
‘Wave Garden’ lagoon on the day that it was announced that the lagoon would have to be drained to repair a mechanical fault with the wave generator.
Date
19 August 2015
Location
Dolgarrog, Conwy
SH 77115 67416; 53.18957°N, 3.84064°W
Information
An aluminium smelter began production in 1907 in the village of Dolgarrog in the Conwy valley. The works was expanded in 1916 to include a rolling mill and in 1920 a hydroelectric power station was built next to the plant to supply its electricity. Smelting ceased in the 1940s and the aluminium factory was finally closed in 2007 and demolished in 2009.
In August 2013 Wigan-based Conwy Adventure Leisure obtained planning permission from Conwy County Borough Council for the development of an inland surfing lake on the site of the former aluminium works. The £12 million Surf Snowdonia attraction opened to the public on 1 August 2015.
The surf lagoon measures 300 m by 120 m and is the first commercial site to use Spanish company Wavegarden’s wave-generation technology. An underwater foil runs along the length of the central pier in the lagoon pushing water upwards and outwards to form a wave whose height can be controlled to be 0.7 to 2 metres. In addition to the lagoon, the attraction also features a glass-fronted café bar, retail facility and on-site accommodation in the form of heated timber camping pods.
On 19 August, less than a month after opening, Surf Snowdonia announced that the lagoon would have to be closed for several days in order for it to be drained to repair a mechanical fault with the wave generator.
Further Reading
Wales surf wave generator starts up (BBC News, 31 July 2015);
Surf Snowdonia lagoon to be drained after ‘mechanical fault’ (BBC News, 19 August 2015);
Surf Snowdonia
Update
Look out for an upcoming post featuring the wave generator back in operation…

High-pressure pipeline feeding the hydroelectric power station which formerly supplied the aluminium works upon whose site the surf attraction has been built. The power station was originally fed with water from Llyn Eigiau and now Llyn Cowlyd provides water for the ‘high head’ turbines and Coedty Reservoir water for the ‘low head’ ones. A £15 million upgrade of the power station, owned by RWE, was completed in December 2014.
Excellent candids. How on earth did it have a mechanical fault so soon?
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Thank you! And, yes, it makes you wonder.
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An interesting set. I did wonder what all the fuss was about “Surf Snowdonia”…will have to go and have a look.
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It is worth going to have a look when the wave machine is in operation! The café is a bit pricey though.
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so interesting!!
and I learnt a new word, pogonophile 🙂
great candids, Graham… were there any real huge waves while you were there? did you surf yourself? 🙂
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Glad you learned something new 🙂 Unfortunately on that occasion the wave machine had just broken down (I’ve since been back to see it in operation though – more photos coming in due course…) And no, I was only spectating.
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I have read about this wave installation technology as they would like to bring it to Rotterdam, it will be called as wave pool. Gosh, they had to drain the lagoon? oh no, is there any living organism inside the lagoon before? what a disaster! And your images are awesome!
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Thanks, Indah. As it is an artificial lake (presumably filled using the neighbouring hydroelectric power station’s pipeline) I don’t think there would intentionally be any creatures in it.
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Having said that, I’ve just read that apparently eels were spotted in the lagoon after it was first filled!
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/surf-snowdonia-eels-dolgarrog-wales-10030697
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