As many will know I have been trying to get the public path reopened that leads directly to the mine.
Read all about it here; http://www.cambrianmines.co.uk/NAL/Alternative_Route.html

Now following Paul Marvins excellent video, and over my coffee this morning, it occured to me that it may be a good idea to do a video on this very subject. The trek up to the mine with air tanks etc is a right chore, the public road that leads to Pencaedrain has a path that is a mere 400 metres to the mine a short distance up hill. The regular route takes you up a steep path just to have to go down again.

I am thinking of a meeting with Paul and friends, Down and Beyond (Tom Ferry, a fellow director of the mine owning company) and myself to film a video all about the situation with a request for all interested parties to write to Rhondda Cynan Taf and complain about the blocking of the Public Right of Way. The statutory papers were served on the authority some time ago, I have no knowledge of any recent developments, if anyone has been there and has anything please share. I live some distance away.

Anyway, Paul and Tom, I am up for this, what all think?

You say a Saturday or Sunday I shall be their if you need any extra assistance in any way possible let me no am more than happy to help , I think it?s a great idea and in this modern day and age is a perfect way to address the matter,  many people watch videos now , if we could get a lot of people sending this message across will benefit everyone who wishes to visit . Especially the mine/ cave divers who have to carry all that heavy kit !

Thanks Tom. I think that this meet should also be open to any other interested parties such as someone who wants to represent a diving, caving, or mine exploration club.

Have you tried reaching out to a group like the Ramblers Association? I'm sure they'd be interested to see a public right of way re-instated. Perhaps they could represent another user-group for your video?

The situation legally at the moment is that the authority have served the necessary papers on the landowner and nothing has changed. Its a case of stimulating the authority to take their diggers in, they can then sue the landowner for the costs. Covid has put a spoke in to it all, but we need people to put pressure on the authority to exercise their legal powers.

I think the best way forward is to meet ?everybody willing to help ? as many photos and videos  as possible each taken by the person making the complaint,  then everybody contacts them with their own proof showing the blockages ,  in my view it will certainly benefit if we have large groups standing by us the rambling association are powerful and understand their rights / law very well they I am sure they could put extra pressure on them  .

Just seen this post Roy 

I am very happy to report that the public right of way from the footbridge to the tarmac road has been reinstated, as reported to me today by Peter Burgess:

Paul Thorne and I visited Dinas Mines today on our way back to the south east, and checked out the footpath across the bridge and over the hill back to the Dinas car park. The path has been made up very recently and new fencing installed with signs asking walkers not to stray from the designated path. There were fresh quadbike tyre marks suggesting this is a very recent improvement. The path comes out near a new area of small cabins being installed for holidaymakers I would say. There is no sign of any acceptance of right of access with vehicles however. There is still a Private sign on the road gate at the bottom near the car park. I suppose the path improvement is a good sign.

I have yet to visit the site but feel optimistic. Note that the tarmac road from Dinas car Park up the hill to the farm is a public road that you can drive over, regardless of any implications made by the 'gate'. Its therefore possible to drive up to drop off passengers and kit, and then return the car to Dinas car park. I am unsure of turning space etc at this time. Photos - Peter Burgess

That is great news Roy much easier now for everyone visiting now congratulations  , I hope more people  visit and enjoy the place 

Roy that new fence and signage was there when we were last there at the start of July 

Tomferry said:

That is great news Roy much easier now for everyone visiting now congratulations  , I hope more people  visit and enjoy the place 

Click to expand...

Its still not the best way for divers as the stiles are a ball ache, we have tried them both   

The walk in has always been a good pre dive warm up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo1w1rtBZcY

Go and try Diffwys  if you want a proper warm up buddy its all lined now and good to go  turn the HD on your YT settings

Paul

https://youtu.be/PKJVqg5Qz5E

Film is as close as I am going to get happy to walk to a cave but a mine  Although the walk in game can turn into some heavy-duty willy waving, so let me tell you about a few of the walks to caves we did in North Africa, so we shouldered the 90Kg packs and headed up the sheer cliff in .................

Paul Marvin said:

Tomferry said:

That is great news Roy much easier now for everyone visiting now congratulations  , I hope more people  visit and enjoy the place 

Click to expand...

Its still not the best way for divers as the stiles are a ball ache, we have tried them both   

Click to expand...

There is some debate about whether they are still there. There is currently work going on, it looks like the erection of holiday cabins or similar. I advise some caution as there may be plant at work at time of visit. Its all in a state of flux at the moment.
As well as access to the mine, there is now possibility of a nice circular walk for visitors to the area. I will probably write a pdf guide for people to download of my website.

There used to be a visitor centre in Pontneddfechan, but its been closed for a few years now and I cant see it reopening in the current financial climate.

royfellows said:

Paul Marvin said:

Tomferry said:

That is great news Roy much easier now for everyone visiting now congratulations  , I hope more people  visit and enjoy the place 

Click to expand...

Its still not the best way for divers as the stiles are a ball ache, we have tried them both   

Click to expand...

There is some debate about whether they are still there. There is currently work going on, it looks like the erection of holiday cabins or similar. I advise some caution as there may be plant at work at time of visit. Its all in a state of flux at the moment.
As well as access to the mine, there is now possibility of a nice circular walk for visitors to the area. I will probably write a pdf guide for people to download of my website.

There used to be a visitor centre in Pontneddfechan, but its been closed for a few years now and I cant see it reopening in the current financial climate.

Click to expand...

Those cabins look nice Roy

I have just had confirmation, no stiles, and a very well made up path all the way to the footbridge. I am planning a visit this weekend, unless the weather turns grotty.

royfellows said:

I have just had confirmation, no stiles, and a very well made up path all the way to the footbridge. I am planning a visit this weekend, unless the weather turns grotty.

Click to expand...

Mmm that's strange Roy as there were definatly two stiles there when we walked down that route in July and it was all new . Be interested what you find  :-\, BTW we are back down last week in Nov 

Do you know if the land is now under new ownership Roy? I know a patch of it was up for sale for a while and apparently under offer back in June, so quite possibly now sold?

I did not visit Sunday because of the grotty weather forecast, I went yesterday Monday and am now in a position for report.

From Dinas car park I walked up the tarmac road and noticed markings on the road and a notice "You are entering Rhondda Cynan Taf" in Welsh and English. I take this as a sign that the local authority are about to commence some repair work on the road and are affirming their ownership, re the 'gateway' erected by the landowner. I hope that they tear it down.

Higher up, there are holiday cabins being built on the right and opposite, where I calculated the PROW to start, there was no sign. However, higher up on the left was the start of the new made up path. It starts as a hardcore base, and a vehicle could easily reverse onto this to unload passengers and kit such as air tanks etc, and then the vehicle be returned to Dinas car park. The path is a bit muddy to start with but soon improved. It follows the line of a pre-existing fence for lot of its length with new fence on the right heading towards the mine. There are plenty of new "Private Land" notices up at the side as well.

I can confirm that all the stiles have been removed as well, in truth, its an easy walk.

The path eventually comes out above the footbridge passing the standard bases from the 1960s aerial roperway, it is in truth a pleasant walk and in my estimation much better than the alternative slippery steep ascent from the side of the car park. As far as I am concerned, I doubt that I will be using that again.  I am well pleased with this result.

I dont think that the land was sold, land registry would confirm but it wouldn't accept my password. All the red notices seen to confirm that Mr Niceguy is still firmly in town.

http://cambrianmines.co.uk/NAL/Alternative_Route.html