Cwmorthin Mine

Location
SH 680 462

Directions
From Blaenau Ffestiniog, head to the power station and drive up the hill right to the highest/farthest point you can and park at the parking area immediately before the gate across the road.

Walk up the road until you get to the lake (Llyn Cwmorthin). The entrance adit is at 4pm on a clock face.

Access
Gated. Permission from “Friends of Cwmorthin”

Suggested Equipment
None but SRT optional for abseiling chambers, harness optional for crossing bridges, change of clothes optional if visiting the flooded levels.

Length
Unkown but extensive. Total passage(s) length probably several miles.

Flood risk
The lower levels are flooded

Mine Attributes
Slate. The largest slate mine in the UK.

Description
A huge slate mine with a vast array of features including huge chambers, suspension bridges (in varying conditions), two evident mining techniques from different periods, equipment (non-fucntional) left in situ and some mineral decoration.

The mine exists on many levels with a great many chambers on each level. Interconnecting passages join some chambers both from the rear and from above creating a warren of tunnels.

The “Friends of Cwmorthin” are dominant on www.mine-explorer.co.uk and are very active in this mine with a number of on-going projects including undertaking a complete survey of the system.

Unexplored Passages
A vast amount remains unexplored

Digs
It is a virtual certainty that there are digs on-going.

Links
http://www.cwmorthin.co.uk/

http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Cwmorthin_226/Cwmorthin.asp

http://www.darkhorse.co.uk/cwmorthintext.htm

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Cwmorthin-Slate-Mine/

http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Cwm_Orthin

http://www.jgd.org.uk/rotwsi/cwmorthin01.htm

http://www.waylandscape.co.uk/html/cwm_orthin_2008.html

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=497063

Bloody hell Marty, some of those shots are seriously breath-taking, really atmospheric... I'll have to bribe you some time with a pint and grill you in more depth as to what you do!

Jo Mc-M wrote:

Bloody hell Marty, some of those shots are seriously breath-taking, really atmospheric... I'll have to bribe you some time with a pint and grill you in more depth as to what you do!

top one of llyn cwmorthin is one of my favourites gonna get that one printed and framed. the shots are easy really you'll pick it up easy enough then just try and come up with something original by looking at everyone elses and doing it slightly different. dosent always work but sometimes you get a cracker

Eggs!!!

Great pics John. the one under the winding gear makes him look as though he's praying !!

Pictures from 26th June 2010;

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