Minllyn Slate Mine (mine) · AditNow Community

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rookie93
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Anybody got any info on a trip time up to minllyn and around the underground workings? Thanks

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RJV
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

An hour or two if you don't spend much time looking at stuff. A few trips to go over it properly. There are access conditions in force nowadays I think. Not sure how they work I'm afraid.

staffordshirechina
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

It takes a couple of hours for a basic trip.
I'm not sure about access arrangements but it is used by at least two outdoor centres who do have permission.
I will be inspecting it for the North wales outdoor centres panel in two weeks time.

rookie93
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Great thanks

rookie93
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Have you got any good suggestions of mines in the north wales area? Been to a few in blaenau area e.g cwmorthin, rhosydd, wrysgan, croesor etc looking for another trip out with plenty to see but not sure which are worth a look

NewStuff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Guess who hit the edit button instead of reply... :curse: I suggested Moel Fferna.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

rookie93
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Do you have an idea of how much SRT is down their? Can you walk alot of the place or is it all ropes and climbing?

RJV
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

"rookie93" wrote:
but not sure which are worth a look

Most of them probably in some way or other. :)

Good days are to be had heading up into into the hills with a book & a map and seeing what you stumble upon. Much better than falling into the weary trap of visiting only 'name' mines.

viewer
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

"rookie93" wrote:
Do you have an idea of how much SRT is down their? Can you walk alot of the place or is it all ropes and climbing?

In terms of access, just srt or electron down access shaft (15-20 metres). I'm sure you could find other srt once inside if you wanted but not necessary for a mooch around.

'Learning the ropes'

Tamarmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#10

"rookie93" wrote:
Have you got any good suggestions of mines in the north wales area? Been to a few in blaenau area e.g cwmorthin, rhosydd, wrysgan, croesor etc looking for another trip out with plenty to see but not sure which are worth a look

Get yourself a copy of Richards' Gazetteer of the Welsh slate industry and work your way through it. That way you get to visit the obscure out of the way sites which, whilst not on the scale of the big Blaenau quarries often have a charm of their own.

It's a lot more interesting ploughing your own furrow rather than following in other people foot steps.

NewStuff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#11

re Moel Fferna:-

As Viewer said, its not much. 40-45ft shaft with a fixed ladder on the bottom half. My 30M rope is easily long enough, with plenty of excess at the bottom. There is a bolt in place to anchor from, and a nice sturdy spike to back it up, but obviously, check them first. I don't run a deviation from the tree, but lot's do. Watch on the way down, as first timers usually end up with an unwanted ladder-bum interface if they are not warned... :tongue:

A few videos on Youtube if you want a look-see, as well as the plethora of pictures on this forum.

I'm a big old scaredy cat when it comes to heights (as anyone that's ever seen me at the top of a pitch will attest to), and I drop it without too much brown stuff going down the trouser legs.

Searching for the ever elusive Underground Titty Bar.

DDDWH CC

simonrl
51% (Neutral)
Administration

10 years ago

#12

"Tamarmole" wrote:
Get yourself a copy of Richards' Gazetteer of the Welsh slate industry and work your way through it. That way you get to visit the obscure out of the way sites which, whilst not on the scale of the big Blaenau quarries often have a charm of their own.

Well said, plenty of hidden gems off the beaten track. The big stuff is great; but you run out of those quite quickly. Treat AJR's descriptions with a pinch of salt, there's occasionally more there than the book suggests ;)

[mod]Dodgy posting skills fixed - RJV :thumbup:[/mod]

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

sinker
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#13

"SimonRL" wrote:

Treat AJR's descriptions with a pinch of salt.....

That's all part of the fun with the Gazeteer....:lol:

I'm being unfair. I keep my copy in the door pocket of the car as it is very useful when you come across some obscure pit in the middle of nowhere. The basic info is mostly good. You just need to do most of the research yourself....

Yma O Hyd....

Tamarmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

#14

"SimonRL" wrote:

"Tamarmole" wrote:
Get yourself a copy of Richards' Gazetteer of the Welsh slate industry and work your way through it. That way you get to visit the obscure out of the way sites which, whilst not on the scale of the big Blaenau quarries often have a charm of their own.

Well said, plenty of hidden gems off the beaten track. The big stuff is great; but you run out of those quite quickly. Treat AJR's descriptions with a pinch of salt, there's occasionally more there than the book suggests ;)

[mod]Dodgy posting skills fixed - RJV :thumbup:[/mod]

It's a sentiment that applies to mine exploration generally. I am currently putting my money were my mouth is on my own turf. Recently I have been exploring the more obscure corners of Calstock Parish. In the last month I have probably been in a dozen holes new to me within a ten minute drive of where I live. Most were crappy little trials but one or two have been rather interesting.

I think that it is all too easy to forget the exploration bit of mine exploration and just follow the beaten track.