The Glebe Blog: Slate Museum

Thursday the 22nd of May

This was to be my last day in Wales as we returned to Galloway on Friday morning.

Again I'm first up and after breakfast I watched this heron looking for breakfast. I did see him/her dip, but there was no classic stretch of the neck to swallow.

They have the patience though and I've no doubt he/she dined.

This was the building at the back next to our house.

Once we were all ready, we headed back to Llanberis for a walk round Llyn Padarn.

There was a fair amount of activity on the water as we parked up at Padarn Country Park.

Snowdon summit was under cloud.

We were here to do the Llanberis Lake Walk

A friendly dog and an abandoned tunnel on the old L&NWR line between Caernarfon and Llanberis.

The info board and plaque at Craig Yr Undeb (Rock of the Union). At the back of the rock we saw school children learning rock climbing.

Our walking musician decided against wild swimming with her clothes on.

We crossed the Pont Pen y Llyn, a bridge built in 1826.

We passed many colourful gardens.

Bottom left above was thought to be some form of press ?

Self catering cottages, Gunnera and a converted chapel.

Someone spotted a cafe ! It's the Padarn Cafe.

It has some great reviews on Trip Advisor

It's a lovely place and good to see that it's a non profit making cafe that employs lovely people with learning disabilities. Pots of tea with no tea bags initially made us laugh, but what a delightful experience. Great fare and great value for money too.

There's something visual to photograph around every corner.

This is the top entrance to Cae Mabon, an eco retreat centre described on the website as a 'Welsh Shangri La'.

If any of my friends after clicking on the link are considering a retreat, please let me know..........I may well join you !

The hardest climb of the day isn't really hard. It takes us up to Allt Wen (Hill White) viewpoint. Beautiful views.

These fellas take no notice of our passing !

Though we don't know it yet we'll visit this complex.

We made our way down to Gilfach Ddu

The remnants of the slate quarries dominate the hillside.

I photograph the Lake Railway train. (Spot the photograph of a photograph)

Remember this girls ?

It's turned a little showery, so how about a quick look in the Slate Museum.

One of the first things we did inside was to visit their small cinema and watch the presentation of 'To Steal A Mountain'. It tells the story of the quarry’s development in pictures, words and music. Very educational and entertaining.

After the film we split up and explored.

What a fantastic place to visit.

As a youngster and well into the eighties and nineties I worked in heavy industry in foundries, steelworks and docks.

There was so much here to bring back memories.

The Foundry

The big water wheel was turning.

As an apprentice weighing machine mechanic in Auchtermuchty I remember tempering steel in fires like those on the right. I also remember getting a finger blister from a slipping vice handle like the one top left.

The board top right took me back to the rope haulage system I worked down the Cults Limestone Mine.

Below: Hugh Richard Jones first manager of the National Slate Museum 1969.

There's a nostalgic look back by his son Elwyn Jones on this Museum Wales Webpage.

My fellow walker Miss Goodnight, the one in the mini skirt, sent me this. This leads to a kids playground at the rear end of the museum. Lovely !

Eventually we all dragged our way out to lunch watching the trains birds and tourists.

Back on the move we rounded the south eastern end of the lake.

We had intended to visit Dolbadarn Castle, but having spent so long at the museum we were out of time.

We were now making our way back to the cars.

There's feathery activity in and out of the lake.

Here's a couple of pictures from an earlier visit. Probably 26 years ago and not the 30 years I originally thought. (Note the hair has still some colour !)