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Mile-long zip wire opens in North Wales offering thrill-seekers an 80mph ride 700ft above the ground

 

James Silcocks
Thursday 21 March 2013 14:46 GMT
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The largest zip wiring attraction in the Northern Hemisphere, which has been launched in Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, Bangor, North Wales
The largest zip wiring attraction in the Northern Hemisphere, which has been launched in Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, Bangor, North Wales

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A mile-long zip wire in Penrhyn Quarry, North Wales has opened to the public this week, making it the longest zip wire in the northern hemisphere.

The exhilarating ride, which allows thrill-seekers to soar across the Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda at a height of 700 feet, opened to the public on Saturday.

The zip wire crosses directly above the quarry lake, travelling at speeds of around 80mph, and on a clear day will offer views of the Isle of Man and Anglesey.

The ride, named the “Big Zipper”, forms the final part of two-hour guided tour of the quarry, which was once the largest slate quarry in the world. It remains the largest slate quarry in Britain.

The tours, provided by Zip World Snowdonia, will also offer visitors the chance to ride the 500-metre “Little Zipper” before heading over to the main attraction.

The first person to ride the newly-opened zip wire today was local grandfather Robert Davies.

Mr Davies, 72, said: “It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done. It really is an amazing view, and when you are flying through the air it is a fantastic feeling. You could hear me screaming the whole way down!”

Seb Thompson, marketing manager for Zip World Snowdonia, said: “It’s a really exhilarating experience that you don't get anywhere else.

“We're hoping it's going to be really popular and put North Wales on the map as the UK's number one adventure location."

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