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‘A big fat leap into the unknown.’ “We wouldn’t let you go if you were going to die,” were perhaps not the most uplifting words to hear before I plunged headfirst across a quarry, and uplift was definitely what I needed as my excessive body weight haunted me just this one last time before I took the plunge. North Wales has a strange and ominous charm, windswept, empty and unspoilt beaches are not far away from brooding mountains and secret lakes. The community is built on slate mining with a passion for rugby, singing and poetry, which somehow seems to lend a special mythical feel to the Tolkien-esque landscape. The bleakly romantic vistas have drawn a new type of holiday maker here, one searching for adventure, and that doesn’t totally exclude the larger lady, such as myself. Adrenaline junkies can head to various ‘Zipworld’ sites and activities, whether they want to trampoline in underground caverns, rattle down the mountains on the Fforest coaster, or, like me, zip-wire headfirst over a quarry at nearly 100mph. I can well understand that many people may not be tempted to zip wire head first over a quarry due to various, very understandable, reasons. If you are not the adventurous type then North Wales offers many other reasons to visit. Taking a walk in its beautiful countryside, chatting to locals in a friendly pub, eating some amazing local produce in its fine restaurants, cycling the flat and beautiful Mawddach trail or just reading Dylan Thomas in a spa hotel, this place really does have it all. However, I was determined to get on the zip wire, although my reservations were very different to the normally sized. Here is the plus-size thrill seekers guide to overcoming your fat phobias so you can let your larger-than-life body catapult through the air at top speed. I was just under the maximum weight limit of 120kg, but they can amend this in bad weather, so this was my first hurdle. Basically my fat person concerns for the experience were: 1) Standing on a scale on the day that would flash my weight in front of 20 strangers 2) Exceeding the weight limit and being dragged from the centre unceremoniously whilst a flashing red light and loud alarm went off, probably accompanied by jeering and pitchfork wielding thin people 3) The ‘flight-suit’ (a red boiler suit type get-up necessary for the activity) would be too small and my bulbous bosom would burst out in some hideous Alien type manner mid-flight, or again I’d be turned over to the jeering pitchfork wielders These might seem like the musings of a crazy person but they were very real concerns for me and I would like to immediately assure any larger people keen to give this a try, DO IT! The staff of Zipworld were super professional and kind at every turn. The dreaded weigh-in went ahead without comment, only the staff see the numbers. My first suit was too small! I started to feel panic when my most held breath and prayers still didn’t facilitate fastening, but after just a few seconds a staff member sauntered over and subtly checked my size label. I was instructed to remove my suit and he returned with a larger one. (I suppose I should be flattered a visual assessment made them think I was a large, but, in-fact, the previously mentioned large chest could only be accommodated in an extra-large). The only other somewhat embarrassing moment was that I couldn’t fasten the seat belt on the truck that drives you up the mountain, but the guide very quietly handed me a seatbelt extender and my blushes were spared as I don’t think anyone else even noticed. Alright, I know the minute before I was released across the quarry I asked the staff if I might die in a moment of panic, but once I started flying over the turquoise waters of the lake I felt like nothing could ever hold me back, you really do feel like a superhero in flight. Everyone should get to feel like that, big or small, at least once in a lifetime. (Zipworld Velocity, Penrhyn Quarry, £65-£89 depending on day/date).