The first ride is a kilometre-long swoop high above sheep-dotted moorland with striking windswept views of mountains, lakes and streams. And then it gets rather more hair-raising.

The next two trips involve 70mph plunges over jagged quarries and old mine workings. There isn't time to enjoy the sights; it feels more like a matter of clinging on for dear life.

This is Zip World Titan, billed as the attraction that will turn north Wales into the zip wire capital of the world and help build the area's reputation as an international adventure destination.

The team behind the £1m project in (and above) Blaenau Ffestiniog claim there are now more hi-tech zip lines in a 25-mile radius around this slate mining town than anywhere else on Earth.

"I guarantee you'll love it," said Sean Taylor, co-owner and former Royal Marine commando, as he supervised the thankfully thorough strapping in and hooking up process on the summit of Cribau mountain, high above Blaenau.

"And it's perfectly safe. In fact, we've slowed this first ride down so that you can enjoy the views. We don't like to say it's an extreme experience. It's more a challenging experience."

The panorama is spectacular. Way in the distance is the great lump of Cadair Idris, a favourite hikers' mountain that dominates the southern end of Snowdonia national park. To the north-west is Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, while in the middle distance are the blocky towers of the disused Trawsfynydd nuclear power station.

Once strapped into a harness and hooked up to the wire (most of the gear is made in Wales, though the cable is manufactured in Italy), staff check the landing area is clear, open the gates on the metal platform and the zip-wire fliers, wearing bright red overalls and helmets, zoom out into open space.

Although relatively gentle, the first ride is not tranquil: even on a rare windless day the rushing air makes the swoop a noisy one. And the promise on the publicity bumph that the flight mimics that of a peregrine falcon may be exaggerated – it is hard not to end up twisted around if you turn to look back towards Snowdon. No peregrine ends up coming down sideways.

But even if you don't quite feel like a falcon, there is no doubt that it is thrilling to be flying down over the greens, browns and greys of the moor.

The instruction for the second ride over the quarry workings is clear: "Do not curl into a ball shape". If you do, you will go too fast. It turns out that the moorland swoop was a warm-up. This one is a 70mph blast. The bright rhododendrons become a blur; there isn't really time to feel frightened before coming to a juddering halt on the far side of the quarry. And it is a communal affair. One of the selling points is that this is Europe's only four-person zip wire. A family or group of friends can fly in unison, enjoying each other's whoops and cries.

The final zip is no slower, but it is different because you fly over some of the historical slate mine buildings that led to Blaenau becoming known as the town that roofed the world. At the height of the slate industry in the late 19th century, more than 4,000 people worked here. The decline of the town was as rapid as its rise – now only a handful of people continue to mine slate.

"We're a post-industrial town," said county councillor Paul Thomas, whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather worked in the slate mines. "Jobs are hard to come by and it's important we find something else."

Some of the older generation may be sceptical, but Thomas is sure a combination of heritage and adventure tourism is the way forward for the town. The Llechwedd Slate Caverns complex, where Zip Wire Titan is based, attracts thousands of visitors a year. Mountain bike trails ring the town and kayaking and climbing businesses are booming. Zip Wire Titan should bring many more visitors into Blaenau.

"There is a buzz in the town," said Thomas. The market hall, which has long lain empty, is being converted into an outdoors centre; the old Manod hotel is becoming a bunk house; a derelict chapel is being transformed into a family indoor play centre. "Some people can't see the potential," said Thomas. "They still want the heavy industry back. But that's not likely to happen."

Welsh government figures show outdoor activity tourism is worth £481m to the country's economy and supports 8,243 Welsh jobs.

The young tend to be less suspicious of the switch from digging underground to soaring above it.

Iestyn Pritchard, 21, is among those who have been employed as an instructor at Zip Wire Titan. "It's great for the area. There really isn't that much work round here. Most people have to leave to find a job. This is something new for the town. It can only be a good thing."