A new event has been added to the Events page.

Event name: Rhiw-bach for beginners

Date & time: 04/10/2008 at 10:00

Details: One of a series of "easy" trips.

This is intended as a gentle day out to Rhiw-bach slate mine, for those who haven't been there before. The trip will take about 2-3 hours underground and will not involve ropework.

Rhiw-bach is a relatively small underground working compared to the Blaenau Ffestiniog 'giants', but has the advantage of being one of very few 'through trips' where you can enter the mine from one entrance and leave from another, higher up the valley.

Depending on the weather, the trip may also include a look around the ruined mills at the top of the site and the incline, up which finished slate was hauled so it could be taken across to the other side of the mountain to be trans-shipped to the Ffestiniog Railway.

This trip is open to all, but is intended or those who have either not visited Rhiw-bach before or who wish to have a gentle introduction to mine exploration.

Event added by: Events Admin

Full event: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/events/?uid=19 

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Hope everybody is still OK for Saturday for the Rhiwbach trip? Everything is in place from this end.

Suggest we meet at 10am near Cwm Penmachno.

Streetmap map here: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=275350&y=347250&z=3&sv=275350,347250&st=4&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=275350&ay=347250 

There is limited parking near the bend in the road.

Rhiwbach is by no means the biggest of the Ffestiniog slate mines, and it's probably the easiest of these 'beginner' trips. We will probably be underground for 3 to 4 hours, however there will be plenty of time for taking photographs etc. within that.

A few people have also asked about looking at surface remains, of which there are plenty, and of course the Rhiwbach tranway (see Dave Sallery's excellent site http://www.penmorfa.com/Rhiwbach/ ) and there will be time to take the surface remains in as well. Dependant on weather and preference we can either do that before or after the underground trip.

Any questions please reply here or PM. Also if people could confirm attendance please (and PM mobile numbers if you wish) so we know not to wait for people who aren't coming!

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Would it not be more practical to park at the Cwt y Bugail quarry car park and then follow the tramway to Rhiwbach?

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Would it not be more practical to park at the Cwt y Bugail quarry car park and then follow the tramway to Rhiwbach?

Good point. Especially if we intend to do the surface remains first. I shall confer with Vanoord!

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Hi Simon - confirming that I'll be there on Saturday.
If you'll send me PM rights then I'll let you have my number.

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Hi Simon - confirming that I'll be there on Saturday.
If you'll send me PM rights then I'll let you have my number.

Your PM's are activated!

Ta Barney. I shall check with Vanoord later (it's pub quiz night!) about which car park to use (Cwm Penmachno or the top one at Manod) and post details tomorow.

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How long distance wise is this (including the walk in and out)?
and how rough / stoopy is it ?
I am very tempted ....

From either car park it isnt far, and its a nice easy walk through mine.
If i remember correctly, the Penmachno end has a very short steepish climb - if you park that end

As Barney says, not far, possibly 1/2 an hour max.

It's an easier walk from teh top car park, my only concern about the top car park is it's harder to find for people who don't know the area. Will post up tomorrow (hang on, didn't I say that last night) to advise the meeting place...

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A few more details:

Time: 10am, Saturday 4th October

Location: Car park adjacent to Manod (currently called Cwt-y-Bugail) quarry http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.992654&lon=-3.88968&z=15.5&r=0&src=msl 

Grid ref: SH733456

Directions: From Blaenau Ffestiniog, follow the A470 south. As you drive into the village of Ffestiniog, there is a small turning on the left, just after the first row of houses http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.962309&lon=-3.929646&z=18.1&r=0&src=msl  - follow the road that leads from this.

🔗Personal-Album-2-Image-107[linkphoto]Personal-Album-2-Image-107[/linkphoto][/link]

The road drops under the railway bridge, which has a slightly odd high kerb, owing to the road being dropped in order to allow the passage of paintings for wartime storage at Manod. Follow the road for around two miles up to the quarry entrance and park on the left hand side.

🔗Personal-Album-2-Image-108[linkphoto]Personal-Album-2-Image-108[/linkphoto][/link]

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Thank you Vanoord :flowers:

Attendee list is at present:

Amelia
davel
DylanW
glanypwll
hymac580c
robnorthwales (confirmed)
rols
simonrl (confirmed)
skimble
toadstone
vanoord (confirmed)
water_mad

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Confirmed. If you see me staggering up the road (with manky red rucksack on my back) you are welcome to offer me a lift 🙂

Thank you Vanoord :flowers:

Attendee list is at present:

Amelia
davel
DylanW
glanypwll
hymac580c
robnorthwales (confirmed)
rols
simonrl (confirmed)
skimble
toadstone(confirmed)
vanoord (confirmed)
water_mad

rols, water_mad and I are definitely coming 😉

I will be there at 10.00, hope the weather will be dry for us.

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A few thoughts...

If people wish to bring lunch along, then a time can be put aside for an underground snack :)

Equipment: headtorch and back-up light essential, helmet a very good idea - SimonRL can supply a couple if needed, but please shout now!

Clothing: Waterproofs are probably pretty much essential to get to the mine as it will no doubt be raining and that side of the mountain is a bit exposed. Wellies are a good idea - Simon popped up to Rhiwbach yesterday evening (pic below!) and reports water over ankle depth but not over wellie depth.

Food: see the above comment about lunch. I'd suggest at the very least a chocolate bar or two and a thermos of something warm.

Camera: there will be time for photography - a tripod is an extremely good idea if you've got one!

🔗Rhiw-Bach-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-015[linkphoto]Rhiw-Bach-Slate-Mine-User-Album-Image-015[/linkphoto][/link]

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Thanks for a great trip today & to Simon & Rob for providing extra lighting!
The lake

...Lister;~)

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Wow! That picture is a stunner!

(hope everybody has dried out, boy does it know how to rain up there)

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Many thanks for organising the trip Simon and Vanoord, hope everyone enjoyed the trip as much as I did, it's certainly whetted the appetite for more ! :thumbsup:

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