Location
SH 664(01) 191(65) Upper (main) Mine
SH 666(75) 191(99) Lower Mine
Directions
Park at Bontddu (near Dolgellau) and walk up the path on the left side of the stream/river. Follow this past Figra bridge (do not cross the bridge) and continue upwards and you will see spoil heaps in the trees to the left (partially hidden)
This is the LOWER mine.
Continue along the path until you see an inhabited house. The track swings back to do a horseshoe turn (heading upwards), over a broken wall, a stream and you can see a small gate in a wall in front of you. The path continues through the gate and you will soon come across a plateau of ruined workings
The upper mine is marked on the O/S map but the lower mine is not marked at all.
Access
Unknown. Ungated.
Suggested Equipment
None for Lower mine
SRT or lots of electrons for Upper mine
Length
Lower 1/3rd to ½ mile
Upper Unknown
Flood Risk
Lower : None
Upper : Unknown but unlikely
Mine Attributes
Gold
Description
Lower Mine
The lower mine is essentially one driven adit with a few small offshoots as you walk along. The entrance has water to no more than ankle depth and it quickly disappears completely once inside.
There are a couple of carts left in situ inside as well as the railway sleepers.
Some small decorations with copper sulphate and iron intrusions.
Reasonably unremarkable but well worth wandering in if you are nearby.
Upper mine
The main adit entrance is sadly collapsed but water is still running through the collapse which suggests all is well inside.
Above the main entrance are several shafts which require SRT or multiple electrons. The first shaft (directly above) is around 100 feet above but the rope would need to be longer to be rigged to the nearest anchor point.
Anorther shaft to the left and upwards is much shallower but is inside a short adit and directly under a very suspect suspended floor. There is no anchor point here and it would require bolting but I wouldn’t like to be drilling there.
The walls of this second adit/shaft are heavily infused with copper sulphate flow formations and sulphur flow formations – really rather nice.
Unexplored Passages
The upper mine is unexplored
Digs
None known but the entrance requires a substantial dig if entry were to be made there.
Links
None Known