Dorothea Slate Quarry· Page 2 · AditNow Community

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JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#21

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8111791.stm

Disco88
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#22

Accidents do happen, but so many of them that happen at Dorry are avoidable--people diving past their limits or their equipments capabilities.

Its such a great pity as its a great place for divers of all levels, even beginners,you've just gotta know your limits.

but how long will it be before the paths into it are blocked for access like they where in the 90s?
disco

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#23

I don't think they could be legally blocked for pedestrians, there are a couple of public footpaths that cut across the site. Closure to road vehicles is another matter!

Disco88
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#24

No they where never blocked for pedestrians but they were for vehicles. One entrance was blocked with very large rocks the other a huge pile of slate. The pile of slate grew and shrunk on a regular basis, divers would flatten it down enough to allow 4x4s over and whoever put it there would systematically build it back up again.

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#25

Just wondering - the 'track' past the pit was the original road linking Nantlle and Talysarn before the current looping road was built.

Could anyone confirm - was the road unadopted (or whatever the phrase will be) by the council? If not then it would still be a right of way for traffic.

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

hymac580c
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#26

In the early nineties there were a load of what was called then 'new age travellers' (hippies) that settled in the quarry for quite a while in old caravans and lorries. I think the blocking of the track was something to do with that perhaps.

Bellach dim ond swn y gwynt yn chwibian, lle bu gynt yr engan ar cynion yn tincian.

turbo
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#27

anybody know anything about the tunnel in the trees by talysarn hall ,i went in to have a look ,but ends in a collapse .

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#28

That was an earlier route for the Nantlle tramway. It is unfortunate that it ends where it does because having paced it out it would have only gone another few yards before emerging. It is blocked by tipping that has come through the roof. I would guess it was diverted to the south to avoid the advancing tip.

turbo
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#29

ok thanks ,im going back to have another look round ,is there anything else of interest in the area.

JohnnearCfon
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#30

Loads! For a start, a steam winder a few levels up from near there. Remains of various blondins etc.

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#31

Indeed,

this was the quarry when as a boy I found my interest in slate quarries (which has re-emerged in recent years).

The Dorothea is the largest of the nanttle quarries, and there is much to see.

Follow the tramway to PenyOrsedd and you will see the remains of an equipped mill (winner of the Wales heat of Restoration Village in 2006). Above that is the one remeining standing Blondin tower (when were the rest toppled?) and the Blondin Winch houses are interesting.

various old boilers about. And I am guessing that you know about the beam engine.

Personally I love the place.

Oh, and if you do visit, take a look at the detail of the PenyOrsedd WW1 war memorial - a fascinating memorial to the quarrying as well as the war. It is now in the churchyard (but was on the Workshop level of PenyOrsedd. I have put photos of it on ME.

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

16 years ago

#32

Another diver rescused over the weekend...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8111791.stm

"beeb" wrote:
A man has been airlifted to hospital as a precaution over decompression sickness after surfacing from a 150ft (45m) deep dive.

The 29-year-old amateur diver had been in a lake at the former Dorothea Quarry in the Nantlle Valley of Snowdonia.

my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by

james cartwright
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#33

"squirrel" wrote:
is it right there is an old steam crane underwater at Dorothea?

From what i can make out from some dive photos my mate took down there the crane looks a bit like that of a Ruston Bucyrus with a petrol engine circa 1940's.but defo not steam.

That hole aint gona dig it's self boy[/b]

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#34

"simonrl" wrote:
Another diver rescused over the weekend...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8111791.stm

"beeb" wrote:
A man has been airlifted to hospital as a precaution over decompression sickness after surfacing from a 150ft (45m) deep dive.

The 29-year-old amateur diver had been in a lake at the former Dorothea Quarry in the Nantlle Valley of Snowdonia.

Do try to keep up 007 (I posted this on the previous page)

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#35

Not Dorothea specific (not sure which of the Nantlle Quarries this directly affects - Talysarn? and Cilgwyn of course). But thought I would tag this news story on to the end of this thread:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8138876.stm

Campaigners fighting to stop the removal of a former slate tip in the Nantlle Valley have claimed victory after planning permission was refused.

Residents at Talysarn near Penygroes in Gwynedd, maintained the 3.7acre site - which they call Hen Domen (or Old Tip) - was a haven for wildlife.

[tweak]Made link clickable - vanoord[/tweak]

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

Vanoord
54.4% (Neutral)
Newbie

16 years ago

#36

Curious really, that the Council refuses planning consent for a scheme which they, themselves, wish to undertake.

I suspect the full details will emerge, but it's an odd decision from the point of view of the previous policy of reusing slate tips and thus creating employment.

If however, the decision is on grounds of traffic disruption etc., then it's a bit more understandable.

Hello again darkness, my old friend...

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

#37

Another couple suffering from the bends airlifted from Dorothea:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8423523.stm

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.

snowyrob
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

#38

as a former member of a scuba diving club, (thats how i found my interest in old quarrys and mines). i dived dotty loads of times. you need to treat dotty with respect, you can be finning along 15 - 20 meter ledges, with drop offs to 40-50+ meters underneath you, correct bouyancy is a must. as any diver will tell you. any slip ups you are in trouble. i did go through the tunnel at 22mts its towards the end of the promontory that sticks out into the lake. there s loads of old huts, dressing sheds, the crane is in a dilapadated state now. cars, vans, even the odd fish. although not for the fainthearted the underwater scenery is awsome :thumbsup:

ragl
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

#39

Okay, this may be relevant to Cilgwyn now, but if they are looking for capping material for the tip, the former Cilgwyn tip to the north of the quarry could be a candidate. Best get your photos while you still can.

Cheers

Alan

AndyC
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

15 years ago

#40

I thought that all of Cilgwyn is used in the landfill site that closed just over a year ago.

Is there anything to see? If so I would love to be told where to go ...

... and there are plenty who would love t tell me where to go.

Been injured while at work and are not to blame?

Get over it.