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Report - - Parc Lead Mine - North Wales - July '19 | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Parc Lead Mine - North Wales - July '19

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Mr Sam

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Weather forecast was advertised as possibly one of the hottest in recorded history so the plan was get underground where it might be a little cooler, Well the first destination was Cae Coch Sulphur Mine the walk/HIKE up a wooded hillside to the adit was absolute hell already 25C climbing in wellies taking breaks just to get our breaths and wipe the sweat pouring off my head standing at the adit was bliss with momentary wafts of cool dense air albeit with the pungent aroma of sulphur, depending into Cae Coch i was waiting for it to get better unfortunately for me thats been spoilt with cavernous slate mines it just didn't and the reward really didn't warrant the climb in the heat!

Ascending back out of the mine the heat just hit you and instantly steamed the camera up, like when you are in a supermarket abroad walking down the chilled isles then stepping back outside but anyway heres a couple from Cae Coch...

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Back down the hillside in blistering heat scurrying into the car to crank up the air conditioning and attempt to rehydrate, Parc the main event for the day was only 10 minute drive but was more in the valley and the walk from car to adit was much easier, Again though instantly feeling the heat a nice cool stream to dunk my head in was very welcome. On reaching the adit to Parc there was a definite draught of ice cold air blowing out. Upon entering theres a tramway and pipework this is much more my kind of mine! the first tunnel takes you to a junction built on a false floor with around 120ft + drop so great care must be taken and always checking your surroundings especially setting up shots then stepping back a few feet to try a different shot you really have to check where you put your feet! Loads to see and photo and apparently 200+ ore shoots and after photographing a few of these the cool air has made me wish i brought a jumper! The stoops where they worked the vein really are impossible to photograph in a way that shows off the height, again ore shoots probably every few hundred yards along with sheer drops to the lower levels. For me theres a dead end (I'm wearing jeans and a t shirt and have only these close to travel back in my mates car) The dead end is actually a confined crawl/wriggle through a tight tunnel into older workings.

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here we see the junction showing the false floor

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Ore Shoot

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its hard to make out in a picture put this is one of the stoops looking level with the tramway

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as an ex railwayman this is what makes mines for me

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Looking up at the props supporting a stoop

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"The Great Escape" if you can remember the film and the tiny tunnel they dug this is roughly those dimensions if not smaller.

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Heres a few clips chucked together taken on iPhone 7


to finish off we had a wander around the surface features of Rhiwback Slate Mine I got home 18 hours after setting out big thanks to @alex17595 for driving and tour guiding


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alex17595

Down t'pit
Regular User
I got a photo of the crawl with a hard hat for scale. Also after the collapse it continues on similar to the above photos, with a couple of routes up into the stopes. After a fair distance you get to a hole with the tramway going over it which is where I called it quits as @Mr Sam wouldn't go through the crawl.

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tigger

mog
Regular User
Braver than me to even start the slog to Cae Coch in heat. It does reward the effort with some very photogenic parts though.
Great photos of Parc (Alex's hard hat one is cool....I'm too old and fat for crawls like that one now...still do it though?).

Your photo makes that exit incline look longer and less steep than it feels. Love the photo, most people seem to ignore the wider views yet the slate workings either side of the tramway cry out for them :)
 

WB

28DL Wood Burner
28DL Full Member
I do love this place. Myself & @Raptor Jesus spent a good 3 hours in there but didn't get through that crawl at the end due to unsuitable footwear/clothing.

Need a return visit really to 'finish it off'

Nicely captured anyway. :)
 

alex17595

Down t'pit
Regular User
How dare you insult Cae Coch and call it second rate! At least without showing some of the special features.

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Praada

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Cae Goch will take the laces out your boots haha very acidic water, some cool formations though but yes feature wise its quite bland, but the mineral deposits are very photogenic as the photo above shows with the iron and sulphur deposits, think i may venture in there when we head over at the end of month, crib goch ridge to tackle in the morning followed by a couple of mines, parc and cae goch probably :)
 

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