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Be safe in the outdoors this summer with these top safety tips from Steve Backshall - explorer, naturalist and TV presenter
Wales is one of our top destinations for offering some insanely crazy adventures. Take a look at some of the things that we think are worth a try.
You’ve guessed it. Bouncing underground!!! For a crazy ‘out of this world’ adventure you will never forget, visit Bounce Below – the UK’s only underground trampoline park. Bounce Below offers something completely out of the ordinary in a unique and unthinkable location. They have created a cave full of giant see-through trampoline nets where you can launch, flip and bounce yourself dizzy in an exciting underground cave chamber. Not for the fainthearted, the trampolines completely show the plummeting drop beneath your feet, adding that extra set of butterflies to your stomach. Bounce Below is packed with tonnes of fun including four new slides the height of two double-decker busses and a whole six levels of adventure to be had. Wander up the rope stairs and through the tunnels to enter different bouncing chambers. The adventure begins at Blaenau Ffestiniog, where they have recently invested over £3 million in the park. We definitely would recommend visiting for a flip-tastic, super exciting adventure that you’ve never had before.
One Bounce Below session: £25 per person
Ever fancied flying? Well this is the nearest thing to it! Possibly one of the craziest adventures you can have in the UK and one of our wildest suggestions, the Velocity zip line is an absolute thrill and will certainly get that adrenaline pumping. Visit Zip World Velocity for the time of your life as you plummet across a disused quarry at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Sound fun?
The zip world Bethesda site, near Anglesey, offers an incredible zip line experience for all the family and takes you on the 'Little Zipper' (a smaller zip line to get you used to it) before heading up to the bigger, more exhilarating zip line of 'Velocity'. Trips cost £66 for individual riders (1 ride), £220 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 under 16’s) or £260 for a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 under 16’s.) When in flight, if you're not too busy locking your eyes shut, on a clear day you can see views out over the Isle of Man. Zip World Velocity really is not an adventure to be missed. Who wouldn’t want to be strapped horizontally to a zip line over a water-filled quarry at 100mph?
One of the coolest things to do in Wales, and definitely an unexpected activity to find in Snowdonia, is surfing. Snowdonia is definitely not the first place you would think to go surfing but this man-made surf pool generates some of the sickest waves in the UK. This surf park is a world first and has been called a revolution.
The world’s first inland surf lagoon has the ability to create perfect man made waves that any surfer could only dream of. The 300 metre surf lagoon is an equal size to six football pitches and peaks waves perfectly for over 150 metres before dissipating as they hit the shore. This really is an exquisite invention and is the perfect opportunity for any level of surfer to catch some amazing waves. Some of the best things about it are the consistency of the waves (every wave is the perfect wave), the fantastic freshwater and most importantly…the lack of sea weed!
If you wish to make your trip into a full week then you can book one of their camping pods, where you can stay overnight right beside the waves. The surf academy offers expert tutoring and there is a café and soft play area for those not taking part to help pass the time.
Breathe it in. It’s clean, it’s fresh, it’s wild and it’s beautiful.
Another fantastic experience at Surf Snowdonia is the crash and splash lagoon which is guaranteed to offer bundles of fun. The giant assault course floating on the water includes monkey bars, a balance beam, climbing wall and a rope bridge. The most exciting part of the whole endeavour is being catapulted metres into the air by their ‘catapult blob’ – a giant inflatable pillow 10 metres long and 4 metres wide which launches you in the air when someone jumps on the other end from a 10 metre tall staircase. It’s one of the best ways you’ll ever get thrown in the water!
The Go Below underground adventures is the ultimate activity for any cave lover. Though a series of exciting challenges, Go Below really tests your ability to keep your cool underground while tackling abseils, zip lines, ladders, bridges and jumps. Not to mention the underwater lakes which you must navigate using inflatable boats. There are three types of adventures to be had, ranging from challenging to extreme so you can choose to be underground from 5 hours to a whole day. The adventure reaches the deepest point in the UK and is a real exhilarating experience that doesn’t just test one skill but multiple skills at a time.The best qualified and highly trained instructors in the business will keep you safe while you venture through some of the creepiest caves in Wales. Just make sure that you aren't afraid of the dark!
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