Welcome to Britain’s first artificial surfing wave

Hoorah! The world’s first ever publicly accessible Wavegarden surfing lagoon opens on 1 August 2015, and it’s based in Snowdonia!

The waves come in three sizes: 70cm, 1.2m or 2m

The waves come in three sizes: 70cm, 1.2m or 2m

Surf Snowdonia is an inland surfing facility which uses clever technology to produce the longest man-made surfable waves on the planet, the first of its kind in Britain.The consistent and perfectly formed barrelling waves go up to  variously 2m high, and will peel for up to 150 metres.

The team behind it, Wavegarden (a group of hydrological, civil and mechanical engineers who also happen to be passionate surfers), have built a protype in Spain, but this is the first time a Wavegarden facility has been open to the public. 

Surf Snowdonia is the first of its kind in the UK |Jonty Story

Surf Snowdonia is the first of its kind in the UK |Jonty Story

Built on site of a former aluminium factory, Surf Snowdonia is based in beautiful Conwy Valley, on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park and just a few miles from Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. The surf lake is filled with rainwater from Snowdonia’s mountains, and much of the facility is constructed from the remnants of the factory.  

Activities at the site include surfing, bodyboarding, SUP, surf kayaking, surf yoga and swimming, along with events, comps and surf demos.

Pros and newbies alike will be able to use the site|Nick Pumphrey

Pros and newbies alike will be able to use the site|Nick Pumphrey

In numbers

  • £12 million – the amount spent on the project so far
  • 6 – the number of football pitches you can fit in the site
  • 36 – the amount of surfers who can use it at once
  • 2m – the highest wave Surf Snowdonia can produce
  • 20 seconds – the length of each ride on the wave
  • 120 – the amount of wave per hour
  • 33,000m3 – the amount of rainwater needed to full the lagoon

Want more? Here’s a video about Surf Snowdonia’s opening:

OAG