Hi All,
We have been approached by a film maker who is looking to take footage of the mini mines that run upstream from Klondyke Mine (up towards Llyn Geirionydd) and also the slate/Iron mine of Clogwyn Fuwch that over looks them.
He has already had a small peep but would like to be guided by someone (us) who is competent to show them around.
I will post his email below in reply to this and then the subsequent emails ...
Obviously, it doesn't need to be just one person, a trip can be made of it .... :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
It would be best done when the water levels of the river/stream are at their lowest.
Any help would be appreciated :)
Ian
Hello,
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is Federico and I am a filmmaker.
I am getting in touch because I would be interested in finding and hiring a guide to visit two mines in North Wales, Klondyke Mine and Colgwyn-Y-Fuch (seen in this video - link below) to capture some footage.
I have already been inside part of both (the wide cavern and the adits on the Geirionnyd stream), but would be keen to hire a more experienced guide so as to maximise what we can capture while keeping our exploration as safe as possible.
It would be me and a colleague and we’d only be carrying lightweight equipment in backpacks. We’d be using this footage as part of a larger project we’re developing, to be shot next year in other locations.
Here is some more information about me and my work - I am an Italian-British filmmaker. My films, including Under the North Sea (2020), a cinematic exploration of the deepest salt mine and dark matter laboratory in the UK, and Asha (2021), have been screened at international film festivals such as DocLisboa, Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, London International Documentary Festival, Glasgow Short Film Festival and LSFF. My moving image work has also been shown at art galleries and institutions including the South London Gallery, Cryptic Glasgow and on Nowness. My work and interests have developed alongside my cell biology and anthropology studies at UCL and Imperial College. I also have years of experience as an editor of documentary, fashion and art films for clients as diverse as BFI, Criterion Collection, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Comme des Garc?ons, Adidas Y3, NTS and The Face.
You can watch some of my previous work on the following links:
Under the North Sea: https://vimeo.com/376696123
Password: boulby
Asha: https://vimeo.com/482616964
Password: redruth20
Ontogeny: https://www.nowness.com/story/ontogeny-federico-barni-john-alexander-lowe
Please let me know if you can think of someone who might be able to help and how much it would cost to hire them!
Thanks a lot!
All the best,
Fed
The video of the mines he is referring to is;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6I0aDD7PLA
First Reply back ....
Hi Fed,
Thanks for your email and your interest.
Your email has come through to me as Secretary of UCET â€" I also happen to be the same “Ian†that is in the youtube video you linked below.
Straight away I can tell you a few things …. The main Klondyke adit has been sealed off (it’s the lowest entrance down river and you may have seen a barred gateway when you passed by). I have no clue why this was done as, in there are only two level passageways with no features, no water, no mud â€" nothing. There couldn’t be a safer adit in the United Kingdom. However, it has been barred.
Along the river going upstream there are about 13 adits (give or take) with a small measure of workings in most. Some have nice formations while others are devoid.
The best time to visit these adits is summer time when the stream/water level is low and it is easy to walk up (or down) the streamway. They could be done in winter (now) but they would be more difficult to access.
The formations you saw at the beginning of the video are from the iron/slate mine on the mountainside that overlooks the adits below. You should be able to see gaping holes as you look up â€" the best formations (obviously) are near the top. There isn’t much to those mines, mostly giant chambers (with the pretties at the back).
I would be very happy to take you in any or all of those except that, unfortunately, I significantly damaged my knee in March last year and I am still undergoing surgery and treatment to fix it. For the short term I am mostly immobile.
The club has 67 paid up members (we are an amateur club) and there are a good number of us who know those mines and can help you. We aren’t a commercial club though so we wouldn’t be able to “charge†you for the help â€" our insurance only covers us for recreational caving.
I will make some enquiries for you and get back to you.
Hope that’s ok?
:)
Ian Adams
(UCET Secretary)
And Fed's reply back ...
Hello Ian!
Thanks so much for getting back to me, I am so glad my email found my way to you.
Your video is what first got me interested in the mines and led me to visit them in the first place!
Yes I remember many of the things you mention from my visit - the adit at the bottom was already sealed when we went. We were able to visit some of the adits upstream, which I found really suggestive. In particular the one by the strange portion of the stream that dives underground to then reemerge. I thought it was a fascinating place and would love to go back and film the environment a bit deeper than we dared to last time.
I also know what you mean by the mountainside workings. In fact, the formations inside them are the thing that I’m interested in capturing the most - when we went, we could only find the lowermost chamber and were not sure how to access the higher ones which I read about on blogs online. I think capturing some of the seeping orange formations on the walls is definitely at the top of my list in terms of what I’d like to get some help with. Anything of that sort, where the mines start looking like nature is taking them over and turning them into caves. I think it’s really interesting how these adits also seem to have been mined far a series of different materials over time, from what I have read.
Sorry to hear about your injury, I hope the treatment is proceeding according to plan and you’ll be back on your feet soon.
We'd be so grateful if you could enquire and see if there is anybody else who might be able to accompany us. We are planning to visit a couple of times in the spring/early summer. Would love to be able to organise something for then! Understand you won’t be able to charge - I hope we can perhaps offer a dinner and a drink and of course a credit and consultant role in the film project for the help.
Once again thank you so much for offering to help and for sharing your knowledge about these amazing places :)
I am very much looking forward to hearing back from you, let me know once you have asked around!
All the best,
Fed
Soooooo ...
Spring/Summer ...
Could be a few UCETers ...
Can anyone help Fed?
;)
Ian
Happy to help and keen to get in them.
Ventured all the way up from Crafnant - Klondyke - Geirionydd,.
Hi there,
Fed here, thanks for getting back and nice to meet you!
Would be very happy to take you up on your offer.
I think April would be a good time for us, I will be in touch separately to make plans!
You can also email me on federicobarni@me.com and we can take it from there.
Anyone else keen to come with let us know!
Very much looking forward to this.
I should be about :)
I’ll help if I’m around too
Wonderful!
Thanks Richard and Steve, appreciate the availability.
Will be in touch with more details/proposed dates soon :)
Hi all!
My colleague and I are thinking about the 9/10 April weekend for this trip, or alternatively the 23/24 one if the first one doesn't work. How do those dates sound?
Hi Fed,
I'm just waiting for the dates of another trip in April.
Will let you know ASAP :)
Fantastic, thanks Richard!
keep me posted :)
Hi all!
Just an update from me - looks like the 9th and 10th might be not so good for us now any more, apologies, but the 23-24 April weekend, or even better, the following one (30 April) would be good.
Richard (as well as anyone else keen on joining), let me know if that could work?
Thanks again!
Best
Fed
Hi all,
So my colleague and I will be in the area on 30th April and 1st May - we will have some other things to get on with but please do let me know if any of you could be around to take us have a look in the mines as we should have time to fit it in! If nobody is available that weekend we should be back in May and June so it should be possible to do it at another time.
Let me know and thanks again!
Best
Fed
C'mon guys, someone give them a hand B)
The mines up and along the streamway are varied and fun. If the weather is good it's a real treat.
I would defo do this if I had two knees ....
:woohoo:
Ian
I could possibly be available on April 30th. I will know for sure by next weekend.