Zip World Velocity 2 — 1.5km of steel cable suspended above the floor of the Penrhyn Quarry above Bethesda, reaching speeds of up to 160km/h — is the longest zip line in Europe and one of the fastest in the world. Riders lie in a Superman position, looking directly down at the quarry floor. The experience lasts approximately a minute. It is one of the most visceral things you can do in Eryri. This is Experience #81 of the Snowdonia 100.
Practical Details
| Location | Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda — A5 north of Capel Curig |
| Duration | Approximately 60 seconds in flight; half-day for full experience |
| Age/weight | Various restrictions — check zipworld.co.uk |
| Book in advance | Essential — sells out weeks ahead in summer |
| Height above quarry floor | Approximately 500m at highest point |
The Quarry Setting
The Penrhyn Quarry — once the largest slate quarry in the world — provides an extraordinary setting for the zip line. The quarry floor is hundreds of metres below the launch point, the rock walls rising on all sides in the distinctive blue-grey of Penrhyn slate. The combination of industrial heritage and extreme adventure is uniquely Welsh — the same quarry where the 1900–03 lock-out took place, now a venue for the fastest zip line in the world.
The Experience
The prone position — horizontal, facing down — is what distinguishes Velocity from most zip lines. There is no seat, no harness to sit in; you are flying, the quarry below rushing towards you. The acceleration is immediate and the speed surprisingly comfortable at 160km/h once the initial shock passes. The minute in flight is both shorter and longer than expected. Book well in advance — this is one of the most popular attraction in north Wales.
Experience #81 of 100 — Challenges and Adventures category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com