20 Greatest Roller Coasters In England

9. The Smiler - Alton Towers

Opened: 2013

Manufacturer: Gerstlauer

Type: Custom Looping Coaster

Obviously, it's hard to think of Smiler without thinking of the horrible crash that happened in 2015, but if you look at the ride itself, Smiler is still one of the UK's finest roller coasters.

A long, loopy and twisty roller coaster that's great fun to watch and even better to ride, Smiler has more inversions than any roller coaster in the world. It loops an astonishing 14 times, but these inversions are never dull or repetitive. Throughout the lengthy ride experience Smiler is constantly piling on the forceful thrills and makes for a shockingly intense ride that'll leave riders breathless.

You probably won't be able to manage more than two goes in one day - such is the power of this attraction - but it is an undeniably extraordinary ride and one of the most important, ground-breaking roller coasters to ever arrive in this country.

Contributor

Film Studies graduate, aspiring screenwriter and all-around nerd who, despite being a pretentious cinephile who loves art-house movies, also loves modern blockbusters and would rather watch superhero movies than classic Hollywood films. Once met Tommy Wiseau.