United Cavers Exploration Team

We've used the Knowledge Bank a lot over the past few months and it has provided invaluable information so though I'd add a few that I couldn't see (if it is here, apologies and please delete !) that we visited in case anyone fancies a look.

Location
SN 73725 88343
 
Directions
From Machynlleth, take the A487 to Talybont. On reaching Talybont, drive to the centre of the village and turn left (sort of village green) and then left again almost at once as you go past the pub. Follow this road and the sign posts for Nantymoch reservoir (about 10 miles). The second and much larger lake that you meet on your left on this road is Nantymoch.

Once you reach the start of the reservoir, you should be at a Y junction - the left fork is the road you were on, the right fork is more a track. Just past this on the left is a layby / parking area. Park here and walk down the road (left fork) for about 100 yards. Looking to your right you will see forestry and through the trees you will see the spoil heaps. Enter here over the fence and walk through the spoil until you come to 2 old chimneys in the trees in front of you. The entrance adit is at about 2 o clock from this point 20 yards away.
 
Access
Ungated. Permission requirements unknown.
 
Suggested Equipment
Waist high water in the lower entrance adit for quite a distance. SRT equipment for descending the first winze (has been bolted).

Length
600 metres without SRT.
 
Flood risk
The entrance adit is prone to flooding but a drainage channel has been created to alleviate this by Roy Fellows.
 
Mine Attributes
Lead, zinc and copper.
 
Description
A small mine near the shore of Nantymoch worked off and on until the turn of the century. The origins of this mine are unknown but very likely first worked by the Company of Adventurers in the 18th century. Later, it was often worked along with the Havan mine but the two never actually connected.

The mine was worked for lead, zinc, and copper. Little if any trace of lead mineralization is currently discernible, but there is plenty of secondary copper staining.

The main adit starts as a straight heading for about 200 metres passing a blocked rise on the right and a blind heading on the left (before this a shaft is passed on the right where light is visable and also where somebody has dumped a load of batteries down said shaft). After the straight section, the level turns south for about 70 metres and then west. On the right a short level has been made into an explosives store and has the remains of a wooden door. After passing another short level on the left, leading to a winze (SRT needed to descend), the level reaches a collapse which can be passed.

Past this and a once impassable collapse has been excavated (by Roy Fellows) and fitted with steps which descend into a stoped area which then climbs to another chamber and adit. The chamber contains the remains of a wheelbarrow without legs.

The level continues for another 200 metres or so end at a collapse of what appears to be dried out mud from the surface, on the left is another winze. Before this, two blind headings on the right are passed. The first has an enamelled teapot, now almost rusted away. The second has been half backfilled. One section has extensive packwalls; at this point there are the stubs of many tallow candles. At the end of the drive and cordoned off with tape are old hobnailed footprints.

Unexplored Passages
The first winze on the left of the main adit.
 
Digs
None ongoing, previous digs by Roy Fellows to provide access to the adit with the teapot, wheelbarrow, candles and footprints.
 
Links
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Henfwlch-Lead-Mine/?gowhere=%2fmines%2f%3fpid%3d1%26ac%3dA%26ad%3d50

http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Henfwlch_2313/Henfwlch.asp

Entrance adit
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenAdit9.jpg&hash=eef573b39b461375d400c6461f11574d7691e68c)

Water subsides but plenty of mud
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenAdit8.jpg&hash=4e9cc726417803f2b687103164b5387429cbeb65)

Still on the entrance adit
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenAdit4.jpg&hash=38b2bb87837a252d9e526f3ae9213396125d9ddf)

Explosives store
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenEndStore2.jpg&hash=7fde23fe5fa47655c6300ca1b717d576b7c22194)

Excavated dig to other adit
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenRoy3.jpg&hash=28d3e68fd89edb79ab687109fef38b82e238ec8d)

Wheelbarrow
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenBarrow1.jpg&hash=03fbfd19142cb16ef60a4176d3093be11c0f914e)

Footprints
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenEndClog1.jpg&hash=4fb8ca3da633282cbb5548981003e34dc1fde285)

Stack of deads
(https://test.anduin.org.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1207.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb473%2Fcunningcorgi%2FHenDeads.jpg&hash=d409b510cfaa46ab39288450ce822838a6e2fa2d)