'Slice of the ocean inland' celebrates five years

Bosses said The Wave was the first inland surfing destination of its kind

The fifth anniversary of the opening of a surf lake has been celebrated in Bristol.

The Wave was the first inland surfing destination of its kind to open in the world, according to founder Nick Hounsfield.

The complex, described as a "slice of the ocean inland", celebrated its anniversary with an evening of live music and surfing on Friday.

Mr Housfield said he was "very proud" of what the site's team had achieved.

Around 250,000 individual surfers have surfed nearly 650,000 times at the complex

It was a landmark moment for the founder as the first riders of all ages, backgrounds and abilities took to the waves at its opening.

It had been designed to make the waves accessible to those with even the most severe disabilities, staff said.

Mr Hounsfield said: "It was a huge journey to achieve planning permission, secure funding and build The Wave.

"And opening in 2019 felt momentous. However, it really was just the beginning."

The Wave opened in 2019 after eight years of work from the team

The Wave celebrated five years with an evening of live music surfing on 25 October

The complex cost £26m to build and can generate up to 1,000 waves an hour.

It provides a gentle swell for aspiring surfers, as well as fast, hollow waves for veteran wave riders.

It is powered using solar array and battery storage – which created more energy than the site used each year, according to the The Wave team.

Since 2019, it has welcomed 400,000 visitors and enabled 400 para surfers to surf as part of regular surf sessions.

A group of children enjoy a surf lesson at The Wave

The Wave has enjoyed many highlights over the five years, including being part of the Commonwealth Games Baton Relay and testing and launching the "surf tool" for people with an upper body limb difference with Koalaa Prosthetics.

However, it has also faced some challenges.

Mr Hounsfield said: "Opening into a pandemic [Covid-19] that no-one could have predicted, kicked off five years of what has been a rollercoaster ride in many ways.

"Looking back, we have faced some huge challenges – but we have also learnt an incredible amount and achieved some great things, of which we are all very proud."

The Wave founder Nick Housfield said opening in 2019 "felt momentous" but was also "really was just the beginning"

Phil Williams, one of The Wave's regular surfers, said: " I often wondered if somewhere with so many visitors could create a sense of community – but, in the last five years, it’s done just that.

"So many different communities have grown and developed in this amazing blue space.

"It is a place I absolutely love – and the waves aren't bad either.

"These five years seem to have gone so quickly and I'm very much looking forward to the next chapter."