Woo-hoo! Another week, another feeling that I'm flying. This time we headed up to north Wales to Zip World at Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda. Not only, at one mile in length, is this the longest zip wire in Europe, but reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour this also happens to be the fastest zip wire in the world.
Arrived early at the quarry to register, and the first thing you have to do is get weighed! Kind of traumatic and I was a wee bit heavier than expected but it wasn't too bad. Your weight is written on your wristband and determines whether you need flags to be attached to slow you down, or weights to be added to speed you up. I needed neither. Your weight also determines whether you're going to need to open your arms out to slow you down at the end. I was fine, didn't need to which was good as I was unsure I'd be able to remember in time to stop me crashing into the finish line.
Yet again this was an activity requiring a seriously sexy boiler suit - not! Helmet, goggles and harness put on and I was ready to go.
Once you're all kitted up you start a small climb up the quarry to visit the 'little zipper' which basically gives you a chance to experience what is going to be happening but on a smaller scale. (In actual fact, and something I've only found out, this zipwire is still 3rd longest in Europe - who knew! Not me!) It's also supposed to build your confidence. For some reason, the thought of this experience wasn't actually freaking me out. Don't know why. Can only think it was because I wasn't actually expected to do anything, so couldn't screw anything up myself. You are completely in the hands of other people and have to trust in them. The only thing though was at the Little Zipper I realised that I do still struggle with my shoulder - I'm really happy with the movement I've gotten back it's nowhere near 100%. So, when they ask you to put yourself in to a press up position I did panic a little, cos I can't do that. I sort of ended up a bit skew-whiff and on my elbows but they helped me out and didn't laugh at the crazy uncoordinated lady.
So, this is the video of my first go, so glad and thankful that Stewart is being an amazing 'wing man' and also that he has a great camera that he is not afraid to use! By the way, I'm the one on the left.
There were 10 in the group in total but only two 'individuals'. Myself and a lovely young man called Jay. I was really thankful I wasn't the only solo person as it meant I didn't have to spend the entire feeling like 'Johnny nae mates'. Because folk in general want to do these things together it made sense that me and him paired up as a flying team. It also meant I had somebody to talk to when we began the exceedingly bumpy and ever so slightly uncomfortable journey right up the quarry in a wee red jeep thing.
So, up we all trundled in what was really the most shoogly, bumpy journey ever and possibly worth it as an experience in itself! When we got to the top of the quarry it was only really then I realised - crikey, this is 'high'! This is seriously high up! 500 metres up actually. Although it was July it was incredibly windy - they'd actually had to turn folk away for being too heavy to ride in these conditions. It was so windy we couldn't hear the guy giving us the next briefing so had to go in to a wee hut to shelter.
Me and Jay were the third pairing to go down so I texted Stewart to let him know we were about to go. Getting in to position was exactly the same up here, the only difference is, me and Jay swapped sides for no actual reason. In what was about to happen I don't know whether this was lucky for me, or not! So, off we went, about to fly at 100 miles per hour down over a slate quarry a mile long. I was determined not to scream, nor to swear, so when the countdown went on and they sent me off with an 'enjoy your trip' I did the loudest and longest 'wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' I've EVER done. This was BWIIIILLLLLIIIAAANT.
The pic above was actually from my favouritest bit. When you start to build speed, the quarry just seems to disappear from below and you are flying over the clearest blue lake. It was cracking fun. There is another video below, this time I'm the right hand flyer.
Really was a great experience, a real adrenaline rush when you start picking up speed. The closer you get to the end of the line the more you 'feel' how fast you're going. You hit the end with a right clatter and then have to grab on to a big stick and eventually they are able to pull you down. Unless of course, you are Jay, and chose the left hand side!!!!! He apparently started off just as a huge gust of wind got behind him and he accelerated soooo fast that as he approached the end he was still seriously flying so he missed the hook to grab went straight to the end and went 'pinging' back up the way! To get stuck about a hundred metres from the end, where he dangled for about 10 - 15 minutes! Happily, when he got down he said he'd LOVED it. I was actually a bit jealous it hadn't been me.
So, all in all this a great and incredibly fun experience.
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