‘An enjoyable experience for any level of thrill-seeker’
DESCRIBED as an exhilarating way to see what was once the oldest continuously working deep coal mine in the UK, the Tower Coaster fits neatly among the Rhigos mountain range and its stunning views, writes Lewis Smith.
The first thing you notice as you come onto the site is the absolutely incredible views of the surrounding mountains, the type that just makes any sort of out-door activity seem immediately better.
On a clear day views of the Brecon Beacons and surrounding mountains are visible for miles around here, and are alone worth the trip to Tower Colliery, though it offers much more when you get there.
The staff are all very helpful and friendly, and as I nervously stepped into the carriage for my first ride they kindly assured me I would be fine. The self-controlled Tower Coaster was actually a lot of fun to ride, taking the corners of the track very quickly if you are brave enough to keep your hand on the accelerator, making the top speed of 25mph seem like a lot more. It felt great to be able to control the speed yourself, and while you don’t have to do any sort of steering, having that control means whether you do have a need for speed, or just want to cruise along while enjoying the views, it is completely up to you.
Overall this was a very enjoyable experience for any level of thrillseeker, that perfectly compliments the site’s main attraction in the Phoenix.
Elinor Watkins works as a marketing coordinator at Zip World and says after trying the ride for the first time she was also very impressed. She said: “I was one of the first people to try out the new ride here at Zip World and I have to say I absolutely loved it. It was amazing and I couldn’t quite believe how fast it goes, especially round the corners. I tried to go as fast as I could but I have to admit I did wimp out on some of the corners and slowed right down. I think it’s great for thrill seekers, but if you want to go at a slower pace then you do have the option to bring that speed down as well which is nice. It’s also unique to Wales as it’s the first ride of this kind to be built in Europe, and the second of it’s kind in the world, along with being the longest one as well so we definitely recommend for people to come along to try our second adventure here at Zip World Tower.”