WORK BEGINS ON SCOTLAND’S FIRST INLAND SURFING DESTINATION

Major construction work at Scotland’s newest leisure and staycation facility, Wavegarden Scotland, got underway today in Ratho, near Edinburgh. The £55m landmark development will include the country’s first inland surfing destination using revolutionary new technology.

The Wavegarden Scotland development is expected to open to the public in summer 2024 – boosting long term socio-economic, recreational and tourism benefits including creating up to 130 jobs once open, generating up to £11m for the local economy and 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.

The development will use the latest wave generation technology called the Wavegarden Cove, developed by Wavegarden in Spain. The site will host surfers of all abilities who can ride the 1,000 bespoke ocean-like waves created per hour.

Set within a 60-acre country park, the new destination 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.

Wavegarden Scotland will also be home to The HUB, with facilities including a waterfront restaurant and food market, retail outlets, a surf school, a wellness spa, and a number viewing terraces overlooking the surf.  Lothian-based company, Rogue Village will develop a dynamic programme of events and create a unique food destination. 

Andy Hadden (pictured above), Founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd, which is developing Wavegarden Scotland, said: “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. 

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.”

VisitScotland Regional Director Neil Christison said: “It is fantastic to see innovative investment such as this into the tourism product for Edinburgh and the surrounding area. This unique development will make an impressive addition to the tourism offering in Scotland as a whole, creating jobs and supporting the continued recovery of this vital part of our economy. We look forward to working with the Wavegarden Scotland team as the development continues.

VisitScotland is committed to championing change to shape the responsible growth of Scotland’s valuable tourism and events industry in a way that respects people and places.”

This new surf destination will include a whole raft of new Wavegarden technology, including improved air and tube riding sections, as well as Waikiki and Malibu waves which break in the reef areas for the beginners. 

Wavegarden has witnessed extremely high growth in the surf park sector with more than 60 projects currently in development across the globe, 7 facilities operating successfully and 7 projects currently under construction across 4 continents, proving the growing global appetite for surfing and its many physical and mental health benefits.

Fernando Odriozola, Wavegarden’s Chief Commercial Officer, added: “The project in Scotland is progressing and reinforces the confidence our clients and the market has in our leading technology.”