Dinorwig Slate Quarry

I have been to the Llanberis Slate Museum many times, but decided today that I would find the Slate Quarry. I have seen some amazing pictures of it on Facebook and decided it was time I went.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, the first proper spring day, so just right for an outing. I had previously been told how to get to it via some steps close to the Museum which I found soon enough. What I hadn't been told was how steep the steps were or how far you had to climb them. I had been kidding myself that my fitness was improving, but all illusions were shattered here today. 

After an awful lot of wheezing and stops to get my breath, I came across this gorgeous row of derelict cottages, presumably for the quarry workers. 

The quarry is full of abandoned buildings, some with machinery still in, and it has quite an eerie feel to it. Despite it being such a gorgeous day I barely saw another person all day, which added to the strangeness of it all.

I followed the steps eventually to a more pronounced path which led, to a car park. Halfway up the quarry. Apparently this is what most people do to avoid the steps. Typical!

The path then led a different way around the quarry and downward, so I thought it would be a good idea to follow this and hopefully see more of the quarry.

This is a completely amazing place. I feel that it should be the set for one of the earlier Star Trek episodes, or at least Doctor Who. There is something definitely unworldly about it. To potential visitors my suggestion would be to visit the Slate Museum first and find out about the people who worked here and the conditions they had to face.

The day was very bright today and while this certainly helped with shutter speeds, the sun did cast a bit of a haze over the mountains so I have lost a bit of definition. Have added a bit via Lightroom which I think has helped. I found it very difficult to convey the scale of the Quarry in the photos, but I think some have come out ok.

So I decided it was time to head out and followed the new path. Good news is that it was definitely heading downwards, but the bad news is that it was zigzagging back and forth across the quarry and I covered so much ground. When I finally got to the end, the path finished 2.3 miles away from where I had parked the car! So today's Fitbug statistics - 16545 steps, 7.29 miles!!

Lessons Learned: Before embarking on a new path, check where it will lead. A lesson for life in general as well!

Don't overestimate your level of fitness. It has taken a few decades of concentrated inactivity to get where I am today. That's not going to be undone in a couple of months!

Llanberis Slate Museum December 2014

Had another attempt at Llanberis Slate Museum. Purse.. check, hair brush.. check. All set.

It is the most amazing drive to get from home in Shropshire to Llanberis. You go through Llangollen, Corwen, Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. You skirt the base of Snowdon and then through the Llanberis Pass. It would be worth going even if I just got there and turned round and came home again. The scenery is completely incredible.

The museum itself is set in the original workshops of the Dinorwig Slate Quarry and it is a fascinating place. You can spend hours just wandering around the machinery and getting a real feel for the atmosphere. You can go into the engine sheds where they worked on the trains that transported the slate which was fabulous. Tried to get some moody shots in there, but the tinsel wrapped around the train disturbed the ambience somewhat. Actually the inflatable Snowmen in the furnace room were probably worse! That's the trouble with Christmas, too much cheerfulness! Still, I think I managed to crop most of that out!            

  

 

At one end is a huge waterwheel which powered the whole factory. It was surrounded by a metal fence so I wasn't able to get a clear shot which was a shame. But the workrooms are just crammed with the most amazing tools and gadgets and I need to get back there. I had been set a challenge by a friend and I was focussing on photographing movement. It is sometimes a good idea to go somewhere with a definite purpose, it kind of focusses the mind. This is somewhere I can see myself going often, plus its handy to have a wet weather outing available.

This is one of my favourite pictures of the trip and I really don't know why. I call it the Duck Billed Telephone. Sometimes the most bizarre things work as a picture. The only editing I have done to it is to add a bit of a vignette. Trying to keep thinking about the Rule of Thirds and resist the temptation to put it slap bang in the centre!



Second attempt at "Movement". So lucky the bird was there when I was aiming!.

                 

While there, I was befriended by a workman who insisted on showing me all the best places to take photos and although I managed to lose him after a while, he caught up with me as I was about to leave. It was actually he who told me about the slate pool. It is so hidden away that if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't know it was there. I walked through this low slate tunnel but when I came out the other side, it was a real wow moment. Never seen anything like it. Surrounded on all sides by this slate hill with a treacherously deep pool in the middle. I am so sad the pics weren't better, but I do still have the memory of course.

 

After leaving that, I found a hill to clamber up. (Its only a good trip if I can clamber up something). I was then overlooking the buildings and saw how close it was to the lake. So that was my next stop.

 Lessons Learned: Its an old clichéd saying, but its true. Enjoy the Journey!
Photograph the bizarre. If it doesn't work, delete it. But who knows...!

An unexpected adventure December 2014

Decided to have a go at something different today, so headed to the Llanberis Slate Museum.

New challenge of the day. See what sort of a day I can have with 22p in loose change, plus 8 opal fruits and a walnut whip. Quite a good one actually.

 

Of course that wasn't my original intention, but when I got out the car at the Llanberis Slate Museum and realised that I had left my purse on the dining room table, I had to improvise! I think I may have mentioned it before, but I really shouldn't be let out on my own without adult supervision.

 

So what could I do that was free and that you didn't have to pay to park to do it! Luckily I had about half a tank of petrol, so was good to go exploring which I did. I just drove where it looked interesting and took photos where I could safe in the knowledge that my sat nav would get me home from anywhere. It was actually quite liberating but I probably could never find any of the places I went to again. Had to get back for the school run, so not a full day, but certainly an interesting one. Saw this beautiful statue in a cemetery and just loved it. It was too old to be able to read the inscription, but you certainly got the feeling that whoever it was for was much loved.

 

 

Saw my first proper snow topped mountain, although there wasn't enough snow on it to really take it off my bucket list (climb to the top of, and photograph a snow capped mountain)

   

So Llanberis Slate Mine pencilled in for another day. 

Lessons Learned: Leave a pot of change in the car so that at least you can pay to park somewhere.

Be adaptable and prepared to work with whatever life throws at you.