The ultimate was never a ride it was an experience. It simply couldn't have been built and passed by the H&S executive these days. In the noughties the only way you could ride it unbruised was to cross your legs, which is just ridiculous.
First part of the ride was horrendously designed with the first lift hill meaning that if you were in the front you were already hanging half way down the down bit while the back of the trains caught up. Then the ridiculous bunny hops and sloooooooow second lift.
The ride we remember was the valley run which was brutal - it was never lost on me that its very name was an anagram of Mutilate, because that seemed it's only purpose.
It was though, like nothing else, warts and all. It's what the cross valley coaster at AT maybe would have been like, or what 13 aspired to be. Tearing it down was an act of absolute cultural vandalism, but while it did huge damages to the finances of a little park, what ultimately killed Lightwater Valley was underinvestment and questionable running of the park after the Staveley family sold it on.
Worst thing is, while it clearly needed investment, I don't think it would have necessarily cost a horrendous amount to get it in a position it could have taken advantage of the profile of the ultimate. That time is long since past and it will either end up as a pseudo farm park again (rides like the ladybird are showing their age, and christ only knows what that new pink erection is meant to do), or go out of business.
And for a park so naturally pretty and well served by decent transport links, without many natural competitors is an absolute abhorrence.
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won’t happen though. Build Europes longest water slide 
