Llanfair Slate Caves.
These slate caverns are family friendly and a great day out with children and dogs.
They are on the west coast of wales 1 mile south of the town of Harlech.
These are all man made tunnels dating back over 100years. Inside the tunnels the only light source was from the air vents and candles.
From the entrance and the main tunnel you will see the twin arch ways of the crypt and head into the cathedral cavern. As you descend down Jacobs ladder you can see the old tracks on which the carts full of slate used to run. In total there are 9 different caverns to explore.
Hard hats and torches are supplied at the reception and a gift shop is open at the end of the self guided tour.
The manmade caverns at Llanfair were used for a short period of time. during this time the miners excavated millions of tons of slate using just simple hand tools, some of which are on display as you enter the main cavern before descending jacobs ladder.
Cavern 1.
In cavern 1 you will see the window. This is the only natural light in the caverns and this aids with ventilation. This was the main cavern in the mine and would of held the winch that would of been operational and important for bringing up slate from the lower levels. The track for this evidence is beside Jacob’s ladder.
Cavern 2.
As you head into the second of the three caverns on this upper level. You see examples of a tripod. The meaning of these was so workers could lift heavy slate and Place them into carts ready to be removed. Also in this cavern there is the air shaft that is approximately 22feet deep which helps the air flow in the lower levels.
Cavern 3.
This is the last cavern on this level. Here you can see where the tracks used to run from one side to the other and look down to the caverns below. Looking closely at the walls you can still see the marks that were made by the hand tools they used when the mine was operating. Making your way back to the first cavern you then descend the steps into the lower levels
Cavern 4 , 5 and 6
As you walk into these caverns you start to realise what the life of the miners and the rock men would of been like. The notice boards give you details of what the basic day would of been like for them. These caverns show how the caverns were made from the miners digging the tunnel and deciding where to start the cavern to the narrow 1 meter tunnel that they used to start before widening and clearing the rock from the middle. The job of the rock men was to take the slate out of the caverns.
Cavern 7
Again in the cavern you learn a little more about the life they had in the caverns. From the wages to the hours worked.
The last two caverns 8 and 9 are the smallest. At the end of the tunnel you will see the Caban. The caban was where the miners and rock men would have there lunch. Again if you look closely you can see all the tool marks and scratches on the rock faces.
This would be the end of the self guided tour and the only thing left to do would be to make your way back to reception to have In your hard hat and torch.
Dogs are welcome. In the summer months there is a cafe. There are also toilets onsite. Car parking is up a steep little hill but the views once there are amazing on a clear day looking out towards shell island. This is a great day out for family’s.
