Surf Snowdonia is back up and running… and they’ve added a lot to the wave.
When Surf Snowdonia first opened, it was a big deal. Everyone who surfs and their mothers either loved it, hated it, and probably wanted to try it. But after a slew of issues, they had to shut their doors early. Now, though, after a full remodel, they’ve opened them back up.
A few months after Surf Snowdonia opened, Red Bull jumped on board with a contest. For a minute there, it looked as though the man-made wave might just change the way surf contests were held, among other things. Then a few things happened. First, Surf Snowdonia broke down. Second, Kelly Slater dropped footage of his artificial wave. And although Surf Snowdonia managed to not only create a wave, but create a whole business around it, Slater’s wave is just so perfect that it made Surf Snowdonia’s look like a shit wave on the wrong tide. But they’ve dumped £1m into it, revamping the entire facility and adding a few features for those that aren’t into surfing. From a business standpoint, that’s probably a good idea.
To go along with the wave, they’ve added something called a Crash and Splash obstacle course and a human catapult named the Blob. They’ve added guided kayak and SUP tours on the River Conwy, and spruced up the camping areas.
The main attraction, though, will always be the wave. After the renovation and rigorous testing, they fixed the issues that plagued them last year. With any luck, Surf Snowdonia (along with any other inland wave parks) will entice a large chunk of the surfing public away from the ocean and into a pool.
