I've cheated a bit here as these are really holiday pics. They're not great as they weren't taken for a specific purpose.
Visited the slate caverns near Blaenau Festiniog last summer.
The town itself is a study in dereliction. An island of ugliness in a stunningly beautiful landscape.
Precipitous heaps of slate spoil almost engulf the back yards of the rows of terraced houses, built for workers in the largely disused quarries and mines, and unbroken except for the occasional pub, chip shop or chapel.
The whole town appears dark and gloomy even on a bright summer's day. The tips are so high that in winter, some of the streets must be untroubled by sunlight. Despite it being Bank Holiday, the whole town seemed deserted. The only people we saw were a few kids in Liverpool shirts kicking a ball around the car park, and a couple of locals sitting on a wall.
The road to the caverns is criss-crossed by tramways, snaking their way up the mountain sides to long-collapsed adits, occasional piers and buttresses remaining where they traversed gullies, roads or tracks.
The remains of barracks built to house migrant workers are often the most tangible reminder of an industry that once provided roofing materials to the world.
Enough rambling.
The pictures were taken from the top of an inclined plane near the caverns.
The whole area is packed with old mines and quarries for those who like such things.
apologies in advance to any North Walians
looking across the visitor centre towards the barracks
[lb=http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/imagehosting/380647c7085350ded.jpg]
[/lb]
looking down the valley towards Blaenau
[lb=http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/imagehosting/380647c7085536052.jpg]
[/lb]
Visited the slate caverns near Blaenau Festiniog last summer.
The town itself is a study in dereliction. An island of ugliness in a stunningly beautiful landscape.
Precipitous heaps of slate spoil almost engulf the back yards of the rows of terraced houses, built for workers in the largely disused quarries and mines, and unbroken except for the occasional pub, chip shop or chapel.
The whole town appears dark and gloomy even on a bright summer's day. The tips are so high that in winter, some of the streets must be untroubled by sunlight. Despite it being Bank Holiday, the whole town seemed deserted. The only people we saw were a few kids in Liverpool shirts kicking a ball around the car park, and a couple of locals sitting on a wall.
The road to the caverns is criss-crossed by tramways, snaking their way up the mountain sides to long-collapsed adits, occasional piers and buttresses remaining where they traversed gullies, roads or tracks.
The remains of barracks built to house migrant workers are often the most tangible reminder of an industry that once provided roofing materials to the world.
Enough rambling.
The pictures were taken from the top of an inclined plane near the caverns.
The whole area is packed with old mines and quarries for those who like such things.
apologies in advance to any North Walians
looking across the visitor centre towards the barracks
[lb=http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/imagehosting/380647c7085350ded.jpg]
looking down the valley towards Blaenau
[lb=http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/imagehosting/380647c7085536052.jpg]
Sal
