After being rained out over the weekend, brightening conditions on the Bank Holiday spurred us towards a visit to the Llyn Eiddew Mawr manganese mine. Driving up a narrow lane from Eisingrug (an interesting old village which seems to have been the hub for several water-mills) leads to a small parking place where the tarmac ends and is replaced by two tracks. Taking the first track on foot, we followed it as it snaked south, then north, and finally east towards the rocky bulk of Moel Ysgyfarnogod. The going is mostly good track, with the occasional detour to avoid water. The route gives a good aspect of the geology of the northern Rhinogs, the rocks clearly dipping west from extensive north-south running ridges. Crossing the final ridge, Llyn Eiddew Mawr is visible in a hollow below Moel Ysgyfarnogod.
The workings are visible as a series of fenced-off areas to the immediate west of the north end of the lake. As with Meirionnydd manganese in general, the manganese is present as a 0.5m thick layer in the Hafotty Formation. Here it forms a 500m x 200m exposure in a faulted block. A tramway skirts around the east of the workings. The mainly trench workings are along the strike of the outcrop and take the form of a 10' high face with a packwall behind which waste material is piled. Every now and then there is a short tramway through from the exterior to the trench. There are some small underground workings as well, particularly in the northernmost workings. Here also are the abutments of a bridge whereby spoil from the trench was taken to a spoil heap accross the tramway.
Again, for comprehensive details, see Dave Linton's Hendre Coed website.
Site Overview
Trench to lmited underground workings
Bridge abutments
The workings are visible as a series of fenced-off areas to the immediate west of the north end of the lake. As with Meirionnydd manganese in general, the manganese is present as a 0.5m thick layer in the Hafotty Formation. Here it forms a 500m x 200m exposure in a faulted block. A tramway skirts around the east of the workings. The mainly trench workings are along the strike of the outcrop and take the form of a 10' high face with a packwall behind which waste material is piled. Every now and then there is a short tramway through from the exterior to the trench. There are some small underground workings as well, particularly in the northernmost workings. Here also are the abutments of a bridge whereby spoil from the trench was taken to a spoil heap accross the tramway.
Again, for comprehensive details, see Dave Linton's Hendre Coed website.
Site Overview
Trench to lmited underground workings
Bridge abutments
