I don't know what it is about places like this that I like so much. From the photos there's obviously not much more than a lot of 'recycled' reports that have been put up on here, but I was amazed at the contrast between the remains of this little old slate mine and the big heavy industry I've sampled elsewhere - places like Littlebrook, Battersea and Chatterley where the scale really hits you.
As for this place - half of it is a slate museum/cavern tour (couldn't go on it - we had the dog with us) and stabilised ruins, and then fenced off are parts peacefully decaying. I left the other half for a bit while I crept off over a fence to look at the private bits, and they were almost comical. Just look at that winding gear - a big wooden drum apparently balanced between two piles of slate. It's a wonder they got anything done - it all looks so 'Heath Robinson'.
But it was good to walk round and see. I'm hoping to go back and see some more slate mines and quarries nearby - I could see loads of stuff on the surrounding hills but didn't have time, we were hungry and it was starting to rain.
Anyway, here are the photos. Some bits were in the museum grounds, others were just out in the open. Recycle if need be.
As for this place - half of it is a slate museum/cavern tour (couldn't go on it - we had the dog with us) and stabilised ruins, and then fenced off are parts peacefully decaying. I left the other half for a bit while I crept off over a fence to look at the private bits, and they were almost comical. Just look at that winding gear - a big wooden drum apparently balanced between two piles of slate. It's a wonder they got anything done - it all looks so 'Heath Robinson'.
But it was good to walk round and see. I'm hoping to go back and see some more slate mines and quarries nearby - I could see loads of stuff on the surrounding hills but didn't have time, we were hungry and it was starting to rain.
Anyway, here are the photos. Some bits were in the museum grounds, others were just out in the open. Recycle if need be.
