Hi everyone, this is a miniature report, so perhaps a bit lame in that, but there's only 1 real photo of interest and and comment, that I think justifies a mini report posting.
I had big plans... which crumbled. A combination of needing to take my 14 year old son with me on my latest trip (not original plan) for half term and he doesn't cave/climb/explore so forced into this by evil father + the weather was a bit wet and wee bit breezy was not ideal for taking children up classic scrambles (although I'm always up for that myself as a bit of weather adds interest). Anyhow, among the various fun and games of the last few days I took him through the classic Croesor to Rhosydd Through Trip ("CRTT"). Sometimes it feels like half the world and their dog have been through and there are many reports here that are excellent and far better in photos and write up than I can manage, so please read them. Taken reasonably randomly here's Mr Sam's excellent report https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/croesor-slate-mine-north-wales-november-19.121245/
We walked up from Tanygrisiau , Thursday late afternoon and walked to Croesor adit arriving shortly before sunset. The weather was rain and wind occasionally stopping, but you could tell it was brewing for a good storm. On our way we stopped to admire the entrance Adit of Conglog L2 which I'd originally planned a quick explore and a repot just on that
Looking back down to Cwyn Orthin from the top of Conglog's incline in a gap in the weather
Unfinished business.... I'll be back for you Conglog! Although I think chest waders would be good as that looks more than wellie
Good old Croesor
Now, from doing the CRTT or reading the other posts you probably know the drill. But.. here's what might be of interest in this report... When you get to the top of the smoke pipe incline and see the iron bars - the ordinary route turns left and has the first pitch (~25m abseil into the unstable chamber). HOWEVER... the other direction, looking right (when facing up the incline) is the start of the alternative "spicy" route, that has traverses ziplines, an electron ladder and a number of exciting adventures.
Start of the traverse of the "spicy" route, heading out high over the big lake you see on right (West) when you pass the flooded main haulage incline
Unfortunately, as already mentioned, my son doesn't climb/cave/srt or at least only occasionally when dragged along with me (he's not really into that sort of thing
like I am ) so I really couldn't take him on that as it would be massively outside his skill and comfort - normal CRTT was severely pushing the boundary for him. So I had to sadly wave goodbye to that and go through the ordinary route. The next nugget of info for anyone wanting to sample Speedy and others hard work adding this (huge thanks to him/them!) is that there is something similar to the pic above when you are at the start of the second pitch of the ordinary route, presumably that is the spicy route re-joining the ordinary route. I also caught a glimpse of a zip line??? very high up the back of the unstable chamber.
The original CRTT zipline, which broke and was gone for a while, has been reinstated HOORAY!!!!!
leading of course on to the suspension bridge
And next to the best and of the series of 3 bridges
The rest I'll leave you to the more capable photography of the other reports, the only other thing of note was the canoe, which was stuck at the far side, oh joy... I started to strip off to swim and get it, and had one last attempt to shift it using a hand jammer and loop and blue rope snapping level of force and THANK GOODNESS it shifted from the rock and came to us, I was fully resigned to my swimming fate at that point, so a reminder not to go unless you are prepared to swim in a worst-case scenario, I only just dodged the bullet that time. It's such an effing classic of trip it'd be worth getting wet for it anyway
We did very briefly visit another quarry on Friday, the weather was storm, so an interesting hill walk above Blaenau given the conditions and the next day an also very quick look in to what I think may be Down and Beyond's favourite mine? But I had to exercise ultra caution as my son has never even seen a false floor before. Not ideal for a novice, but what a brilliant mine. I will need to be back there too
Hope this inspires some of you to return to CRTT and sample the "spicy" extra series (as long as you are very SRT/mine comfortable, don't want anyone having an epic!) . If you do go there, please post a real report of it here so we can see what "fun" awaits that way.
Lastly: A Massive Thank You to all those who generously equip and maintains CRTT
I had big plans... which crumbled. A combination of needing to take my 14 year old son with me on my latest trip (not original plan) for half term and he doesn't cave/climb/explore so forced into this by evil father + the weather was a bit wet and wee bit breezy was not ideal for taking children up classic scrambles (although I'm always up for that myself as a bit of weather adds interest). Anyhow, among the various fun and games of the last few days I took him through the classic Croesor to Rhosydd Through Trip ("CRTT"). Sometimes it feels like half the world and their dog have been through and there are many reports here that are excellent and far better in photos and write up than I can manage, so please read them. Taken reasonably randomly here's Mr Sam's excellent report https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/croesor-slate-mine-north-wales-november-19.121245/
We walked up from Tanygrisiau , Thursday late afternoon and walked to Croesor adit arriving shortly before sunset. The weather was rain and wind occasionally stopping, but you could tell it was brewing for a good storm. On our way we stopped to admire the entrance Adit of Conglog L2 which I'd originally planned a quick explore and a repot just on that
Looking back down to Cwyn Orthin from the top of Conglog's incline in a gap in the weather
Unfinished business.... I'll be back for you Conglog! Although I think chest waders would be good as that looks more than wellie
Good old Croesor
Now, from doing the CRTT or reading the other posts you probably know the drill. But.. here's what might be of interest in this report... When you get to the top of the smoke pipe incline and see the iron bars - the ordinary route turns left and has the first pitch (~25m abseil into the unstable chamber). HOWEVER... the other direction, looking right (when facing up the incline) is the start of the alternative "spicy" route, that has traverses ziplines, an electron ladder and a number of exciting adventures.
Start of the traverse of the "spicy" route, heading out high over the big lake you see on right (West) when you pass the flooded main haulage incline
Unfortunately, as already mentioned, my son doesn't climb/cave/srt or at least only occasionally when dragged along with me (he's not really into that sort of thing
like I am ) so I really couldn't take him on that as it would be massively outside his skill and comfort - normal CRTT was severely pushing the boundary for him. So I had to sadly wave goodbye to that and go through the ordinary route. The next nugget of info for anyone wanting to sample Speedy and others hard work adding this (huge thanks to him/them!) is that there is something similar to the pic above when you are at the start of the second pitch of the ordinary route, presumably that is the spicy route re-joining the ordinary route. I also caught a glimpse of a zip line??? very high up the back of the unstable chamber.The original CRTT zipline, which broke and was gone for a while, has been reinstated HOORAY!!!!!
leading of course on to the suspension bridge
And next to the best and of the series of 3 bridges
The rest I'll leave you to the more capable photography of the other reports, the only other thing of note was the canoe, which was stuck at the far side, oh joy... I started to strip off to swim and get it, and had one last attempt to shift it using a hand jammer and loop and blue rope snapping level of force and THANK GOODNESS it shifted from the rock and came to us, I was fully resigned to my swimming fate at that point, so a reminder not to go unless you are prepared to swim in a worst-case scenario, I only just dodged the bullet that time. It's such an effing classic of trip it'd be worth getting wet for it anyway
We did very briefly visit another quarry on Friday, the weather was storm, so an interesting hill walk above Blaenau given the conditions and the next day an also very quick look in to what I think may be Down and Beyond's favourite mine? But I had to exercise ultra caution as my son has never even seen a false floor before. Not ideal for a novice, but what a brilliant mine. I will need to be back there too
Hope this inspires some of you to return to CRTT and sample the "spicy" extra series (as long as you are very SRT/mine comfortable, don't want anyone having an epic!) . If you do go there, please post a real report of it here so we can see what "fun" awaits that way.
Lastly: A Massive Thank You to all those who generously equip and maintains CRTT
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