North Wales mines

[GarDouth]

Just wondered if anyone has any interesting suggestions for decent mine trips in North Wales.

Staying at Croesor village and done the classics like Croesor / Rhosydd, Cwmorthin, Wrysgan, Maenofferen etc.
Can anyone suggest some others and what the access might be like?

Feel free to DM if you don't want to make locations public. Happy to keep it discrete
Thanks.

 

[davel]

Pant y Wrach, Bwlch y Plwm and Catherine & Jane mines are all fairly close to Croesor. All three have scope for SRT trips.

Please be aware that parts of Bwlch y Plwm are bat hibernation sites.

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Prince Edward not too far either.

Prince Edward - Buddlepit Mine Database

Gold mine worked from 1895 to 1935.

buddlepit.co.uk

 

[wormster]

Drys y Coed??

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Also Benallt across the way if you're doing Drws y Coed.

 

[cavemanmike]

Milwr tunnel 😉😉

 

[ChrisJC]

Depends on what you consider decent. There are some good mines in the Gwydyr Forest, Parc, Hafna and Pandora for example.
Aberllefenni - Foel Grochan (red crane entrance) is pretty good too.

Cwmorthin and Maenofferen have a lot more to offer than can be seen on a single trip, as does Parc.

Chris.

 

[Fatman]

Forgive my ignorance but is there a guide book for N Welsh mine exploration?

 

[David Roberts]

Bwlch y Plwm is a nice mine but parking is very limited. As Dave L mentioned, parts of it are bat roosts but it's just a couple of short blind headings. There's a top to bottom SRT trip. The bottom adit is belly button deep at the entrance. There's a rigging diagram on Gethin's website for the top pitches. The lower ones have fixed rigging, which belongs to local outdoor centres. Here's the plan: https://www.train4underground.co.uk/bwlch-y-plwm-plan/

 

[AKuhlmann]

Forgive my ignorance but is there a guide book for N Welsh mine exploration?

There is! (kind of). Dave Baines has written a lovely series of documents with the headline info for some of the most popular mines for most mining regions. North Wales Mines by him I am using as a ticklist currently. It will tell you the name of the mine, where it is, and where to park but often not much more. You have to do the legwork to find rigging topos and surveys. Handily Dave himself has made many surveys and will charge you a very minor fee for them + postage of them. Last few times I've done it it's been approx. £3. His details can be found on here: https://british-caving.org.uk/our-work/training/leadership-awards/cic/

For caving we have: https://cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/registry/CoNW/CoNW.htm
And OHA is in Selected Caves of GB. Poachers may be too.

Cwmorthin and a few other mines are in Martyn Farr's Hidden Realms.
Chris Ebbs, creator of CoNW has also created Fflintshire Lead Mining: http://www.cambrianmines.co.uk/flintshireleadmining/

 

[Fatman]

There is! (kind of). Dave Baines has written a lovely series of documents with the headline info for some of the most popular mines for most mining regions. North Wales Mines by him I am using as a ticklist currently. It will tell you the name of the mine, where it is, and where to park but often not much more. You have to do the legwork to find rigging topos and surveys. Handily Dave himself has made many surveys and will charge you a very minor fee for them + postage of them. Last few times I've done it it's been approx. £3. His details can be found on here: https://british-caving.org.uk/our-work/training/leadership-awards/cic/

For caving we have: https://cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/registry/CoNW/CoNW.htm
And OHA is in Selected Caves of GB. Poachers may be too.

Cwmorthin and a few other mines are in Martyn Farr's Hidden Realms.
Chris Ebbs, creator of CoNW has also created Fflintshire Lead Mining: http://www.cambrianmines.co.uk/flintshireleadmining/

Much appreciated. 👍

 

[AKuhlmann]

For other readers:
I have just remembered I have written a route description for CRTT that can be found here:
https://checc.org/caving-around-the-uk/north-wales/
It is quite idiot proof so apologies if it babies you a little. But it should mean you have a smooth and enjoyable trip for a place where far too many people have to semi regularly do unplanned midnight visits to

 

[Cantclimbtom]

For other readers:
I have just remembered I have written a route description for CRTT that can be found here:
https://checc.org/caving-around-the-uk/north-wales/
It is quite idiot proof so apologies if it babies you a little. But it should mean you have a smooth and enjoyable trip for a place where far too many people have to semi regularly do unplanned midnight visits to

Very clear description, I would request you edit it slightly to mention just after the wall into Rhodydd there is a slightly collapsed rubbley bit of tunnel. I've heard of this bit being confused for the blocked/crawl.

OK, for you or me that isn't a "crawlspace" there's loads of room🤣 but someone who doesn't crawl underground might think it is "extreme" or something then not expect the "real" blocked tunnel.

I'm trying to read your [excellent] instructions with the head of someone never been there who is inexperienced.

We can argue whether those people should be there or not but on reality they are and maybe find your instructions. Just trying to be constructive and reduce call outs.

 

[Jester]

I did the CRTT at the weekend, someone has put reflectors marking the way out through Rhosydd. Took the fun out of navigating, but seemed almost impossible to go wrong now.

I did take Akuhlmann's description with me, but I remembered the Croesor side fine and the reflectors in Rhosydd meant no description was needed.

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