BGTW Yearbook 2013

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Zip World, Wales

By Stuart Forster

“It’s the closest thing you’ll come to going skydiving without stepping out of a plane,” said Sean Taylor, one of Zip World’s three directors, as we stood watching Guild member Helen Ochyra whoosh down the Big Zipper, the Northern Hemisphere longest and quickest zip line. It took only a matter of seconds for her to disappear into the distance.

Sean was bursting with enthusiasm and his words were clearly meant to encourage me, but as I stood looking down over Penrhyn Quarry, the site of the attraction which opened in March, I have to admit to feeling just a wee bit nervous about the prospect of descending the 1600 metre long wire. If you’ve got a head for heights, which I don’t, you’ll love being up at the top of the attraction because on clear days you can look into the distance and see the Isle of Man.

I was there as one of seven journalists participating in a press trip for Guild members to North Wales. Simply driving to the attraction had been worthwhile. We’d seen Mount Snowdon and then paused at Lake Ogwen to photograph what is surely one of the most spectacular landscapes in the United Kingdom when the sky is as blue as we had it. My day was made before I’d even arrived at Zip World.
Zip World provides an adrenalin rush but, perhaps surprisingly, people as young as eight and as old as 86 have already ridden the Big Zipper. People with disabilities can give it a go too.

I’d been told the maximum speed would be around 100mph but, thanks to my weight and perfect conditions, I clocked a top speed on 115mph on the wire. It transpires that I’m the Englishman who went up a hill and came down a record holder.

Stuart writes regular posts on www.go-eat-do.com