New zip line attraction that goes through an underground cave to open in the UK next to a heart-shaped lake
A HEART-shaped feature in the UK is set to be the site of a brand new cave-exploring zipline attraction after permission was granted earlier this month.
The lake at a quarry in the Lake District is filled with turquoise water and is often hidden away during the winter months.
However, during the summer, when water levels drop, the heart is clearly visible, especially from above.
The lake, found at Elterwater Quarry, received some attention earlier this year, after the receding water levels showed it off once again.
An article in the Belfast Telegraph said: “A hidden heart shape is revealed at the Elterwater Quarry in the Lake District after water levels dropped, exposing the romantic geographical feature filled with turquoise water caused by the chemical compounds in the 500 million-year-old rock.”
Now the heart is set to be the location of a brand new adventure experience, after attraction Zip World was finally given permission to add the quarry to its list of locations.
Others can be found at Penrhyn Quarry, Betws-y-Coed, Llechwedd Aberdare and Conwy in Wales as well as Windermere and Manchester in England.
Proposals for the Elterwater Quarry site were initially rejected after they were submitted back in September, with close to 90,000 objections.
That forced the company to submit a revised plan in February and at the start of this month, they were approved by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA).
The plans include a “Cavern Explorer’ experience, which involves guests using zip wires to move between different parts of the cavern network at the site.
Platforms will be installed throughout the caves, and visitors will be able to travel between them along the lines once they’re installed.
Zip World chief executive Andrew Hudson told the BBC the company wants to “celebrate and preserve this unique part of Lake District’s heritage”.
He added: “[We] look forward to working with local communities and stakeholders to demonstrate how we will operate this educational experience in a sensitive and sympathetic manner.”
The plans for the Zip World site also include access to ‘The Quarryman’s Viewpoint’ which will offer a place to look out across the Lake District.
There will also be a natural history trail, which will lead visitors through parts of the nearby countryside.
Developers promised that these experiences “will provide an engaging way for guests to appreciate and enjoy the environment, without having to alter or change the existing landscape”.
Five new water attractions opening in the UK next year
- Therme Manchester will have 25 swimming pools, 25 water slides and an indoor beach.
- Modern Surf Manchester will be a surfing lagoon offering lessons to both beginners and experts.
- Chessington World of Adventures waterpark is set to have wave, infinity and spa pools as well as waterslides and cabanas.
- The Cove Resort, Southport is likely to have a water lagoon and a thermal spa with steam rooms and saunas.
- The Seahive, Deal plans to be the “surfing wellness resort” in the UK.
The proposals claimed: “It will allow visitors to get a real sense of the quarry’s rich history, dating back to the middle of the 19th century, and find out about the generations of miners and quarrymen who worked there, extracting the area’s distinctive Lakeland Green slate.”
To reduce the impact of traffic that would be brought about by the attraction, Zip World has agreed to put on bus services to nearby towns and villages.
Those who don’t use their cars will also be given cheaper entrance to the site, while the number of people using the attraction each day will be limited to preserve the caverns.
An opening date is yet to be revealed.
Meanwhile, one of the most popular UK attractions has announced a multi-million-pound redesign.
And this new seafront attraction is set to open in the UK by the summer.