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cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline |
Pontneddfechan Silica Mines, March 2012 Visited with walsh (non member) and ratty !During our last visit to Pontneddfechan Silica Mines a couple of weeks ago, we couldn't find the entrance to the Lower mine. We also hadn't visited the very lowest workings of the Upper mine so to rectify this, we re-visited and found what we were looking for ! HISTORY Covered in original post. THE VISIT 1. The Lower mine is at river level and the majority of adits are flooded. 
2. Further in through the flooded adit. The water is very muddy and gets worse as you walk through it. 
3. Blue calcite extract seeps through the mine wall. 
4. Fork in the road - do we go left or right ? 
5. Left it is and more flooded adits. Pillar and Stall method of mining is evident. 
6. Another adit, another fork and even more water ! 
7. On the left, dead end flooded adit. On the right, a dry adit. 
8. Although not as big as the Upper mine, the Lower mine was extensively worked. When it was abandoned, the water moved into the adits and workings. 
9. The water level rises and falls. The high water mark can be seen on the adit walls. 
10. On the way back out... 
11. And then there was light. The exit beckons. 
12. One last look into the Lower mine. 
13. And once you're out, you're in the river ! 
We then journeyed up to the Upper mine. It was quite misty in places in there. 14. Upper mine and just inside looking back towards the main entrance. 
15. The first flooded adit in the Upper mine. 
16. Travelling along the lowest non flooded adit. 
17. Lowest non flooded adit suddenly starts to flood. 
18. Roof fall on the lowest level. 
19. Crystal clear water in the flooded adit. 
20. View down the first flooded adit. Talking to the divers that were here, there are six lower adits, all flooded. 
21. Journey back to the main entrance through the broken mine gate. 
Thanks for looking and any comments / advice most welcome. ---------------------- |
 Sun 11 Mar 2012 @ 20:20
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ratty Admin Posts : 96 Location : Pontypridd Status : Offline |
I've been thinking about the lower levels that we went into first. They can't be connected to the upper levels. If they were the water in the upper levels wouldn't be at the level it is. It would have drained to the river via the lower level and there would be a flow out through the entrance we used. Thoughts?? ---------------------- |
Sun 25 Mar 2012 @ 13:31
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cunningcorgi Senior Member Posts : 71 Location : Status : Offline |
I don't think the Lower and Upper mines were ever connected. However, I was told that it was possible to access the Lower mine from the Middle mine when the mines were operational and indeed, for quite a while afterwards. The Middle mine is on the same side of the river as the Lower mine (Upper mine is on the opposite side) and is above the waterfall and opposed to below it. There is supposed to be a tunnel in the Middle mine that connects to the Lower mine. I think this is true as when we went into the Middle mine, it went downhill and to the right, i.e. the direction of the Lower mine. We eventually got to a point about 200 - 300 yards in where the adits were flooded and flooded to the ceiling. Looking at sone of the backfilled adits in the Lower mine, I feel pretty sure that one of these did in the past and could theoretically in the future, lead to the Middle mine. Definatly no access from Lower to Upper though, pretty sure of that. |
Wed 28 Mar 2012 @ 16:41
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