Report - Cwmorthan slate mine 0ct19

[monk]

A selection of pics from a quick explore around Cwmorthin with Sparky and my son.
It's been covered many times and much better in other threads but here's my efforts anyway.

History:
Cwmorthin Quarry is a slate quarry west of the village of Tanygrisiau, north Wales. Quarrying on the site started in 1810. In 1860 it was connected to the Ffestiniog Railway. In 1900 it was acquired by the nearby Oakeley Quarry and the two were connected underground. In 1970 it closed along with Oakeley.

Stunning scenery on the walk up

 

[Lavino]

Cool mine this one

 

[monk]

Cool mine this one

Yeah not bad, although we only did what we could on foot so didn't get the full experience of it.

 

[UkMorlin]

nice one mate

 

[Calamity Jane]

Always like seeing these mines. Even the entrance stuns me, all that slate built up and around the entrance, and the layers & colours, I just love it

 

[Lord Oort]

Love this place!

 

[HughieD]

Looks like you had a nice day for it. Lotsa slaty goodness....

 

[monk]

Looks like you hada nice day for it. Lotsa slaty goodness....

The Weather was amazing for late October in Wales, it was back to normal the following day though.

 

[tigger]

Underground slatey goodness!

Numerous visits over the years but I've never photographed the memorial garden area and it seems no-one else does either....one for @urbanchemist with a turbine

 

[alex17595]

Underground slatey goodness!

Numerous visits over the years but I've never photographed the memorial garden area and it seems no-one else does either....one for @urbanchemist with a turbine

It must be safer in the mine than in that shed

 

[DaveFM]

I like the staircase in this mine, its quite an unusual feature for a mine. Other bits look quite dangerous with what must have been false floors rotted away.

 

[monk]

Underground slatey goodness!

Numerous visits over the years but I've never photographed the memorial garden area and it seems no-one else does either....one for @urbanchemist with a turbine

I didn't even see it.

 

[monk]

I like the staircase in this mine, its quite an unusual feature for a mine. Other bits look quite dangerous with what must have been false floors rotted away.

I always thought the stair case in maenofferen was pretty cool but this one must be nearly double in steps.

 

[alex17595]

I like the staircase in this mine, its quite an unusual feature for a mine. Other bits look quite dangerous with what must have been false floors rotted away.

There are a fair few slate mines with staircases in. As mentioned there is one in Maenofferen, a few in Cwmorthin, Rhosydd and various ones in Oakeley.
I think this staircase was repaired not long ago, I recall in 2019 when I first went there was steps missing where as now they are all there.

They are (were) bridges rather than false floors used to cross former levels when the slate had been worked out. Some of them were originally built across water when it was allowed to flood but it was later dewatered by oakeley.

 

[Mr Sam]

Gotta be one of the best in North Wales but the walk kills me a little more each time! Legs were like jelly when we got back to the car last visit to the area.