Santa Clause Land - Aviemore - April 2010

[nugget44444]

Solo Explore as I was passing through decided to have a look to see if anything remained. I rember going here as a child. Saw part of it still standing from road in but the whole place had a great big wooden site security fence round it. Looks like it may get demolished soon. After a bit of nosing around outside I found a way in. What a weird feeling as I got in felt as if I had stepped into Narnia old lamposts and fairytale paths leading about the site. Lots of buildings still here but they have been secured with steel plates and all insides have been removed unfortunatly. Various remains of the dino train ride and crazy golf and other bits though. Got busted by a couple of locals as I was leaving - halfway out the fence literally I heard this " What the ....." " What are you doing to which I replied trying to climb back out through this fence here. then told them what I had been doing. They seemed ok about it and said they had spotted me earlier and had thought about calling the police but saw I was only taking pics so decided to wait for me coming out to talk . So could of been a bit of a luckily it wasn't.
Anyway hope you like the pics

Bridge with a big security fence


Various things on way in





Cant remember this being there looks like a gravestone or something



Crazy golf anyone





Snowman



Some of the buildings











The old dino train ride



Some remains of the train ride tracks



Other stuff round site

[nugget44444]

Yeah think it was open all year round thats probably why it lost custom in the end

[zimbob]

Yay, I used to visit here as a child

Daft as it seems being a year-round atrraction, Aviemore is the UKs top Winter Sports resort, this does make some sense. I reckon it was a little old=fashioned to survive sadly, it harked back to gentler time, when kids were more easily amused

*goes off to fetch pipe & slippers*

[lost]

I regret not exploring it before they demolished much of it, that and the rest of the 1960s Aviemore centre, but it was gone before I even thought about exploring anything other than crofts.
Like zimbob said it was actually quite popular, but really wound down in the late '90s with lack of investment and the place looking quite decrepit.



Here's the interior of the secured building





And the dinosaur ride