being destroyed in 1792.! The park and village have had major landslips in 1861, 1928, 1961 and 1994. In 1994 over a third of the park had to be relocated due to the size of the landslip.
All that is left of the original village of Blackgang is a few bungalows and the theme park. Underwater Kingdom is located on part of a stretch of road that ran along the base of Gore Cliff all the way to the current Undercliff Drive.
Events!
Blackgang is famous for its year-round events! The year starts off with events at Easter, normally chocolate themed. The May half-term has the Cowboys vs Dinosaurs events. The summer has its famous Land of Imagination events. Every day of the week is a different event themed to one of the parks characters, like Walk the Plank Wednesday and Triassic Thurdays.
On Wednesdays during August the park is Summer Festival with foam parties and the sky over the park alight with fireworks.
Throughout the summer season, the park hosts Summer Sessions. Adult-Only parties with world famous DJs performing in Pirate Cove.
Halloween the park is taken over by spooky events, with Fiesta of the Dead
Top Tips when visiting!
(image credit: Vectis Ventures)
The first tip is to book online! This saves time queuing up and saves money as during the peak, the online price can be £5 cheaper than purchasing on the day.
The second tip is to turn left as you enter the park. Most people turn right to the rides but if you turn left you can have walk-through attractions to yourself. Then when you have done the left hand side of the park, most people are walking to that part of the park
The third tip is to look out parts of Blackgang's past. If you stand at the entrance to Giant Bug Walk and look at the bottom of the cliff you can make out some of the old buildings of the original cowboy town! Around NurseryLand you can see parts of the old adventureland buildings, still hanging on the edge of the cliff!
Current Attractions!
Here is a list of the current attractions at the park:
Restricted Area 5
Giant Bug Walk
Crooked House
Dodo Valley
Musical Pet Shop
Pirate Cove
Vortex
Underwater Kingdom
Rumpus Mansion
Mouth of Hell
Cowboy Town
Snakes and Ladders
Fairyland
Maze
Evolution
Extinction
Nurseryland
Barrels
Shipwrecked
Hall of Mirrors
St Catherines Quay
Water Force
Outside the park
If you have time before or after your visit to the park, I recommend stopping at the view point above the chine. Here you can have amazing views along the coast while looking down on the chine. A short walk above the view point is St Catherine's Oratory. Originally a lighthouse for the coast but because of its location it was constantly covered in fog. The modern one was built at St Catherine's Point
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