Wrysgan Quarry

Eryri National Park, United Kingdom — — By Robert Watts

Distance 3.2 KM

Duration 3.33 Hours

Wrysgan quarry is a slate quarry that operated from the 1830s to 1946. It is buried in tunnels deep inside the mountain. As we hiked up it, there are mine entrances at different levels. Around each of these are a series of huts as well as piles and piles and piles of tailing's (loose slate on the ground). At points this made it hard to move up as you'd just slide back down!

A photograph of rusted mine equipment with slate walls on either side
As you go up the mountain there is equipment just left lying around.

One member of our group was a qualified cave guide so took us into one of the top entrances of the mine. We didn't go very far in (a hundred or so meters at most), but it did provide a interesting place to have lunch.

A photo of a tunnel entrance from inside a tunnel, with slate all over the floor.
A view back out the tunnel.
A photo of florecent man drawn with red light surrounded by rock
While in the tunnel we did some light painting with out head touches.