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Not just saving inspirational holiday photos on Instagram for future trips, you can explore popular attractions and sites in a different way: virtual tours! Watch your wish-to-go places more realistically and lively with 360-degree panoramic views and virtual tour videos.
As part of my #TravelFromHome series, today I’m going to take you to Wales! The focus of listings for Wales is slightly different from my previous posts about virtual tours in London and England; this time, it’s all about nature and activities!
Snowdonia National Park
Travel Snowdonia National Park virtually, the UK’s 3rd largest national park, and feel the grand nature Wales has to offer.
Virtual Trekking
Virtual Mountains shares several online trekking routes in Snowdonia National Park, giving you a glimpse of what it’ll feel like to hike the mountains there. On the web page, choose a thumbnail photo of the starting point you want to see. As long as your browse supports HTML5 you can have this virtual trekking experience. You can also connect this with Google Cardboard VR.
360-degree Panoramic Guide Video
Among the mountains in Snowdonia National Park, Snowdon is the highest one, hence the name of the national park! The landscape of other mountain peaks and lakes from the top of Snowdown must be splendid. I tried to see this view a few years ago, although I had to give up at the midpoint due to the bad weather… But with this panorama video, I can imagine how it would’ve been if I had managed to go up to the top. In contrast to what the English countryside typically offers, here you can feel the proper raw, grand nature of Wales. Hopefully, in the near future, I’d like to visit Snowdonia National Park again and absorb the view in person. โฐ๏ธ
Fairy Glen
Fairy Glen is a valley where River Conwy flows. Not that far from Snowdonia National Park, Fairy Glen usually attracts visitors, who stay near the national park, as part of their holidays in the area. From this website, you can see this spot in a 360-degree panoramic view.
Brecon Beacons National Park
Virtual Trekking
Like you could go virtual trekking to Snowdonia National Park, the same website (Virtual Mountains) can also take you to Wales’ another famous national park, Brecon Beacons. On the web page, routes are divided into Eastern and Western; and the Western routes (those in red borders) are available for virtual trekking on most devices like tablets and mobile phones that support HTML5. But the Eastern Routes require a QuickTime plugin and may not work on some devices. When you put a mouse over thumbnails of each route, the map screen takes you to the designated starting point. Enjoy virtual trekking you fancy seeing!
360-degree Panoramic Guide Video
If you want an overall virtual tour of Brecon Beacons National Park, The Telegraph’s YouTube channel has a 360-degree video of it. It shows various beautiful spots inside the national park including the mountain peaks and waterfalls. Former Welsh rugby player, now ‘extreme environment athlete’ and TV presenter, Richard Parks is your guide here, narrating information on the national park.
Cardiff International White Water
Normally, outdoor activities are not accessible unless you go to the suburbs or further out, but not in Cardiff. Cardiff International Sports Village in Cardiff Bay has artificial facilities for white water rafting! Till it’s safe to travel and visit the place in person, watch the 360-degree video below and imagine white water rafting in Cardiff.
Zip World Velocity in Bethesda
If you like adventures and outdoor activities, you might have already heard of Zip World Velocity. In Bethesda, northwest of Wales, Zip World Velocity has Europe’s longest zip line course. Not only that, the view you see hanging on a zip line while lying with your face downward is very unique since the site used to be a slate quarry. To top off the thrilling experience, the maximum speed the zip line can move is beyond 160km/h (100 mph)… Although I’m not a hardcore thrill-seeker, I was intrigued by this whole crazily unique concept and this 360-degree VR video gives me a rough idea.
Pentre Ifan
To history & mystery lovers, have a look at this impressive burial chamber in Pembrokeshire. The biggest and well-preserved burial chamber in Wales is Pentre Ifan, where 4 stone pillars support the 16t capstone so well with a balance. Visit this website for a 360-degree view of the Pentre Ifan burial chamber!
I can’t wait to travel safely and visit these places in person. But till that time comes, the virtual tours will have to do the trick! Visit Wales Later for amazing nature and exciting activities, and #StaySafe.
Travel other places in the UK, VIRTUALLY!
#TravelFromHome series
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2 Comments
Hi Sehee, are you still doing virtual tours? Am looking at doing virtual tours in the UK.
Hi Kevin, thank you for your comment!
I published 4 posts about the list of virtual tours across the UK – London, England, Wales and Scotland. Did you mean if I was going to upload more #TravelFromHome series posts like those? ๐
Regards,
Sehee