United Cavers Exploration Team

Location
SH637415

Directions
Park in the hamlet of Rhyd, on the road from Tan-y-Bwlch to Garreg Llanfrothen (B4410). There's usually space beside the road at SH635419. Walk back along the road to Tan-y-Bwlch, up the hill and past the last house on the right where there is a footpath that leads alongside the woods directly to the mine. The tip is rather obvious from the road, full of chalcopyrites. You have to climb over a wall beside the ruined building to access the adits.

Access
Ungated, belongs to Forest Enterprise


Suggested Equipment
wellies


Length
Unknown as yet, to be updated


Flood Risk
The lower adit does seem to fluctuate in water level, the upper is dry once inside about twenty feet.


Mine Attributes
Lead

Description
A hillside mine near the hamlet of Rhyd. 3 adits. Lower deep adit open with stone packwall against upper adit tip and a fine portal to the adit, upper adit open and dry, leading to stoping. The top adit is partially run in where workings break out to bank. There's a ruined building at the lowest level, a substantial stone structure, purpose unclear. Information about the type of mine from Foster-Smith, J R, The Mines of Merioneth (British Mining 6), Northern Mine Research Society, 1977 p. 9.

There's evidence of further scratchings all over this side of the hill and lower down towards C&J Consols.

The 6" map [OS 1st edn: XI NE (1882)] shows "Manganese Works (Disused)" at this location.

Unexplored Passages
Probably

Digs
Welsh Mines Society dug the lower adit out a couple of years ago...you can see the previous water level on the wall!

Links
My AditNow album @ http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Hafod-Boeth-Lead-Mine/

Inside the middle adit, looking down into stoping.

The view from the upper adit


Middle adit


Inside the middle adit

The ruined building


Lower adit entrance


Previous water levels in lower adit


Reflected light looking out of the upper adit

stoping in middle adit


The tip seen from the path to Catherine and Jane Consols.