Jolyon and Torre
New member
If you do find a report or pictures of any descent of the couple of remaining shafts please do let me know.
Bwlchtocyn/Penrhyn Du Adits
- Thread starter BertyBasset
- Start date
Was there for a wander, weekend before last. Not a massive amount to be seen really. Asheton Mine New Level is at the end of someone's garden, and a man on the roof made a closer look difficult.
The trial marked on the old map is obscured by a concrete dam which issues a trickle of water.
Cornish Row, where the Cornish Engine House is located is the site of 3 or 4 private dwellings, and the drive entrance if adorned by a Private, Keep Out sign. I guess you could hang about here an wait for one of the owners to emerge walking a dog and ask permission.
This would also give access to the area of rough ground marking the site of the Penrhyn Du Mine. Best I could get here was a photo over the fence.
There doesn't appear to be a way from up here down to the alleged adit at Porth Bach which was a bit further North than anticipated. I think you'd need a pretty low tide and go around the headland near the old lifeboat launch, then clamber on the rocks. The tide wasn't low enough for this.
An finally, the Old adit should be somewhere directly above the car park. We followed the little valley up via path through undergrowth, but found nothing. The photo of the adit makes it look like it's somewhere a bit more open, so not sure exactly where it is.
The trial marked on the old map is obscured by a concrete dam which issues a trickle of water.
Cornish Row, where the Cornish Engine House is located is the site of 3 or 4 private dwellings, and the drive entrance if adorned by a Private, Keep Out sign. I guess you could hang about here an wait for one of the owners to emerge walking a dog and ask permission.
This would also give access to the area of rough ground marking the site of the Penrhyn Du Mine. Best I could get here was a photo over the fence.
There doesn't appear to be a way from up here down to the alleged adit at Porth Bach which was a bit further North than anticipated. I think you'd need a pretty low tide and go around the headland near the old lifeboat launch, then clamber on the rocks. The tide wasn't low enough for this.
An finally, the Old adit should be somewhere directly above the car park. We followed the little valley up via path through undergrowth, but found nothing. The photo of the adit makes it look like it's somewhere a bit more open, so not sure exactly where it is.
Jolyon and Torre
New member
Great photos.
The Old Day adit is on the left hand side of the path going from the car park - about 3m off the track and you have to push though brambles, drop into a ditch with waste high rotting vegetation and push up the ditch to the adit entrance. It is not for the faint hearted.
. And all that for a 50 - 100m chest high wade into a silt blocked adit. Much more comfortable to look at my photos. I expect it does go further, but that would involve digging and I am not aware of any local enthusiasts who might want to take that on. To get round the old slip, it is a kayak trip in calm weather to Sixpenny bay. Beach the kayaks and then a climb from there. I haven't done this yet.
I really think that if anyone wants to survey what is left, a good start would be to look at the remaining shafts and see if dropping in there might be safe enough to try. I think 2 or 3 are still open. The rest are filled in or in one case a hotel built on it!
Did you get to have a look at the Nant mines on the other side of Hells Mouth inland from Porth Ysgo?
Ah well, so much for Old Adit. Kayak around the headland sounds like a good plan for the summer - or at least before the hordes arrive.
It's twenty years since I did Nant properly - walked past several times since. We also did Rhiw Mine on top of the hill - belaying to an old boiler. Don't think many people have done that one!
It's twenty years since I did Nant properly - walked past several times since. We also did Rhiw Mine on top of the hill - belaying to an old boiler. Don't think many people have done that one!
Jolyon and Torre
New member
Another good book about the mines in the area.
Nant, Rhiw and Bellant posts split out into https://buddlepit.co.uk/community/index.php?threads/rhiw-benall-and-nant-managanese.693/
Jolyon and Torre
New member
Good idea to split it out.
There is a sort of horseshoe shape region of mining from Macroes going inland then turning back towards the coast to Porth Ysgo. I believe it it is linked to ordovician rocks that have been uplifted and transformed with subsequent mineralisation. There is a very wide range of ores that were found there - manganese, lead, iron, copper and I have heard say nickel as well.
There a number of shafts further inland which I believe are part of a system that used to run out to Penrhyn du. These don't seem to have been explored at all in recent times. But maybe I am wrong here.
I contacted the council at Llanengan and Abersoch a while ago and they did not seem to be aware of any local enthusiasts in mine archeology.
