FINAL UNDERGROUND PROGRAM
Goginan and y Wern at Talybont
Friday 28th June
I will be leading 2 events on the Friday. There will be a combined surface and underground at Goginan followed by a surface walk around y Wern at Talybont
The drive from Goginan to Talybont is only a short one with directions supplied. My thinking is that delegates will be arriving at different times on the Friday and doing things this way will enable everyone to fit in something on that day. Plus these arrangements will not involve anyone getting plastered in gloop and needing serious clean up before the evening.
14.30 Goginan. Meet and park at SN 690816 pulling off the road as much as possible.
Surface walk plus short underground into Taylors Incline and the 26 fthm level where an ongoing WMS digging project can be seen
Taylors Incline is an easy walk in, at the bottom it goes into water but the bases of the haulage system can still be seen. The 26 fathom is a bit of a scramble over fall material getting in, but afterwards is easy walking. The level varies from dray to a few inches of water. I am not putting a limit on numbers as trips underground will be of short duration and I can rove the site gathering people together. Taylors can be in and out a leisure but the 26 fathom will be conducted in small parties. Its passes through an underground quarry of spacious dimensions, the level ends in an ongoing dig which may be the subject of interest and possibly some mirth
Overalls and wellies only needed.
Allow about half and hour to get to Talybont by driving along the A44 Aberystwyth road, and right turn at a small island and following the signposts to Machynlleth. Its two rights, dead easy.
17.00 Meet at Talybont Village Green.
Parking difficult so you will have to scout around
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Alltycrib-Mixed-Mine/ Archive Album
There is also opportunity to examine 2 Pelton turbines used to generate electricity, but not connected with mining.
Mines of Nant-y-moch.
Saturday 29th June and Sunday 30th June
Full day event with options of morning, afternoon, or both, mainly for the benefit of those who don’t do deep water.
Meet at NGR SN 763885 Plenty parking around here.
Morning. 10.30
Henfwlch
Easy, knee deep wade Knee deep wading at entrance gives way to dry level. Inner reaches gained by concrete stepped inclined winze. Attractions include a perfect example of an ore barrow, tallow candles, and miners clog prints.
Afternoon. 14.00
Brynyrafr
1/ Main stope (Moderate) A short easy trip requiring a hand line scramble to view a large stope;
2/ New Level (Technical: Very wet) A very wet but short easy trip exploring an extensive trial working with a few artifacts.
Camdwrbach
(Technical: Very wet, short handline scramble)
A narrow entry point into upper chest deep water gives way to more sociable workings. There are many interesting features, including a large stope and exploratory passages with black cave pearls.
There is also opportunity for a surface walks around Eaglebrook close by at SN 7359892 and Esgir Hir and Esgair Fraith accessible from a dirt road at SN723909. Mines at SN733992 and SN 739991
LEADER ROY FELLOWS
Ratgoed
Saturday 29th June and Sunday 30th June
Technical: Advanced SRT . Kindly arranged by CATMHS Wales
The trip is a full day event requiring advanced SRT skills with re-belays and deviations
10.30 to 11.00 each day. Meet at SH779119 Access is by a track so there may be some 4X4 sharing, however I drive up there is a Skoda Octavia VRS with lowered suspension, no problem.
LEADER JON KNOWLES
Alltycrib or Talybont Deep Adit
Saturday 29th June and Sunday 30th June
(Technical: Mild SRT, narrow winze with concrete steps and fixed ladders, thigh deep wading)
Morning and Afternoon Trips EACH DAY (2 trips per day) 10.30 and 14.30 respectively.
Meet at SN 650899
An easy grade 60 ft. descent of a footwall followed by a 25ft. slope and a 75ft. winze with fixed ladders and concrete steps to upper thigh deep wading. There is deeper water towards the original portal (optional). The inner reaches of the mine are dry. Artefacts include engine winze with pumping arrangements and collapsed horse whim. This mines was lost for years until being reopened by members of Welsh Mines Society in 2005.
Wilkinsons Level (Easy, self led. Fit it in as you wish) SN 651893An easy walk in enables exploration of the upper workings of the Talybont mine
LEADER PAUL SMYTH
Frongoch.
Saturday 29th June and Sunday 30th June
(Moderate: Laddered shaft from surface descends about 60 feet in stages, thigh deep wading. Optional Very Technical: Swimming in deep water, buoyancy aid recommended, exploration of flooded stopes) Meet at SN715741
Saturday and Sunday 10.30
This mine is a good example of very unspoiled workings with artefacts, clog prints, and unusual secondary mineralization. Engine shaft has pump rods in situ, but unfortunately not accessible at this time.
LEADERS TONY WILSON AND STUART TYRER
Pontrhydygroes Level Fawr.
Saturday 29th June and Sunday 30th June
(Technical: Some crawling and climbing, otherwise moderate, no deep water or SRT)
Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.30
Driven as a deep level to undercut the mines of Penygist, Glogfach and Glogfawr the level today makes an interesting trip with artefacts in the inner reaches.
LEADER HUGH RATZER
Bwlch Glas
Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.30
1/ Morning (Technical: Fixed ladders of 60 feet to freehanging 60 foot SRT with deviation) Interesting mine with headgear of underground shaft and large stope.
2/ Afternoon (Technical: Very wet) Deep adit leads to collapse on lode. Interesting winze with wooden kibble.
Please note that water level may be lowered by the date of the event.
LEADERS STEVE HOLDING AND MIKE DAVIES (Saturday)
ALAN AND VICKY ROBINSON (Sunday)
Ystrad Einion. (Easy)
Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.30
Walk in adit requiring only wellies leads to underground waterwheel and pumping shaft. Optional laddered climb of 15ft to upper workings.
LEADER DAVE SEABOURNE
Temple Mine.
Saturday 29th June
(Easy) Walk in adit with water at knee deep maximum to interesting stope with balance bob and power train.
ALAN AND VICKY ROBINSON
Sunday 30th June
Afternoon only, 2.30
LEADER 'MOLE'
(Sunday morning chapel makes parking on Sunday morning impossible)
Cwmystwyth.
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th 10.30
Level Fawr SRT trip down skipway/incline, ( not freehanging )
LEADER 'MOLE'
Monday 1st July
OPTION 1: An all day event surface and easy walk in undergrounds. Meet 10.30 in the mill area. Lots of parking round and about.
(Please don't confuse with the Metal Links surface only)
No SRT or water above the thigh. People can pick and choose their underground as they wish as all will be of short duration except Level Fawr. Trips into Herbert's, Kings Queens etc, a general walkabout and dive into hole day.
LEADER ROY FELLOWS
OPTION 2: Level Fawr SRT trip down skipway/incline, ( not freehanging )
LEADERS ALAN and VICKY ROBINSON
My avatar is a poor likeness.