Latest news with #Poppy
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I went to one of Europe's biggest theme parks with more than 40 attractions and record-breaking rollercoasters
Hurtling through darkness on rollercoasters adds an electrifying twist IN FOR A RIDE I went to one of Europe's biggest theme parks with more than 40 attractions and record-breaking rollercoasters Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH my eyes screwed tightly shut, I brace myself for the plummet. Suddenly, I'm being hurled an agonising 76 metres down a sheer drop, approaching terrifying speeds of 83mph before being thrown through a helix loop. 4 Go head over heels on the Dragon Khan ride which has eight loops Credit: Supplied 4 The park has the tallest coaster in Europe Credit: Supplied When it's all over, I can barely recall what had just happened. This is Shambhala, one of Europe's best hypercoasters, found at PortAventura World on Spain's sizzling Costa Dorada. The theme park is celebrating its 30th birthday this year but, judging from the spine-tingling ride I'd just been on, the park is far from slowing down. In fact, it is positively thirty and thriving. Boasting some of Europe's fastest and most exciting thrill rides, top-class waterpark Caribe Aquatic, Ferrari Land, and five on-site 4H and 5H hotels, this was a birthday party invite I couldn't turn down. With GCSEs done and dusted and school out for summer, teens Poppy and Charlie were raring to let their hair down. Armed with our Unlimited Express Passes (an essential extra if you want to hit every one of the park's biggest rides, among more than 40 attractions), we literally hit the ground running. And it was the best £54(ish) we could have spent. In under an hour we had been left rattled racing each other on wooden coaster Stampida, cooled off in the Grand Canyon Rapids and been blown away by multi-dimensional dark ride Uncharted and eight-loop coaster Dragon Khan. Luckily the park is not just bold, it's also beautiful, with lush landscaping across the six themed lands of Mexico, Polynesia, China, Far West, Mediterranea and SesamoAventura, where we could recover from the adrenaline rush and soaring temperatures. Martin Lewis warns about strict passport rule that could see you board your flight - only to get sent home on arrival My favourite was the Far West, where I could live out some of the Westerns I spent my childhood watching with my dad, moseying like outlaws through town and shooting targets, before picking out costumes in the Saloon Bar for a hilarious photo memento. Even the teens threw themselves into the dressing-up box, donning petticoats as saloon girls. Their adrenaline highlights were Shambhala and Red Force. After happily watching them ride the former three times in succession, they finally persuaded me to strap my creaky, menopausal bones in. I think I was actually transported out of my body and into the mythical kingdom of Shambhala for the duration of the ride. So when it came to visiting Ferrari Land, a must-see for petrolheads and F1 fans, I decided to get my kicks on terra firma by speeding round the Maranello Grand Race track in a mini toy race car, while the girls tackled the legendary Red Force alone. 4 The Red Force roller coaster Credit: Supplied 4 Have fun in Ferrari Land Credit: Supplied As the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in Europe, it did not disappoint. Carts climb 112 metres before plummeting at a 90- degree angle, with an incredible launch system that reaches 111mph. For the first time in two days, my hyper-excited giggling girls were left absolutely speechless. All this adrenaline-fuelled fun can build up quite the appetite, and thankfully — unlike many UK theme parks — the dining options are varied and excellent. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch overlooking the Mediterranean harbour at Raco de Mar — feasting on melon and parma ham, burrata, truffle cannelloni, crispy calamari and mussels served in a delicious sauce. Electrifying twist The park has plenty of quality fast food, too, if you're keen to maximise ride time, but we were more than happy to have a break from the heat and adrenaline. Another great lunch and dinner spot can be found in the Far West, at The Iron Horse restaurant. There's a special 30th Anniversary burger on the menu that completely steals the show. The excellent grub wasn't limited to the theme park either. We'd opted for half-board at the 4H Wild West-themed Gold River Hotel and took full advantage of the vast buffet breakfast each morning. Dinner was also excellent, with fresh seafood and grill options. The dining hall can get quite busy, but we managed to find a lovely, quiet spot to eat outside each night. Aside from the food, the hotel itself is a non-stop Wild West adventure from the breathtaking atrium to the surrounding cabin accommodation brilliantly disguised as a frontier town. Anyone staying at one of the theme park hotels also gets private early access to the park and tickets to the main park and Ferrari Land are included in the price of your stay. You may not need early access, though, thanks to PortAventura's extended opening hours for the anniversary, which means the park remains accessible until 11.30pm. I'd barely finished my dinner before the girls were dragging me back to hit the rides again. The park is totally transformed after dark, with each world glowing against the night sky. Hurtling through darkness on rollercoasters adds an electrifying twist. Of course, it wouldn't be a 30th birthday bash without fireworks, either. And the nightly spectacular Fiesta Aventura is guaranteed to wow, featuring a fabulous illuminated parade, a spectacular drone display and fireworks extravaganza. It was the perfect end to one hell of a wild ride.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I went to one of Europe's biggest theme parks with more than 40 attractions and record-breaking rollercoasters
WITH my eyes screwed tightly shut, I brace myself for the plummet. Suddenly, I'm being hurled an agonising 76 metres down a sheer drop, approaching terrifying speeds of 83mph before being thrown through a helix loop. 4 Go head over heels on the Dragon Khan ride which has eight loops Credit: Supplied 4 The park has the tallest coaster in Europe Credit: Supplied When it's all over, I can barely recall what had just happened. The theme park is celebrating its 30th birthday this year but, judging from the spine-tingling ride I'd just been on, the park is far from slowing down. In fact, it is positively thirty and thriving. Read More on Travel Boasting some of Europe's fastest and most exciting thrill rides, top-class waterpark Caribe Aquatic, Ferrari Land, and five on-site 4H and 5H hotels, this was a birthday party invite I couldn't turn down. With GCSEs done and dusted and school out for summer, teens Poppy and Charlie were raring to let their hair down. Armed with our Unlimited Express Passes (an essential extra if you want to hit every one of the park's biggest rides, among more than 40 attractions), we literally hit the ground running. And it was the best £54(ish) we could have spent. Most read in News Travel In under an hour we had been left rattled racing each other on wooden coaster Stampida, cooled off in the Grand Canyon Rapids and been blown away by multi-dimensional dark ride Uncharted and eight-loop coaster Dragon Khan. Luckily the park is not just bold, it's also beautiful, with lush landscaping across the six themed lands of Mexico, Polynesia, China, Far West, Mediterranea and SesamoAventura, where we could recover from the adrenaline rush and soaring temperatures. Martin Lewis warns about strict passport rule that could see you board your flight - only to get sent home on arrival My favourite was the Far West, where I could live out some of the Westerns I spent my childhood watching with my dad, moseying like outlaws through town and shooting targets, before picking out costumes in the Saloon Bar for a hilarious photo memento. Even the teens threw themselves into the dressing-up box, donning petticoats as saloon girls. Their adrenaline highlights were Shambhala and Red Force. After happily watching them ride the former three times in succession, they finally persuaded me to strap my creaky, menopausal bones in. I think I was actually transported out of my body and into the mythical kingdom of Shambhala for the duration of the ride. So when it came to visiting Ferrari Land, a must-see for petrolheads and F1 fans, I decided to get my kicks on terra firma by speeding round the Maranello Grand Race track in a mini toy race car, while the girls tackled the legendary Red Force alone. 4 The Red Force roller coaster Credit: Supplied 4 Have fun in Ferrari Land Credit: Supplied As the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in Europe, it did not disappoint. Carts climb 112 metres before plummeting at a 90- degree angle, with an incredible launch system that reaches 111mph. For the first time in two days, my hyper-excited giggling girls were left absolutely speechless. All this adrenaline-fuelled fun can build up quite the appetite, and thankfully — unlike many We enjoyed a leisurely lunch overlooking Electrifying twist The park has plenty of quality fast food, too, if you're keen to maximise ride time, but we were more than happy to have a break from the heat and adrenaline. Another great lunch and dinner spot can be found in the Far West, at The Iron Horse restaurant. There's a special 30th Anniversary burger on the menu that completely steals the show. The excellent grub wasn't limited to the theme park either. We'd opted for half-board at the 4H Wild West-themed Gold River Hotel and took full advantage of the vast buffet breakfast each morning. Dinner was also excellent, with fresh seafood and grill options. The dining hall can get quite busy, but we managed to find a lovely, quiet spot to eat outside each night. Aside from the food, the hotel itself is a non-stop Wild West adventure from the breathtaking atrium to the surrounding cabin accommodation brilliantly disguised as a frontier town. Anyone staying at one of the theme park hotels also gets private early access to the park and tickets to the main park and Ferrari Land are included in the price of your stay. You may not need early access, though, thanks to I'd barely finished my dinner before the girls were dragging me back to hit the rides again. The park is totally transformed after dark, with each world glowing against the night sky. Hurtling through darkness on rollercoasters adds an electrifying twist. Of course, it wouldn't be a 30th birthday bash without fireworks, either. And the nightly spectacular Fiesta Aventura is guaranteed to wow, featuring a fabulous illuminated parade, a spectacular drone display and fireworks extravaganza. It was the perfect end to one hell of a wild ride. GO: PORTAVENTURA WORLD GETTING THERE: Ryanair has direct flights from the UK to Barcelona Reus, a 20-minute drive, from £21.99 one way. See STAYING THERE: Four nights' half-board at the 4HHotel Gold River including unlimited entry to the park and one day's Ferrari Land access is from around £275pp, based on two people sharing. See PARK ENTRY: One-day ticket to PortAventura Park and Ferrari Land is £43.50; £38 for juniors or seniors. See
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I went to one of Europe's biggest theme parks with more than 40 attractions and record-breaking rollercoasters
WITH my eyes screwed tightly shut, I brace myself for the plummet. Suddenly, I'm being hurled an agonising 76 metres down a sheer drop, approaching terrifying speeds of 83mph before being thrown through a helix loop. 4 4 When it's all over, I can barely recall what had just happened. This is Shambhala, one of Europe's best hypercoasters, found at PortAventura World on Spain's sizzling Costa Dorada. The theme park is celebrating its 30th birthday this year but, judging from the spine-tingling ride I'd just been on, the park is far from slowing down. In fact, it is positively thirty and thriving. Boasting some of Europe's fastest and most exciting thrill rides, top-class waterpark Caribe Aquatic, Ferrari Land, and five on-site 4H and 5H hotels, this was a birthday party invite I couldn't turn down. With GCSEs done and dusted and school out for summer, teens Poppy and Charlie were raring to let their hair down. Armed with our Unlimited Express Passes (an essential extra if you want to hit every one of the park's biggest rides, among more than 40 attractions), we literally hit the ground running. And it was the best £54(ish) we could have spent. In under an hour we had been left rattled racing each other on wooden coaster Stampida, cooled off in the Grand Canyon Rapids and been blown away by multi-dimensional dark ride Uncharted and eight-loop coaster Dragon Khan. Luckily the park is not just bold, it's also beautiful, with lush landscaping across the six themed lands of Mexico, Polynesia, China, Far West, Mediterranea and SesamoAventura, where we could recover from the adrenaline rush and soaring temperatures. Martin Lewis warns about strict passport rule that could see you board your flight - only to get sent home on arrival My favourite was the Far West, where I could live out some of the Westerns I spent my childhood watching with my dad, moseying like outlaws through town and shooting targets, before picking out costumes in the Saloon Bar for a hilarious photo memento. Even the teens threw themselves into the dressing-up box, donning petticoats as saloon girls. Their adrenaline highlights were Shambhala and Red Force. After happily watching them ride the former three times in succession, they finally persuaded me to strap my creaky, menopausal bones in. I think I was actually transported out of my body and into the mythical kingdom of Shambhala for the duration of the ride. So when it came to visiting Ferrari Land, a must-see for petrolheads and F1 fans, I decided to get my kicks on terra firma by speeding round the Maranello Grand Race track in a mini toy race car, while the girls tackled the legendary Red Force alone. 4 As the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in Europe, it did not disappoint. Carts climb 112 metres before plummeting at a 90- degree angle, with an incredible launch system that reaches 111mph. For the first time in two days, my hyper-excited giggling girls were left absolutely speechless. All this adrenaline-fuelled fun can build up quite the appetite, and thankfully — unlike many UK theme parks — the dining options are varied and excellent. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch overlooking the Mediterranean harbour at Raco de Mar — feasting on melon and parma ham, burrata, truffle cannelloni, crispy calamari and mussels served in a delicious sauce. Electrifying twist The park has plenty of quality fast food, too, if you're keen to maximise ride time, but we were more than happy to have a break from the heat and adrenaline. Another great lunch and dinner spot can be found in the Far West, at The Iron Horse restaurant. There's a special 30th Anniversary burger on the menu that completely steals the show. The excellent grub wasn't limited to the theme park either. We'd opted for half-board at the 4H Wild West-themed Gold River Hotel and took full advantage of the vast buffet breakfast each morning. Dinner was also excellent, with fresh seafood and grill options. The dining hall can get quite busy, but we managed to find a lovely, quiet spot to eat outside each night. Aside from the food, the hotel itself is a non-stop Wild West adventure from the breathtaking atrium to the surrounding cabin accommodation brilliantly disguised as a frontier town. Anyone staying at one of the theme park hotels also gets private early access to the park and tickets to the main park and Ferrari Land are included in the price of your stay. You may not need early access, though, thanks to PortAventura's extended opening hours for the anniversary, which means the park remains accessible until 11.30pm. I'd barely finished my dinner before the girls were dragging me back to hit the rides again. The park is totally transformed after dark, with each world glowing against the night sky. Hurtling through darkness on rollercoasters adds an electrifying twist. Of course, it wouldn't be a 30th birthday bash without fireworks, either. And the nightly spectacular Fiesta Aventura is guaranteed to wow, featuring a fabulous illuminated parade, a spectacular drone display and fireworks extravaganza. It was the perfect end to one hell of a wild ride.
South Wales Argus
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Newport pub The Tickled Trout is city's best kept secret
It looks rather unassuming, but upon stepping through the doors I am greeted with warmth from managers Poppy Morgan, 29, and Lesley Davies, 36. The pair took over the pub not too long ago, turning it from a tired Spanish tapas bar to somewhere that you can take part in a leisurely lunch, a drink over a boardgame, or even a 'Taylor Swift cake decorating class' – I'm promised that these themed classes are extremely popular and not as strange as they sound at first. Poppy and Lesley have turned the Tickled Trout into a place for everyone (Image: Supplied) It has a cozy atmosphere and the welcome from the staff on duty is incomparable – it feels like they truly care about this venue and want customers to care too. Strictly speaking, The Tickled Trout is not a really a pub - it's in the no-man's land between restaurant and bar, but this doesn't bother them one bit. The people are Newport are beginning to love the Tickled Trout, as are customers from further afield. Poppy and Lesley detail how just last week they had a customer travel to visit all the way from Oxford, and they couldn't speak highly enough of the relaxed and cosy atmosphere of the pub. With five separate food menus to choose from, there is something on offer for everyone. The Tickled Trout has aimed to redefine traditional Spanish tapas to include flavours from across the globe, changing customers' perceptions on what they already know of the small dish options. The Tickled Trout is redefining traditional tapas (Image: Supplied) The pair are proud of the fact that the basis for every single item on their menu is gluten free, vegan and created using fresh ingredients. It creates an inclusive dining experience and ensures that everyone is catered for with no risk. Lesley said: 'We get a lot of praise for our vegan menu. 'We get the ingredients in fresh every day, and our chefs create the dishes from scratch. Rather than buy pre-made sauce mixes, all our aioli's and anything else we use and serve is made from scratch.' The Tickled Trout creates all their dishes from scratch (Image: Supplied) Alongside their usual menus, they offer a daily bottomless brunch that brings together an extensive cocktail menu full of well-known favourites and their varied tapas dishes. Poppy laughs: 'We get everyone in for bottomless brunch, from the 18-year-olds who drink actual cocktails to the older ladies who usually prefer a glass of prosecco.' Lesley said: 'People usually go to a bottomless brunch and expect either good food, or good cocktails. We're proud that with us you get both.'
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Saturday Kitchen and TikTok star in talks for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 – as Matt Tebbutt is tipped for MasterChef job
SATURDAY Kitchen star Poppy O'Toole is being lined up for Strictly Come Dancing, The Sun can exclusively reveal. The TikTok chef, who is famous for her potato recipes , has held talks with show bosses and they are keen to snap her up. 5 Poppy O'Toole is in talks with Strictly bosses Credit: Getty 5 Poppy married her longtime partner Matt Shattock recently Credit: poppy_cooks/Instagram A source said: 'Poppy is hugely popular both on TikTok and on Saturday Kitchen - she's really fun and easy to work with, plus bosses can guarantee there will be no scandal around her. "They've been in talks to get her on the 2025 series.' Both the BBC and Poppy's agent declined to comment. If she puts pen to paper, she will join the likes of READ MORE ON STRICTLY Poppy's potential move to the dancefloor comes as Saturday Kitchen host John Torode 's sacking earlier in the week. It has been reported that the incident, which came to light in a report into shamed former co-star Gregg Wallace 's conduct, Kanye West 's hit song Gold Digger. Meanwhile, Most read in News TV The Michelin-trained star's rise to the top hasn't been an overnight success. Aged 18, she worked as an apprentice at Purnell's, Birmingham , before heading to London to further her career. It was in lockdown that she discovered TikTok after losing her job as a junior sous chef. This Morning star reveals she's married as she shows off her wedding ring on return to show Her online following gradually increased as more and more people tuned in to her tasty, home-made recipes. But it was when shared her best potato meals that she shot to the top of the TikTok pile, racking up over 1 million views - and she hasn't looked back since. It is shaping up to be a huge year for the popular online star. She recently married partner of 16 years Matt Shattock, showing off her wedding ring on Friday's This Morning on which she was the guest chef. The couple tied the knot at Redditch Registry Office earlier this month. 5 Poppy occasionally appears on the likes of Saturday Kitchen and This Morning Credit: BBC 5 She's known for her potato recipes Credit: Instagram 5 Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt could be replacing John Torode on MasterChef Credit: BBC
