Blaenau Ffestiniog - Explore Maenoffren Slate Quarry including Diffwys Casson and Votty & Bowydd 4K

Join us for our third feature length episode exploring the historic slate quarries of North Wales. Today we're in Blaenau Ffestiniog visiting Maenoffren and its constituent quarries - Diffwys Casson and Votty & Bowydd. See how this magnificent natural landscape has changed through its mining history. With the upper buildings still standing and even processing machinery in situ, we explore the changes in slate cutting and dressing methods from the 18th century to the present day.
Filmed by #dji drone in line with the CAA drone code.
To get the most from the commentary, we recommend sound up or captions on 🎧

[@Social-post]

Hello.🖐👍👏

[@trecruel3516]

Brilliant video! We came here last year and it's good to see so much of it still standing 😊 The underground workings are VAST aren't they!

[@HelzNicolasDeeks]

Thanks very much! Yes I agree, you can learn a lot from the buildings and kit left about. Really pleased to hear you got underground into the tunnels - I have been underground before and it's really interesting, but didn't go this time sadly as the little tunnel was blocked off :(

[@trecruel3516]

@@HelzNicolasDeeks As a blacksmith and a woodworker, the workshop building there is possibly my favourite find in Eryri 😄 I was such a nerd exploring those. We didn't get underground here although I've seen a few videos of the tunnels on RUclips.

[@getnyrb]

I took quite a few photos there in 2005 for my first DSLR project. I returned around 2010 and I was shocked to see what the copper thieves had done to the equipment...wrecked it.

[@HelzNicolasDeeks]

I guess when things are abandoned people assume it is a free for all. Big shame.

[@MrBadBean]

Here in Wales we get some freezing winters, the men who worked these quarries were as tough as steel

[@HelzNicolasDeeks]

Yes! It can get pretty bleak up there and especially at the more remote quarries like Rhiwbach 😬 proper hard work!