The longest and fastest zip wire in England, Skywire, is set to open on May 14 at Bluewater, Kent. Skywire is the first of nine attractions that will comprise Hangloose Adventure – a brand new large-scale leisure offer at Bluewater.
Skywire will serve as the focal point of Hangloose Adventure, and includes four individual 725-metre-long zip wires linked to a 15.5-metre high dispatch tower situated on Bluewater’s 40-metre high chalk cliffs, creating a vertical drop of 55 metres. Riders of the Skywire will achieve speeds of up to 60 mph as they make their descent.
Future additions for the Hangloose Adventure experiences set to launch at Bluewater over the next 12 months include: Europe’s largest rock climbing wall; a giant swing opens reaching a height of 45 metres, equivalent to a 12-storey building; and Skydive, in which guests can fly up to ten metres high and free-fall in a 200mph column of air.
These will be followed by five more experiences: a bungee tower, giant slide, clip and climb, waterdrop boulding wall and Via Ferrata, a route-marked climb using metal rails and rungs embedded in Bluewater’s cliff walls.
Rob Hardie, portfolio director at Landsec, co-owner and asset manager of Bluewater, commented: “We are focused on delivering innovative and imaginative ways in which to evolve the experience for our guests at our destinations, to make sure they are relevant and appeal to guests. The Hangloose Adventure experience is a prime example of our plan in action, and brings a new and exciting dimension to Bluewater’s unique day-out experience.”
Brian Phelps, managing director of Hangloose Adventure, added: “The location was ideal because of Bluewater’s significant ability to attract guests from a very large area, but also due to the availability of the outdoor space that could not really be used for anything else, in which we can realise such extreme elements to provide something unique to Bluewater. We will have all the measures in place to provide a safe, comfortable and thrilling experience for guests with Skywire, and will be adding to the experience with new attractions over the coming months.”
