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The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013

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The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 Journal 2013 The Great Orme Exploration Society www.goes.org.uk Issue number: 2013 (1) Cost: £5-00 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 Hello Readers, Welcome to issue no. 1 of the 2013 edition of the Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society. And so far we are moving through the year at a fast rate of knots. Steve and team have already completed the Brammock Rod reconstruction work, with just the information boards, and some minor additions left to complete the project. The Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza came and went as a huge success this year with a weekend of glorious weather to suit. We have some news about underground access to the mines of the Gwydyr Forrest, and not too far ahead, this year’s NAMHO conference in Aberystwyth promises to be another interesting gathering, more details of that here should you wish to attend. This year’s GOES Summer walks list has been circulated to members and offers a varied list of evening strolls within the vicinity of the Great Orme. Our underground events never cease to be of great interest to people. Earlier in April, Charlie Davies organised a visitor trip to Ty Gwyn which attracted an excellent attendance of twenty eight people. Other underground features include Dave Wrennall’s thrilling account of the discovery of An Area Beyond Higher Shaft. You can read all about these events, and more, in this issue of the GOES Journal, and perhaps feel inspired to join in with current activities either underground or over ground throughout the coming year. Look forward to seeing you at one of the summer walks. Best Regards, Debbie Wareham Debbie Wareham – GOES Journal Editor 2013 www.goes.org.uk 1 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 GOES Committee and Contact Details: Chairman: David Wrennall email: [email protected] Vice Chairman: Brian Edwards email: [email protected] Secretary: Gareth Davies email: [email protected] Treasurer: Stephen Lea email: [email protected] PR Officer: David Broomhead Tel: 01492 549590 Additional GOES Contacts: Archives Officer: Ali Davies email: [email protected] Equipment Officer: Gareth Davies email: [email protected] Journal Editor: Debbie Wareham email: [email protected] GOES meets informally every Thursday evening in the Kings Head, Llandudno from 9.30pm. All are welcome. The Great Orme Exploration Society (GOES) was formed in 1985 and became a Company Limited by Guarantee and not having a share capital on 7th April 1999. It is a member of the National Association of Mining History Organisation (NAMHO), British Caving Association (BCA), and works in association with the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust (GAT), the Early Mines Research Group (EMRG) and the Gwynedd bat Group (GBG). Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Society. Front Cover: Remains of Miners Cottages, GOES Visit to Wrysgan, 2011 Printed and bound by Mapping Company Ltd, Llandudno 01492 877960 © Journal - Great Orme Exploration Society Ltd. and authors, 2013 www.goes.org.uk 2 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 Contents GOES News and Events p.4 Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza 2013 p.8 Memories of a year’s activities with GOES 2011-2012 p.10 Petrostrat Ltd. Visit to Ty Gwyn April 2013 p.16 GOES and Snowdonia Society Trip to Wrysgan Slate Quarry, 2011 p.17 An Area Beyond Higher Shaft p.25 Providence Pot to Dow Cave p.32 GOES Summer Walks 2013 p.39 A Selection of GOES Photos p.41 The Caving Code p.42 www.goes.org.uk 3 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 GOES News and Events News: Underground Access within the Gwydyr Forest For many years there has been much deliberation about gaining underground access to the mine workings within the Gwydyr Forest. Such areas are currently off-limits to mine explorers, but the Cambrian Caving Council and other interested individuals have recently been trying to progress this matter towards enabling access, by setting up talks with relevant bodies such as the Forestry Commission, Countryside Council for Wales, and National Trust. A meeting was held in the Memorial Hall, Pont y Pair, Betws y Coed at 7:00pm on 27th April 2013, to discuss current progress of granting underground access in the Gwydyr. This was attended by forty people representing various caving organisations, and mine exploration societies. Dave Wrennall from GOES attended the recent meeting, and has provided the following feedback. ‘As things stand, the Forestry Commission appreciate the present situation. They know people are accessing without permission, and have no intention of trying to stop this, but they would like the situation monitored. The Cambrian Caving Council’s Access Officer explained how she is intending to set up a Licensing Agreement between the Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission. She has already successfully implemented a scheme with the National Trust.’ Developing a license scheme seems to be the way forward and would include the following mines: Aberllyn, Rhiw Bach, Parc, Cae Coch, Hafna and probably Pandora - to be accessed from the Forestry Commission side of the fence subject to a check on various leases, mineral rights etc. Dave goes on to say, ‘It is a case of agreeing the obvious ones to start with, with a view to expanding the remit later.’ ‘An ‘application for entry’ form was circulated at the meeting, but it was fully anticipated that as arrangements with groups were often last minute, groups might simply be expected to email intentions to visit a venue then receive an automated reply giving permission. This would of course be subject to everyone carrying a Green Card proving insurance etc. There may be some merit in proving that reasonable numbers are in fact safely using these venues so that the Forestry Commission will be happy in fulfilling their recreational www.goes.org.uk 4 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 remit. In the interim, the British Caving Association Bolting Scheme appears to be happy to provide free bolts. The Local Cave Mine Leader Scheme will assume responsibility for fixed aids deemed to be essential. The Countryside Council for Wales would also like to have a ‘report back form’ signed and dated, to include the number of visitors, and listing any problems, if any, found at the venue with fixed aids etc. This is a way of monitoring usage, and the condition of the mines used under the licence agreement.’ Thanks to Dave for attending the meeting and providing the feedback. There will be more news about access at Gwydyr as it develops. GOES trip to Aberllyn, Gwydyr Forest, 2008 www.goes.org.uk 5 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 News: The Great Orme Brammock Rod Reconstruction Project Steve and team have worked really hard on this project over the last few months. The final phase of the main reconstruction work was completed at the end of April when three wooden A-frames with metal heads were fixed in place, then securely concreted into each pit. Some finishing-off work remains to be done, but the overall result of seeing the Brammock Rods back on the Great Orme has been achieved. Steve is now busy writing the project report about the work, and will post this in its entirety on the GOES website for all to read. We will have great delight this summer on the GOES evening walk of 8th August to visit this new heritage feature, at which time Steve can gives us his own rendition of the project, and its heritage value. There is still more to say about the project after completion which we will include in the GOES Journal later in the year. Hopefully there will be a feature about the Brammock Rod project in a local newspaper and we may even get some TV coverage too. What a superb result! Three Brammock Rod A-frames now in situ on the Great Orme, Llandudno. www.goes.org.uk 6 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 Event: NAMHO Conference Aberystwyth 28th June – 1st July, 2013 Here is information about this year’s conference from Stirling University’s website: ‘Aberystwyth, on the coast of mid-Wales, provides an ideal venue for a conference focusing on the legacies of past mining activity. The University has all the facilities for a full lecture programme with the opportunity to visit many relevant mine sites in its immediate hinterland. The uplands of mid-Wales are rich with examples of metal mining from the Bronze Age through to the 20th century. Its historic landscape has been moulded by the activities of man over thousands of years and the interpretation of its archaeology, and the environmental and cultural impact, tells a story which is relevant across a much wider area. This conference brings together mining historians and archaeologists from across Britain, Ireland and further afield to share their research and their experiences, to socialise and to enjoy a rich mining heritage.’ A few GOES members usually attend the NAMHO conference each year. If you are interested to go to Aberystwyth this year, and want to know more about previous conferences, or what to expect, then please contact any GOES committee member and they will be happy help. Online link to full conference programme: http://www.stir.ac.uk/cehp/newsandevents/namho-2013/programme/ Or to book on to the conference follow the link to: http://www.stir.ac.uk/cehp/newsandevents/namho-2013/booking-form/ Llwyn Gwyddel Ore Bin www.goes.org.uk 7 The Journal of the Great Orme Exploration Society 2013 Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza 2013 With the date set for the 4th and 5th May, GOES happily settled in to having two days again at the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza.
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