Adventures high and low
Go underground at the Sygun Copper Mine; go further underground on trampolines suspended in caves at Bounce Below. Or fly high at Zip World, for one mile at over 100 mph on Europe’s fastest zip-wire system. Ride the steam trains, trek the peaks, discover ancient castles, fish the Glaslyn. North Wales is an outdoor dream.
Country kids
Go underground at the Sygun Copper Mine to take an audio-presentation tour of stunning caves and intriguing works, complete with special lighting and sound effects. See our gritty industrial heritage set against glorious natural beauty. Pan for gold and paint pottery before hitting the adventure playground.
Surfing in Snowdonia? Why yes, and where else but at Surf Snowdonia Adventure Park? Surf a man-made, head-high wave for 150 metres in a massive lagoon. Don’t leave without checking out the Crash and Splash lagoon, stand-up paddle safaris, kayaking and kiddies’ soft play.
At Zip World Titan and Velocity, you can ride a pair of zip lines a mile long at over 100mph. At 500 feet in the air, it’s the nearest thing to flying. Keep the adrenaline flowing at Bounce Below, where an old mine now sees trampoline netting, slides and walkways suspended in the caving system.
Cool your jets awhile at Criccieth Castle, take a steam-train ride on the Ffestiniog Railway through the spectacular Snowdonia National Park, or ride the Welsh Highland Railway from beneath the castle walls at Caernarfon. Then climb Mount Snowdon the lazy way aboard the narrow-gauge railway.
For the grown ups
Outdoor pursuits are king of the hill here, and kids and grown-ups can get stuck in together. Try a day out at Zip World and move at over 100mph through the mountains, or hit the subterranean trampolines at Bounce Below. Back above ground, hit the forests and trails on two wheels with Beddgelert Bikes.
Trek the local peaks – all 90 of them, or just the big one: Snowdon, the highest point in England and Wales at 3,560 feet. Choose from six routes, many from near Beddgelert. This is a place of rugged mountains, placid lakes and raging rivers. And if you can’t walk it, you can ride it on the steam train.
Kayakers love the Glaslyn for white-water adventure and, for more placid pursuits, inland lakes abound for paddling and dinghy sailing. Glaslyn’s also good for fishing brown trout, while Glan Morfa trout fishery is a five-acre lake well-stocked with rainbow.
Explore the subtropical woodlands and discover Italianate Portmeirion Village on a private peninsula with a wicked beach. Play the most stunning 18 holes of your life on iconic courses at Nefyn, Abersoch and Royal St David’s. Or trot through miles of traffic-free bridleways with Snowdonia Riding Stables.
