About

The town grew around the slate and stone quarrying industry, the largest of the local quarries being the Penrhyn Quarry. At its peak, it was exporting its purple slate all over the world, and in so doing it gained a reputation for being the world's best. During its heyday, the population of Bethesda peaked at 10,000 people, but it is currently around 4,800.

Zip World won international acclaim when it opened Zip World Velocity at Penrhyn Quarry in March 2013; offering riders the closest experience a human being can get to skydiving without actually leaping out of a plane! It involves flying head-first for just under a mile exceeding speeds of 100mph down a mountain and then straight over a cliff, 500ft above the quarry lake with spectacular views as far out as Ireland.