Here are some brief snippets of news, courtesy of Roy Fellows.
Filming for “Hidden Wales”
Lazerbeam Productions has been filming surface and underground at Cwmystwyth for a forthcoming series “Hidden Wales”. Roy accompanied a filming team underground and he will probably feature quite a lot in the Cwmystwyth episode, which he hopes will provide a bit of publicity for Cambrian Mines Trust.
Cwmystwyth Mine
Roy reminds mine-explorers that warnings connected to works in Lefel Fawr, Cwmystwyth, are no longer relevant, as all works there are completed. The work has been previously reported by Darkness Below.
NAMHO 2018 Event
Bookings for NAMHO 2018 have been possible for some while now, and if you want to attend you should book soon, as there are not many more weeks to go until the event, on the weekend of 1st to 3rd June, to be held in the Forest of Dean. Online bookings for NAMHO 2018 can be made here.
Dinas Upper Silica Mine, Pont Nedd Fechan
For some while now, Roy has been keen to reinstate an improved surface route to Dinas Upper Silica Mine to make life easier for explorers and especially divers who have equipment to carry. There is a council tarmac road which was
originally a through route but was cut in two by the A465 dual carriageway. Now it leads past Dinas Rock car park to a farm. There is a Public Right of Way leading off that road to the left which is from that point only about 400 metres to a good wooden footbridge over the river directly to the mine. A partially constructed masonry gateway across the public tarmac road acts as a deterrent to anyone exercising their right to use it, and the PROW has been blocked with landfill, a steep slope leads down to brushwood making the path unusable.
Roy has previously complained to the local Highways Authority but nothing has been done. In order to achieve some progress, Roy, as a private individual, has served on Rhondda Cynon Taf as the highway authority responsible, two
separate notices under Sec 130 of the Highways Act 1980 ( Statutory Form 1) relating to:
- Partially constructed masonry gateway across the public tarmac road adjacent to Dinas Rock car park which is a psychological deterrent to anyone wishing to use the road and not having business at the farm. (Herrick v Kidner and Somerset County Council, 2014.)
- The blocking with landfill and brushwood of the Public Right of Way PRI 29 leading from the above road to Upper Silica Mines by way of the footbridge.
Further details and images can be viewed at the Natural Amenities Limited website.
Darkness Below is grateful to Roy Fellows for keeping us informed of mine-related news in Wales.
