Scotland is getting its very own Wavegarden. Image: Press Release
Wave pools are popping up all over the world, and the shovels just hit the dirt for the latest project in Ratho, Scotland. The development, which is a stone’s throw from Edinburgh, will cost around £55 million, which works out to about $66 million USD.
Built using Wavegarden technology, the development will be the country’s first inland surfing destination (there is of course Surf Snowdonia in Wales and Wave Bristol in southwest England). If all goes well, it will open to the public by the summer of 2024. The developers are projecting that, once open, the park will create up to 130 jobs, generating up to £11m for the local economy while attracting over 180,000 visitors each year.
“The family-friendly park will feature a surf school and overnight accommodation and will for the first time give Scottish surfers the opportunity to train at home all year round and improve their chances of competing at major events, including the Olympics,” a press release reads.
The development will be in a 60-acre park, and won’t be just a wave pool. The release went on to explain that it will “offer waterside accommodation for all needs, including families, surfers and international visitors, through luxury lodges, glamping pods, accessible wave pods, bothies and canal berths.”
Outside of the pool, there are plans for a waterfront restaurant and food market, retail outlets, a surf school, a wellness spa, and a number of viewing terraces overlooking the surf.
“It has taken many years of hard work and collaboration to get to this point and we could not be happier to see work begin on the country’s first surf park,” said Andy Hadden, Founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd., which is developing Wavegarden Scotland. “This is a special moment for all the team and marks a major milestone in our journey to creating this extraordinary leisure and staycation attraction for Scotland.”
