Outdoor pursuits
Whether you want to exercise on or under the water, or take a thrilling flight from a mountain top, there's a website out there to show you the way.
Plas Menai National Watersports Centre
http://www.plasmenai.co.uk
A great looking site that gives an overview of watersports and mountain courses available at this Sports Council for Wales centre on the Menai Strait, near Caernarfon. The latest news, career training opportunities and activities for school and colleges are available on this website.
Welsh Canoeing Association
http://www.welsh-canoeing.org.uk/
The association manages the National Whitewater Centre, Canolfan Tryweryn, at Bala, as well as access agreements to rivers like the Conwy, Llugwy and Glaslyn. Not the most visually exciting site, but buried in there is lots of information, as well as plenty of contacts if you need more.
North Wales Cruising Club
http://www.nwcc.info
This well-designed site makes it easy to access clear and practical information for club members and for yacht crews visiting Conwy. You'll find out about club facilities and events, local navigation and weather info, as well as being able to read the newsletter and contribute to a messageboard.
Suggested by Stephen Gorst of Glan Conwy
North Wales Boat Show
http://www.northwalesboatshow.co.uk/
This event for watersports enthusiasts was held for the first time in July 2008 at the Vaynol Estate near Bangor and will be back in 2009.
Suggested by Ben & Claire Sutcliffe
Llanbedr and Pensarn Yacht Club
http://www.lpyc.org.uk/index.html
This small and friendly sailing club based on an estuary close to Harlech has put together a helpful and comprehensive website for all those interested in getting afloat in this area.
South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club
http://www.scyc.co.uk
A well-designed and illustrated website, packed with information on all aspects of this 1,100-member sailing club based in Abersoch.
Abersoch Sailing School
http://www.abersochsailingschool.com/
Round-the-World yachtsman Pete Coop and his wife run this sailing school on the Llyn Peninsula where you can hire boats, take lessons or learn to sail your own boat. Craft available include dinghies and beach catamarans.
Anglesey Divers
http://www.diveanglesey.co.uk/
This diving school near Trearddur Bay on Anglesey teaches sub aqua skills at all levels, from complete beginners to instructors. They also offer powerboat handling tuition. The website also has useful information about dive sites and facilities all around the island, which has numerous wrecks to explore and fascinating marine life.
Diving Services Anglesey
http://www.ateal.co.uk/dsa/
As well as running a watersports shop at Trearddur Bay, Mike and Joyce McGee have the Menai Scuba School which gives sub aqua training in the sheltered Porth Castell bay. The site is very well laid-out and simple to use, with clear details on the area and services available, plus useful links and nice photos.
Colwyn Jetski Club
http://www.colwynjetskiclub.co.uk/
The Colwyn Jetski Club operates from the Victoria Pier slipway at Colwyn Bay and aims to promote safe use of personal watercraft. Members are offered coaching from qualified instructors and preferential use of seafront facilities.
Snowdon Gliders
http://www.snowdongliders.co.uk
As well as selling new and used paragliding equipment, the Snowdon Gliders have a paragliding school at Mynydd Llandegai, 10 minutes from the A55 at Bangor and on the edge of Snowdonia. Just the thing for daredevils, they teach all standards, from complete beginners upwards.
North Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club
http://www.nwhgpc.org.uk
The website provides an overview of the club's history, details about locations of gliding sites, league table and an online form for pilots to share new flight paths. Launch sites include Conwy, Penmaenmawr and the Great Orme, Llandudno.
Para-Excellence
http://www.angelfire.com/ar/ParaExcellence/
Not the slickest site design-wise, but it is packed with useful stuff about paragliding, including details of sites used in North West Wales, up-to-date weather information, safety advice and some superb photographs to inspire (or terrify) you. There is also rundown of courses for those hoping to take off for the first time, through to the experienced paraglider.
Canolfan Tryweryn National Whitewater Centre
http://www.ukrafting.co.uk/
This site conveys the excitement of whitewater rafting which takes place on the River Tryweryn near Bala. You'll find plenty of details of facilities and courses, although there are some broken links.
Suggested by Nick Penfold
Snowdonia Active
http://www.snowdonia-active.com/
The busy homepage has links to all sorts of information about Snowdonia and the work of this organisation. Outdoor enthusiasts can find out about the weather, forthcoming events and view maps and guides to the towns and villages of Snowdonia and beyond who offer a range of outdoor adventure facilities. Local businesses can take part in discussion forums on issues which effect the area, as advertise jobs in the outdoor sector. Overall, there is a great deal of current and archived information on this site if you plough through it, with the help of the mostly present navigation bars.
Suggested by Simon Panton from Llanberis
Snowdonia Weather Stations
http://www.fhc.co.uk/weather/
This site gives access to the information obtained from the weather stations of Snowdonia. The functional navigation bar guides you to both basic and very technical information about the current weather, as well as other archive materials. You can also check out the three live webcams to get an instant idea of the weather (if they're blurry it might well be the heavy mist and not the camera!), giving views of Moel Eilio, Snowdon's summit and from the Electric Mountain.
Suggested by Jeremy Williams from Llanfairfechan
WalesLive
http://www.waleslive.com
Keep up with all that's going on in the world of outdoor pursuits in North Wales. There are guides to water sports, climbing, country pursuits and lots more as well as forums to chat with other enthusiasts about equipment, events and jobs in the great outdoors.
Suggested by Paul Levy from Colwyn Bay.
Cornel Scout Base
http://www.cornelscouts.org.uk/
Owned and operated by the Welsh Scout Council, Cornel is a large camp site on the banks of Llyn Crafnant in the Carneddau with a fully equipped campers block and 25 acres of camping ground plus a converted farmhouse sleeping 28.
Suggested by Ian MacKenzie.
Surfing web guide.
More Outdoor Pursuits websites.
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