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North Wales weekend , Croesor-Rhosydd & Cwmorthin 24 Jun 2014 16:14 #13624
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North Wales weekend , Croesor-Rhosydd & Cwmorthin
Friday evening saw everyone arriving at the cottage in Tanygrisiau. Some of us had a pleasant journey but those coming along the M56 were held up by heavy traffic and delayed by about 1 hour
Croesor-Rhosydd
Saturday morning and after everyone had breakfast we kitted up for the long walk over the mountain. Keith and Stuart led the way but by the time we got up the first hill we had already split up into small groups. Everyone met up again at the top near the Rhosydd entrance and after a 15 min rest we all set of together for the final leg of the walk over the hill to Croesor . Once at the mine we all kitted up and set off into the mine , poor Gary found out at this point his new scurion didn’t work BUT after a quick fiddle it was soon burning the retinas of everyone’s eyes. We arrived at the first pitch to find the rope was in good order so we were all soon down and heading over the big chamber to the second pitch. Again rope was ok so we quickly descended this pitch as well. Next was the zip wire and squeals of joy could be herd echoing around the chamber as people thundered along to the other side. Next was the ladder bridge that everyone crossed safely without getting wet. Here we regrouped and headed of to the bridges, the first was the same as it was 3 years ago but the 2nd that had a tryolene last time had changed to a traverse line going around the edges of the flooded chamber. The 3rd bridge had also changed from last time but Keith soon devised a plan to get us across with the use of two pulleys and a change over in the middle of the crossing. Finally we arrived at the abseil into the boats with a bit of re rigging on the pull back rope we were all across and climbing up to the connection with the Rhosydd mine from here is was a stead plod through the twills and then down the incline to look at all the workings before the long walk towards daylight. Once outside everyone set off back down the mountain, on the way back three Yss members went for a swim in the lake to cool off one member even stripped off completely for the occasion (the phrase ginger biscuit was born)
I have for sale photos of said member in there prime
Saturday evening so us travel to Gwydr Hotel at Dolwyddelan for pub food before heading back to the cottage for more beer and an early night
Cwmorthin
Sunday morning everyone was up early and getting ready when Sharon arrived to take us on a trip into Cwmorthin mine were none of us had been before, thankfully this mine is only at the top of the first hill so we were all soon at the entrance kitting up for our adventure, once inside Sharon lead the way showing the bits that Go-Below had put in there, we headed down into the mine and arrived at a chamber with a plank walk then a traverse before an abseil into the bottom of the chamber. It was on the plank walk that I had Michelle and Stuart in fits of laughter as I can honestly say I was shitting myself on this and they could see it in my face. In my defence I was doing it one handed as I was taking photos with my other hand .
Once everyone was down this chamber we headed down to the bottom of the mine to have a look along the bottom passage which was knee deep in water at some points. We then climbed up into the Oakely workings taking in the sights of the artefacts of the mine, we had a play with the water wheel that powers two light bulbs but couldn’t get it to work so we climbed up into the old vein working again looking at all the mine equipment and machinery. We got a little lost at one point but Sharon soon found the way and we were soon heading back towards the exit via the smoke flue.
There is so much to see and do that I will try and get another trip into Cwmorthin before the end of the year it is a fantastic mine and one of the best I have done
This time 4 members went for a swim in the lake before heading back down to the cottage
Trip times
Croesor-Rhosydd , left the cottage around 10.30 arrived back at 18.00
Cwmorthin, left cottage 10.30 back 15.30
Present
Paul, Michelle, Keith, stuart, Alex, Sue, Gary, Julie, Carol, & Sharon
Friday evening saw everyone arriving at the cottage in Tanygrisiau. Some of us had a pleasant journey but those coming along the M56 were held up by heavy traffic and delayed by about 1 hour
Croesor-Rhosydd
Saturday morning and after everyone had breakfast we kitted up for the long walk over the mountain. Keith and Stuart led the way but by the time we got up the first hill we had already split up into small groups. Everyone met up again at the top near the Rhosydd entrance and after a 15 min rest we all set of together for the final leg of the walk over the hill to Croesor . Once at the mine we all kitted up and set off into the mine , poor Gary found out at this point his new scurion didn’t work BUT after a quick fiddle it was soon burning the retinas of everyone’s eyes. We arrived at the first pitch to find the rope was in good order so we were all soon down and heading over the big chamber to the second pitch. Again rope was ok so we quickly descended this pitch as well. Next was the zip wire and squeals of joy could be herd echoing around the chamber as people thundered along to the other side. Next was the ladder bridge that everyone crossed safely without getting wet. Here we regrouped and headed of to the bridges, the first was the same as it was 3 years ago but the 2nd that had a tryolene last time had changed to a traverse line going around the edges of the flooded chamber. The 3rd bridge had also changed from last time but Keith soon devised a plan to get us across with the use of two pulleys and a change over in the middle of the crossing. Finally we arrived at the abseil into the boats with a bit of re rigging on the pull back rope we were all across and climbing up to the connection with the Rhosydd mine from here is was a stead plod through the twills and then down the incline to look at all the workings before the long walk towards daylight. Once outside everyone set off back down the mountain, on the way back three Yss members went for a swim in the lake to cool off one member even stripped off completely for the occasion (the phrase ginger biscuit was born)
I have for sale photos of said member in there prime
Saturday evening so us travel to Gwydr Hotel at Dolwyddelan for pub food before heading back to the cottage for more beer and an early night
Cwmorthin
Sunday morning everyone was up early and getting ready when Sharon arrived to take us on a trip into Cwmorthin mine were none of us had been before, thankfully this mine is only at the top of the first hill so we were all soon at the entrance kitting up for our adventure, once inside Sharon lead the way showing the bits that Go-Below had put in there, we headed down into the mine and arrived at a chamber with a plank walk then a traverse before an abseil into the bottom of the chamber. It was on the plank walk that I had Michelle and Stuart in fits of laughter as I can honestly say I was shitting myself on this and they could see it in my face. In my defence I was doing it one handed as I was taking photos with my other hand .
Once everyone was down this chamber we headed down to the bottom of the mine to have a look along the bottom passage which was knee deep in water at some points. We then climbed up into the Oakely workings taking in the sights of the artefacts of the mine, we had a play with the water wheel that powers two light bulbs but couldn’t get it to work so we climbed up into the old vein working again looking at all the mine equipment and machinery. We got a little lost at one point but Sharon soon found the way and we were soon heading back towards the exit via the smoke flue.
There is so much to see and do that I will try and get another trip into Cwmorthin before the end of the year it is a fantastic mine and one of the best I have done
This time 4 members went for a swim in the lake before heading back down to the cottage
Trip times
Croesor-Rhosydd , left the cottage around 10.30 arrived back at 18.00
Cwmorthin, left cottage 10.30 back 15.30
Present
Paul, Michelle, Keith, stuart, Alex, Sue, Gary, Julie, Carol, & Sharon
