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CAVING AND MINING TRIP REPORTS
Cae Coch sulphur mine - 10 July 2010
July 2010
Nigel Dibben
Ed organised the trip to Cae Coch which was moved to the Saturday so as not to clash with P8. We met in Betws-y-Coed in the rain (!) and drove up to the area to change. There was Ed and Bev, three of his friends, Tom and me.
After a long slog up the incline, we reached the entrance and started on a
tour round the mine in a clockwise fashion. First we looked down at
some very red pools and sticky mud at the bottom of the workings and then
gradually climbed up to the higher levels. Several of the pillars looked
quite dodgy but nothing fell off so we carried on. At the higher level, we
found an internal incline and then a partly blocked level which was easily
passed through some higher stopes. Dropping back to the level, we found
another incline this time pointing out of the mine.
Following this down, there were a few bats flying about so we kept well clear of them and then at the bottom a side chamber had a huge ore chute coming down from another higher level. Up there, we found a particularly dark and evil looking pool which Ed sampled; even his brightest torch couldn't penetrate the gloomy water.
A few more pictures were taken including the video of a splendid snottite stalactite below.
The entrance was never too far away and soon we returned to daylight. A brief visit was made to the quarry to the south and then back down the incline and off to the cars to change.
A good trip was had by all; thanks, Ed, for taking us there and showing us round.
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On the incline |
The entrance from inside |
Red pools |
Snottite flows |
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Some timbering from |
More red pools |
Pillar and stall working |
More stal |
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Timber supports |
Collapsed level |
The ore chute |
Timbers in the entrance |
