EPIC art installation arrives in remote North Wales Valle
Find your EPIC
- Awe-inspiring art launches the start of the summer holiday season in Wales
- Bumper summer anticipated, following Wales’ unprecedented Euros success
- Team of world record holders and adventure enthusiasts launch campaign to #FindYourEpic
21st July 2016 – An EPIC art installation has been unveiled in Snowdonia today.
The colossal lettering, which stands over four metres tall and 11 metres wide appeared in Pen y Gwryd in North West Wales.
Commissioned by Visit Wales as part of its Year of Adventure campaign, the artwork is set to tour various locations across the length and breadth of the country over the summer and early autumn.
The installation is mirrored to reflect the breath-taking backdrops of some of the countless locations in Wales that embody the word ‘epic’ – something that is heroic, impressive or remarkable.
Having taken three weeks and four people to build, each letter weighs a staggering 350kg. – around two tonnes in total. Ten people will be needed to install it in each location.
Visitors are being encouraged to share their images of the letters on social media using the hashtag #FindYourEpic.
Ken Skates, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, said: “This is an incredible time for tourism in Wales. We are seeing record numbers of people coming here and staying here and it’s all because of our increasing profile on a world stage.
“The buzz from the Euros is fantastic and I’m confident that with the development of new innovative attractions, the quality of the tourism offer and more of these kind of epic adventures, we will see a further increase in tourism in Wales.
“The EPIC letters are huge in scale and will be appearing across Wales, popping up in unknown destinations and encouraging people to find their own epic experiences in the Year of Adventure.”
EPIC was launched by Richard Parks, Visit Wales Year of Adventure ambassador and world record-breaking explorer, Ash Dykes, North Wales Adventurer and world record holder, Jo Dennison, four times Welsh surf champion and head coach at Surf Snowdonia, and Pete Caterall, head mountain bike coach at Plas y Brenin, National Mountain Sports Centre.
Richard Parks, former Wales international Rugby Union player turned extreme environment athlete, commented: "It’s awesome to see so many people embracing the spirit of adventure and finding their own version of epic here in Wales. This is another great idea to celebrate and promote a ground breaking year and I'm super proud to be involved.”
Snowdonia makes a fitting first location for the EPIC installation, boasting North Wales’ most iconic mountain range and the stunning walks, hikes and climbs within, as well as a wealth of adventure attractions, including the world’s longest man-made waves at Surf Snowdonia, the world’s longest zip wire at Zip World, and the utterly unique Bounce Below, where visitors can jump around on giant cargo nets, slides and tunnels, all underground in a converted slate mine.
Andy Ainscough, Managing Director at the Surf Snowdonia Adventure Parc, said: “I think it’s safe to say the whole of Wales had a real buzz about it during the Euros, and that’s showing no sign of waning. The sense of pride in the Welsh spirit is palpable, and our visitors are coming from all over the UK – and Europe – to share in that feel-good factor.”
“The EPIC letters are huge in scale and will be appearing across Wales, popping up in unknown destinations and encouraging people to find their own epic experiences in the Year of Adventure.”
EPIC was launched by Richard Parks, Visit Wales Year of Adventure ambassador and world record-breaking explorer, Ash Dykes, North Wales Adventurer and world record holder, Jo Dennison, four times Welsh surf champion and head coach at Surf Snowdonia, and Pete Caterall, head mountain bike coach at Plas y Brenin, National Mountain Sports Centre.
Richard Parks, former Wales international Rugby Union player turned extreme environment athlete, commented: "It’s awesome to see so many people embracing the spirit of adventure and finding their own version of epic here in Wales. This is another great idea to celebrate and promote a ground breaking year and I'm super proud to be involved.”
Snowdonia makes a fitting first location for the EPIC installation, boasting North Wales’ most iconic mountain range and the stunning walks, hikes and climbs within, as well as a wealth of adventure attractions, including the world’s longest man-made waves at Surf Snowdonia, the world’s longest zip wire at Zip World, and the utterly unique Bounce Below, where visitors can jump around on giant cargo nets, slides and tunnels, all underground in a converted slate mine.
Andy Ainscough, Managing Director at the Surf Snowdonia Adventure Parc, said: “I think it’s safe to say the whole of Wales had a real buzz about it during the Euros, and that’s showing no sign of waning. The sense of pride in the Welsh spirit is palpable, and our visitors are coming from all over the UK – and Europe – to share in that feel-good factor.”
