Elan Valley Slate Quarry

The slate quarry is near to the Craig Goch reservoir in the Elan Valley, not far from Rhayader in Radnor. As Nr Bones said in his thread of the North Wales slate workings, they were shut down during the early to mid seventies and just left undisturbed.
Seeing Mr B's report reminded me that I'd visited here. The only pics I have, unfortunately, are all on slides and they are quite old. However, I went to the local photo printers and got copies of them. The slides themselves look okay and you can see the details and colour, but the copies are really bad. So apologies for the photos, but at least it gives a bit of an idea.

The dam with a rather cute little gazebo tower thing in the middle.



Building, of which you can only really see the roof. Probably looks white from the light reflection.





A side view of one intact building and the remaining end wall of another. A slightly better pic.



Not at all sure what this was, but did wonder if it was the remains of a housing for a pulley system.



And that's it, folks! Sorry about the quality, but thought it was sort of interesting anyway.

worthy of a report m'dear

Cheers Mr B.

Btw Mr Bones, did you ever find the pics you thought you might have of this area? And has anyone else been here? Be interesting to see how much is still there, as the slides were taken quite a while ago.

Cheers

I have been here a few times recently. there is not much left. some empty concrete shells of buildings. no machinery realy.
but the drive from rhyader to devils bridge through the elan valley is one of the most beautifull ever.

ollie said:

the drive from rhyader to devils bridge through the elan valley is one of the most beautifull ever.

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I'd completely forgotten about Devils Bridge...long time since I've been there...an incredible place. Thanks for the update on the state of the quarry, ollie.

Cheers

that dam is a spectacular sight in itself specailly when theres a headwind and the mists rising when it hits it, quite magical

Good pics Foxy, I like the gazebo thingy in the middle of the dam too. Were there any other buildings in and around the area as well? Yes, it looks like that building housed some sort of pulley system, for the tubs to be pulled up.

You're finding quite a few quarries recently well done on the find.

Cheers,

Sal

The original slides look more cheerful King Al, all sunny with daffodils on the bank. I sort of like the way they came out in the pics though...all brooding and mysterious.
Mr Sam, your description has made me want to go and see it again!

smileysal said:

Were there any other buildings in and around the area as well?

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I honestly can't remember Sal. I was a whippersnapper at the time!

Cheers
Eileen

Ah those blue remembered hills!

I was in this area between christmas and new year and passed some old mines which are shown as lead mines on memory map, I cant tell if they are the same ones, but was travelling in a group of land rovers so couldnt stop for an explore

Belse said:

Ah those blue remembered hills!

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Very apt!

reddwarf9 said:

I was in this area between christmas and new year and passed some old mines which are shown as lead mines on memory map...

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Lead mines? That sounds interesting. T'would be good to find out some more about them if possible. Thanks for the info.

Foxylady said:

Very apt!



Lead mines? That sounds interesting. T'would be good to find out some more about them if possible. Thanks for the info.

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There was some interesting looking derelict buildings quite close to the road, heres a memory map extract of the area if you're looking it up.

Nick.

[lb=http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/imagehosting/400247dbbb461f631.jpg] [/lb]