Dinas Silica Mines, South Wales - April 09

[sinnerman]

Not exactly the best effort at documenting the place but in my defence i was still off my face from the night before and i didnt have a torch with me not the best start to a mine explore.

Visited with Zippy and Hydra while Doc D and Lilli were off climbing a waterfall of all things.

Miners in action

The Dinas Silica Mines started work in the 1880 extracting silica for use int the production of fire bricks to line furnaces and boilers. The welsh word Dinas refers to the larges of the silica mines in the vale of neath at Craig-y-Dinas, So significant was the silica bricks exported from South Wales to the industrial revolution that the word Dinas has entered into many languages most notibly Russian to mean all Fire bricks. The mine ceased work in 1960 and since then a large part of the lower galleries have flooded and is now a popular spot for training cave divers some of whom we met on the way in. The workings are fairly extensive and a through trip is possible to the top of the hillside but i couldnt be bothered climbing up to it.

Not the best photos Dinas was a dark mine that seamed to swallow light especially compaired to the limestone quarry we were in the day before.

The end of the old mine tram way where an arial rope way used to carry the mined silica down from the mine over the waterfall.


The other end of the miners path above the waterfall.


Gratuitous shot of the waterfall outside the mine entrance.


The inviting mine entrances


Main Entrance


Underground

Am planning on going back fairly soon if any of the locals fancy a fairly easy introduction to mine explores.

[boxfrenzy]

That looks cool. Looks a great place to visit and good pictures too. I like it

[simonix]

That looks awsome, great photos, a lot of hard labour went on down there.

[Muse]

Fantastic location and interesting little explore. Very nice pics too