Preamble
The intention is to build and operate a World Class Zip Wire business within a “decommissioned” area of Bethesda Quarry.
There are good examples of commercially successful zip wire businesses that are less impressive (than that proposed for Bethesda Quarry) and in less advantageous locations. The Zip Wires will attract visitors from across the UK and further afield.
One pair of zip wires will be 1500m long and the other 450m long.
What is a Zip Wire?
Consists simply of a suspended cable (or artificial fibre) which is approximately 20mm in diameter and that is suspended between a post at either end approximately 4 metres high. A relatively low platform (2 metres high) may also be required at the start of each zip wire.
Participants are securely attached to a trolley by means of a safety lanyard and a harness. They descend at high speed on the trolley but are brought to rest by means of friction and a specially designed arresting device.
The structure will be designed, constructed inspected and operated in accordance with EN15667 for Ropes Courses (parts 1 and 2 respectively). Zip Wires are defined as a ropes course element within this European standard.
The Team
The proposal is to create a new company (New Com). This will consist of the founders of Tree Top Adventure Ltd, Betws y Coed and Ropes Course Developments Ltd (RCD). The shareholders and Directors will be: Sean Taylor, Mathew Shaylor and Nick Moriarty.
RCD is widely accredited with having founded the ropes course industry in Europe. RCD has constructed more than a thousand installations in over 35 countries. More than three million people use its installations annually and remarkably, in over 20 years of business, RCD has never had a reportable accident.
The shareholders of RCD also founded Aerial Extreme Ltd – a successful ropes course operating business with a number of prime locations in the UK. RCD helped Sean Taylor create Tree Top Adventure.
Mathew Shaylor is the world’s leading ropes course construction manager. Nick Moriarty is a specialist in design and is well known for his work in developing European standards. He is the President of the European Ropes Course Association and Convenor of the body that oversees the development of the European Ropes Course Standards. Furthermore he is an advisor to the Health and Safety Executive on related matters.
Tree Top Adventure was created by Sean Taylor. A former Royal Marine and entrepreneur, Sean developed this first class facility from scratch. He obtained planning permission, in a very sensitive area, by working closely with Snowdonia National Park and has won a number of awards and prizes for his efforts. Every year he has increased the offering a TTA – thereby ensuring the business continues to grow.
Sean Taylor’s latest plan is to establish “The Hub” in Betws-y-Coed. Located in the heart of the village, this will be an agency that will promote all the adventurous activities in north Wales – not least the proposed developments at Bethesda Quarry.
The three owners and Directors of New Com will focus all their efforts and resources on the proposed development at Bethesda.
Zip Wire operation
The proposal is to install two (or three) long zip wires (upwards of 1500m each) and 2 (or three) shorter cables at approximately 450m each (in reality it may be closer to 500m). The benefits of having two or three zip wires at each location are:
Doubles the throughput opportunity
At this stage it is envisaged that there will be two primary zip wire options:
Combo Ticket. This will include the 450m zip and the 1500m zip wire
Clearly there will be early bird, family, multiple ride and group tickets within each of these two main options.
Access to and from the 450m zip will be on foot.
Access to the 1500m zip will be from the bottom of the 450m zip via a truck ride. This ride takes 10 minutes.
The intention is to have 2 trucks – each capable of carrying 20 people. Each truck will be able to deliver two groups of 20 people per hour. This means up to 80 people an hour can participate in the 1500m zip wire.
The intention is to have the zip wire open for as much of the year as possible. Electrical storms and exceptionally high winds will prevent operation but the latter is most unlikely to impact the 450m zip wire.
Employment
The business is expected to permanently employ 9 people in year one – increasing to 20 people in year three and 25 in year 5.
Competition and Evidence of feasibility
Approximately 45 million people took part in a ropes course activity in Western Europe in 2010. The majority of these included a zip wire. The average length of a zip wire on a ropes course is between 100 and 150m. The longest Go Ape Zip Wire is 400m long (Scotland) and there is evidence to suggest people travel the length of the country to do this!
Adrenalin Quarry in Cornwall has two zip wires over a lake. They run parallel and are 490 metres long. The fee is £10 per person. The location is poor although the zip wire is good. The second year of operation at Adrenalin Quarry produced a throughput of 35,000 people. Bethesda Quarry is far more impressive and better located.
Prices for the world’s longest zip wires vary significantly; however, upwards of £100 per person is not unusual. The longest is now claimed to be in the Dolomites at 3km long and the cost appears to be between €200 and €400 for one person. Visit: http://www.adrenalineadventures.it/index.php. The height above the ground however appears to be less than that proposed at Bethesda!
In the UK there is no zip wire over 500 metres long – consequently there is no real competition. There are mountains in the UK; however, for the most part the following challenges exist:
Mixed ownership of land makes contractual arrangements difficult
The advantage with the proposed location is that the land has one owner. The proposed area is a redundant quarry with no other use practical use and although it is within a mountainous region it is outside of the National Park and remains a quarry. It is hoped that the planning authority will recognise the tremendous opportunity this plan affords the local area and will give the proposed application its full support.
Spring is fast approaching so its time to dig out your boots again and come and discover Penrhyn Castle grounds with its carpets of snowdrops and early spring flowers. Sit back, relax and take in the beautiful views, have a warming rest in the tearooms and explore the castle shop.
Pehrhyn Castle sites between Snowdonia and the Menai Strait. It was built by Thomas Hopper between 1820 and 1845 for the wealthy Pennant family who made their fortune from Jamaican sugar and Welsh slate. Pehrhyn Castle is crammed with fascinating things such as a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria. Hopper also designed its interior with elaborate carvings, plasterworkd and mock-Norman furniture. The castle also contains an outstanding collection of paintings. The Victorian kitchen, servants rooms, including scullery, larders and chefs sitting room, have been restored to reveal the preparations for the banquet for the Prince of Wales visit in 1894.
The stable block houses an industrial railway museum, model railway museum and a superb dolls museum which displays a large collection of 19th and 20th century dolls. The beautiful grounds consist of 45 acres of parkland, an extensive exotic tree and shrub collection and a Victorian walled garden.
Come and join in the Christmas fun at Betws-y-Coed the first week of December. There will be entertainment for the whole family including ice skating which is the first time it has been hosted here. A real ice skating rink in the centre of the village will be set up for the whole family to enjoy. Skating sessions start on the hour and last for 45 minutes.
For those that want to catch up or start there Christmas shopping you will be pleased to hear there will be late night shopping on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd with most of the shops opening until 8pm. There is a wide range of wonderful shops in Betws y Coed located in old beautiful Victorian buildings, including galleries, gift shops, outdoor shops.
A Lantern procession will take place on Saturday night with children from the local schools walking through the village – followed by a special surprise. At the end of the procession it is time to put the lights on the trees; the switching on ceremony will be performed by Councillor George Pringle.
There will be a number of music events over the weekend including traditional brass bands and carol singers and maybe some not so traditional events.
Santa will also be dropping in with his reindeer to see all the good children in north wales.
Fireworks displays will take place on Cae Llan on Saturday 3rd Dec at 8.00pm and Sunday 4th Dec at 7.00pm
Betws y Coed in only a 20 minute drive from Ogwen Bank Holiday Park
More details of the event can be found on the Betws-y-Coed Christmas website
Within Snowdonia there are many activities that can be pursued. You could explore the old grounds of Penrhyn Castle, or climb Mount Snowdon and pursue the challenge many have done before. Why not have a relaxing train ride up to the summit from Llanberis Station and enjoy the views of all of Snowdonia. Have you ever wondered where all the power around Snowdonia comes from? Well unveil the mystery and travel underground into the Llanberis Pass to view the giant hydro electricity station known as Thunder Mountain.
Snowdonia, known as Eryri in Welsh, has been attracting many visitors for many generations all year round. Snowdonia offers a train ride up and down the mountain for visitors who do not fancy a walk. Once in Snowdonia visitors can explore above the cliffs or below the surface in the underground caverns. If walking is not your favourite activity then you can enjoy the industrial heritage and the museums. There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy their day out.
Preamble The intention is to build and operate a World Class Zip Wire business within a “decommissioned” area of Bethesda Quarry. There are good examples of commercially successful zip wire businesses that are less impressive (than that proposed for Bethesda Quarry) and in less advantageous locations. The Zip Wires will attract visitors from across the [...]... read more
Spring is fast approaching so its time to dig out your boots again and come and discover Penrhyn Castle grounds with its carpets of snowdrops and early spring flowers. Sit back, relax and take in the beautiful views, have a warming rest in the tearooms and explore the castle shop. Pehrhyn Castle sites between Snowdonia [...]... read more
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