The Llechwedd Slate Caverns at Blaenau Ffestiniog offer a unique insight into the lives of 19th century Welsh slate miners. The mine, opened in 1836, offers two underground tours and a Victorian village.
Take an Underground Tour of a 19th Century Slate Mine
The Deep Mine Tour starts with a descent of 61 well-lit steps and a tour, on foot, of about half a mile underground. The journey back to the surface is by train, but at busy times it may be necessary to climb about 70 steps to catch the train at a higher level. The story of the mine is told by the ghost of Sion Dolgarregddu who, at the age of 12, followed his father and uncle down the mine and worked there for over 50 years. Sion leads visitors through a series of winding tunnels and caverns that go deeper and deeper towards the underground lake. The tour take 25 minutes and is well lit , while the temperature in the mine is maintained at a constant level. It is not difficult to imagine what daily working life was like when candles were the only source of light.
The Miners' Tramway Tour travels through the Cathedral Chambers for over a third of a mile below the surface in carriages hauled by a battery driven locomotive.. Discover the working conditions of Victorian slate miners, who started their working lives at 12 years old. Average life expectancy was just 52, after working 12 hours a day 6 days a week. The journey ends in the Slate Mill where the mined slate was prepared for shipping to customers worldwide.
Visit the Miner's Arms Pub and the Village Sweet Shop
On the surface, the Llechwedd Victorian Village recreates the miners’ lives once work was over. Enjoy a drink in the Miners’ Arms pub where politics and religion would have been debated in Welsh. Younger visitors may prefer Ffestin’s sweet shop, selling traditional Victorian recipes and modern recipes. Other attractions include a smithy, printers and cobblers.
To recreate the authentic atmosphere, the village has its own pre decimal currency. The village bank changes money and this can be freely spent around the village or kept as a souvenir.
By Road:
Llechwedd Slate Caverns are on the A470 between Llandudno and Porthmadog, just3/4 mile from the centre of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Driving times are 40 minutes from A55 junction 19 at Llandudno Junction and 20 minutes from Betws y Coed. There is ample free car parking.
By Train:
Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station is a short bus ride or a 30 minute walk away. Trains run to Blaenau Ffestiniog from Llandudno and Betws y Coed and connections to the rest of the National Rail network can be made at Llandudno Junction.
The narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, initially built for slate mining, runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog.
By Bus:
A shuttle bus, timed to meet Ffestiniog Railway services runs between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llechwedd
Admission
- Adults £7.50
- Children £6.50
- Seniors £7.00
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Gwynedd
North Wales
Telephone: 01766 830306
John Oyston - I am a freelance travel writer, accountant and further education teacher. I have spent a lifetime travelling across the UK, Western Europe ...
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