Author Topic: Exploring The Area  (Read 193332 times)

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Offline Helig

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #570 on: September 27, 2021, 11:45:33 am »
Although I have never been inside the tunnels, having visited Rhydymwyn many times, I used to wonder what was under all those bumps in the ground. Seeing these photos makes me want to explore them when it is possible.

You mentioned a nature reserve, Hugo, I am not sure about that but there is a good walk from Rhydymwyn to Loggerheads along the Leete path. It isn't possible to do a circular walk . You have to take the same path back. There are shorter walks from Rhydymwyn which can be done on a circular route. The Leete path was a wonderful work, dug out for the industry that existed there years ago. You can see old lead mines and go in them if you want to risk it. We did and I am alive to tell the tale. The Devil's Gorge is quite spectacular. There was a deep lead mine in Pen y Fron, it was known as The Gob and said to be 800 feet deep. At one time it was open and you were able to peer down it but they filled it in some years ago.

This link is for a walk from Cilcain hut you get the idea. http://www.cilcaintoday.org.uk/In%20search%20of%20the%20Lost%20Leete.pdf

Helig

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #571 on: September 27, 2021, 03:44:41 pm »
Thanks very much for posting that info Helig.    I've only done the walk once before but wouldn't mind doing it again after reading the link that you attached.     It's a nice walk and we started it from the narrow bridge with the bollards on it near Cilcain.
What is unusual about the River Alyn is that in the Summer months the river is dry sometimes.   In the Valley the water goes into a sinkhole and then reappears a mile or two further on

I've attached a link and if you scroll down it you can see a short reference to the Nature Reserve that I mentioned

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._S._Factory,_Valley



Offline Robbie G

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #572 on: September 27, 2021, 07:34:09 pm »
Heliig
I worked for a firm of contractors who had a contract at Rhydymwyn with the M.O.D. as it was in  those days it is an amazing place  & some   area`s had restricted access as they produced Mustard Gas there at one period . As I remember it was a storage facility for the M.O.D. , some of the items kept in store were unbelievable some items from the Boar War also from WW1 ,it is a long time since I worked there so my memory is rather hazy to say the least but one thing I remember it was / is the coldest place I ever worked .

Offline Helig

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #573 on: September 28, 2021, 10:12:11 am »
Thank you to both Hugo and Robbie G. I haven't heard of the Nature Reserve and will try to explore that area again when time permits. We used to park by the old MOD buildings in Rhydymwyn, walk down the lane, through the caravan site, then pass through an old quarry before we came to the Leete path. There used to be a booklet on the walk which was produced by the council, I have a copy and that is how we found it all. I think the booklet dates to the 1970s. It gave a description of the history and the old industries that existed there. I recall it said many of the lead miners moved from Cornwall as they had experience of that work. There was the old mine manager's house which was derelict, he came from Cornwall too. I think that was close to Pen y Fron. There was a good circular walk from Rhydymwyn round Pantymwyn too.

I did read that the royal family had a top secret nuclear bunker at Rhydymwyn. That they were to travel there for safety in the event of nuclear war. There was one story that they had some storage for valuables belonging to the royals as well.

Offline SAJ

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #574 on: September 28, 2021, 06:36:15 pm »
Helig, there were definitely secret plans for usage of parts of the Rhydymwyn site. I won’t give any more details as it may be a spoiler for anyone planning to go on the tour.

We are lucky to have some splendid walks here in Flintshire. There is a guide which can be found at www.flintshire.gov.uk called “Rural Walks in Flintshire” which has one or two routes that I still need to try.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #575 on: October 09, 2021, 09:31:59 am »
Mysterious railway discovered that disappears into the sea off North Wales coast
Rail tracks hidden for decades have re-emerged on Barmouth beach - and their purpose may now have been solved

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mysterious-railway-discovered-disappears-sea-21805572

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #576 on: October 09, 2021, 02:57:56 pm »
Yesterday we went to Porthmadog railway station to see some of the steam trains that were taking part in the weekend event.   It was nice to see the trains and the people taking part in the event

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #577 on: October 09, 2021, 03:13:53 pm »
After seeing the trains in Porthmadog we drove down to Criccieth and had a short but very enjoyable walk along the promenade and on the way going up to see the castle which is situated on a prominent hilltop.
We started the walk by crossing the railway track by Dylan's restaurant and then following the promenade and then going uphill to visit the Criccieth Castle.   We had a good look around the castle before having our refreshments sitting on a bench and having fantastic viewsof the coast and mountains. It was my first visit there and it was a nice experience
From the castle we followed the promenade for a short distance passing the colourful hotels on the way and then we returned back to our car

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #578 on: October 09, 2021, 03:20:25 pm »
On our way back from Criccieth we had a quick look at Borth Y Gest,  It's a pretty village but was very quiet as most of the second home owners must have gone back home after the season ended

Offline SteveH

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #579 on: October 10, 2021, 09:56:18 am »
The ghostly ruins of the old Victorian porcelain works left abandoned for more than 100 years
Llanlleiana porcelain works has been closed for over a century after it was badly damaged in a fire in 1920

At Wales' most northerly point lies an old Victorian porcelain works that has fallen into ruin after being disused for more than 100 years.

Llanlleiana porcelain works is located between Porth Wen and Traeth Mawr, Cemaes on the northern coast of Anglesey.

It sits in a small valley in front of a secluded beach that will be a familiar spot to anyone who has walked further along the coastal path in that area.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/ghostly-ruins-old-victorian-porcelain-21776643

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #580 on: October 10, 2021, 02:49:48 pm »
Thanks for posting that article Steve.     $good$                     We have come across those ruins many times when we have walked from Bull Bay to Cemaes Bay but never knew what they had been used for

Offline SteveH

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #581 on: October 19, 2021, 10:22:18 am »
The Snowdonia National Park at 70
The Snowdonia National Park was the one of the first areas in Britain to receive the designation in 1951 and for the past 70 years this beautiful area has been protected

Celebrating 70 years of Snowdonia National Park in pictures
A number of events have taken place over the last few weeks to celebrate Wales' oldest designated beauty spot

photo GALLERY    https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/celebrating-70-years-snowdonia-national-21889306

Offline SteveH

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #582 on: December 29, 2021, 10:24:47 am »
The tiny ruined chapel in the shadow of Snowdon which has a fascinating story to tell
Capel Hebron served the remote community of Cwm Brwynog for nearly 150 years

Thousands of people travel past a ruined building on the lower slopes of Wales' highest peak on the Snowdon Mountain Railway every year and many, many more walk past on one of the main paths to the summit.

But few know the history of Capel Hebron, which served the residents of Cwm Brwynog for more than a century.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/tiny-ruined-chapel-shadow-snowdon-22520505?IYA-mail=a05105fc-304d-4c50-9807-edab51f779a4

Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #583 on: January 30, 2022, 09:34:11 am »
We saw the grave when we did a walk from Pistyll to Nant Gwtheyrn on the Llyn Peninsula.  It's a nice little Church situated near the main road to Nefyn and overlooks the Irish Sea

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/how-1960s-film-tv-star-22713480

Here is a link to the history of the Church

https://historypoints.org/index.php?page=st-beuno-s-church-pistyll




Offline Hugo

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Re: Exploring The Area
« Reply #584 on: February 01, 2022, 03:24:29 pm »
I was in Bodelwyddan on Sunday and had a look around St Margaret's Church   ( Marble Church ) and took some photos of the Church and the graves there.
The white headstones are the graves of Canadians and other service people who died after the end of World War I.     There has always been a mystery to how they died so I've attached a link about the matter

https://historypoints.org/index.php?page=canadian-war-graves-bodelwyddan

One other headstone stood out and was lovingly tended and the epitaph was particularly  poignant