Locals and visitors played their part in the creation of a £5 million regeneration and investment plan for Maryport (funded through the UK Government’s Future High Streets Fund), which included the design and build of a new Shiver Me Timbers playground and interactive splash pad in 2025. Cumberland Council carried out a competitive tender process for the playground and awarded the contract to KOMPAN. A separate competitive tender process was carried out for the splash park and Ustigate Waterplay were delighted to be awarded the contract by Cumberland Council.

The Shiver Me Timbers play park and interactive splash pad is a pirate-themed adventure zone located in Maryport, right next to the Lake District Coast Aquarium. The facility is completely free to enter and features an all-abilities wheelchair-friendly design, with slides, a zipwire, and a fully interactive splash zone!

The all-new Shiver Me Timbers has been a real hit since its opening, with the park being highly populated since the gates opened in April 2025. Maryport Town Council manages the play area, while the team at the Lake District Coast Aquarium supported Cumberland Council in developing the scheme, and continue to assist with the monitoring of the CCTV and daily opening and closing of the facility.

Our interactive splash pad design was created in response to Cumberland Council’s request for a maritime-themed attraction. Ustigate Waterplay developed a concept inspired by Maryport’s rich seafaring heritage, its stunning coastal location, and its connection to Fletcher Christian (25 September 1764 to 20 September 1793), the English sailor best known for leading the 1789 mutiny aboard HMS Bounty.

At the heart of the splash pad stands a striking 236cm-tall VOR 0523 misting Whale Tail, positioned between two Pirate Cannons. Alongside it, a 404cm-tall Sail Twirl with three water streams and 360° Twirltec™ rotation, bringing movement, excitement and the spirit of life at sea to the play experience.

The area dedicated to Maryport’s youngest visitors celebrates a remarkable local story. In October 2023, the team at The Lake District Coast Aquarium successfully rescued and returned a dolphin to the sea. To honour these local dolphin heroes, Ustigate Waterplay installed a VOR 7255 Dolphin with gentle, laminar water effects and 360° rotation. This was the first product of its kind in the UK and one of the newest aquatic play features launched by Ustigate Waterplay’s partner, Vortex International. There could be no more fitting home for this special dolphin than next door to the team who saved one of its real-life counterparts.

To accompany our dolphin, water players will be thrilled to play with Fish N°1, Crab N°1, each with Turntec™ technology enabling children to take their fishy friends on a 360° spin, an Aqualien Flower N°3 with its north facing spray, and sequenced ground jets galore!

Every play feature was carefully selected and positioned to encourage exploration, movement and active fun.

All splash pad products were manufactured from marine grade 316L stainless steel because of Maryport’s seafront location and supplied and installed with Safeswap™ anchors, allowing Cumberland Council to quickly remove and safely store the equipment indoors out of season. The water management system is a sustainable flow through system with a grey water tank, enabling water to be collected and repurposed for irrigation.

Shiver Me Timbers is open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm, with the splash park operating from 11.00am to 4.30pm throughout the water play season.

We thank Cumberland Council and Penny Watson Photography for contributory photographs to share our Shiver Me Timbers project at Maryport.