Is INLAND WALES the best surf spot on the planet? Longest man-made waves in the world created at new 985ft Snowdonia lagoon
- Surf Snowdonia is set to open on Saturday offering surfers the chance to ride waves of up to six feet high
- The Welsh attraction is 985ft long and 360ft wide (around the size of six football pitches) with three wave heights
- The £12 million project will see barrelling waves crash back and forth across the lagoon, offering a 20 second ride
The rolling landscape of in-land Wales is perhaps the last place you'd expect to find record-breaking surfing.
But a company has created a giant lagoon on the edge of Snowdonia National Park which features the longest man-made surfable waves in the world.
The incredible 985-foot-long Surf Snowdonia is set to open on Saturday offering waves that are up to six feet high.
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A company has created a giant surf park on the edge of Snowdonia National Park in Wales which features the longest man-made surfable waves in the world
The waves are created once a minute by a plough-like weight that moves underwater along a central pier, using technology from Spanish company Wavegarden
The incredible 985-foot-long Surf Snowdonia is set to open on Saturday offering waves of up to six feet high
The £12 million project will see barrelling waves crash back and forth across the lagoon, offering a 20 second ride.
The waves are created once a minute by a plough-like weight that moves underwater along a central pier, using technology from Spanish company Wavegarden.
Wavegarden has a prototype surf centre near San Sebastian in northern Spain but Surf Snowdonia, built on a former aluminium works, is the first to be open to the public.
The aqua attraction is pitched at families, enthusiasts and elite surfers alike, and hopes to lure 75,000 visitors a year.
Despite seeming remote, the company maintain that more than seven million people - many in Liverpool and Manchester - live within two hours' drive.
There are a number of wave heights available, from 2.3ft for beginners to 6ft for the more advanced, with the pool able to accommodate 36 participants simultaneously.
The £12 million project will see barrelling waves crash back and forth across the lagoon, offering a 20 second ride
The aqua attraction is pitched at families, enthusiasts and elite surfers alike, and hopes to lure 75,000 visitors a year
There are a number of wave heights in order to cater for all from 2.3ft for beginners and 6ft for the more advanced, with the waves accommodating 36 participants at a time
'All of a sudden surfing is about to become accessible,' said Steve Davies, managing director of Surf Snowdonia.
Jo Dennison, a former British surf champion and head coach at the Welsh centre, said the lagoon was 'big news' for the world of surfing.
The sport has been shortlisted for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and Dennison said the technology could boost the case for inclusion by offering a level playing field in competition.
She said the lagoon would never replace ocean surfing, but told AFP: 'The waves are fantastic. It's just a brilliant way to practise your surfing, your manoeuvres.'
The launch is scheduled for August 1 and one hour’s surf will cost from £19 on beginners’ waves and from £25 for intermediate/advanced waves.
Wavegarden has a prototype surf centre near San Sebastian in northern Spain but Surf Snowdonia , built on a former aluminium works, is the first to be open to the public
Two surfers head out to experience the waves at the Welsh centre, opening to the public this weekend
If surfing is not your thing, try your hand at kayaking at Surf Snowdonia. The wave machines allow 36 participants at a time
Take surf lessons at the centre if you wish to learn or improve your skills. The team of professional surf coaches is led by former British Junior Team coach and multiple Welsh and British champion, Jo Dennison
The waves are generated at the push of the button, so surfers will not have to wait around, the swell will be generated immediately
All lessons are two hours long, which includes a land-based pre-surf briefing, as well as time on the water
Board hire is included in the cost of all beginner lessons. But if you’re an intermediate or advanced surfer you can either bring your own board or hire from Surf Snowdonia
Wetsuits, along with surfboards, are available to hire from the Welsh-based centre if any guests require
The launch is scheduled for August 1 and one hour’s surf will cost from £19 on beginners’ waves and from £25 for intermediate/advanced waves
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ture welsh style.... lovely brown water! reminds me...
by MR C M Burns 26