United Cavers Exploration Team

hi iam looking for a national forest park on the way to barmouth i gust cant find a name of the place there is gold mines in there and a stream  there is some signs by the stream  saying no paning for gold can any one help from bala  to dolgellau on the a494

Hi Badger,

There are many Gold mines around Dolgellau ....

The one you are probably referring to is Gwynfynnyd (it's marked as such on an O/S map) and it is by Ganllwyd.

My understanding is;

The reason there is a no panning for gold sign is that it has been scheduled SSSI (surprise surprise) on account of alleged fresh water mussels. The national association of gold panners (or similar) fought it "tooth and nail" on the basis that;

1) they have been panning for 40 years
2) there aren't any fresh water mussels and never have been
3) the discharge from the mine is full of heavy metals and therefore toxic prohibiting such life

Of course, the SSSI people won theor argument (no surprise there then)

Any help ?

Ian

thanks ian i got lost when i was drivein  around 2 years ago down that way and it was a nice place there was  mines on the side of the road single track road with a steep drop of the side into the stream

I never spotted any "no panning" signs at gwynfynydd, but there are lots of keep out signs around the area.


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when i get back to wales i will have to have a look but its buging me i had no map and the missis in the car going mad at me because we were lost fun times