Wheel pit and Conglog

If you walk back to civilisation from Rhosydd you come past what looks like a very big wheel pit. If I come past, I tend to have had a long day underground, and I just want to get home. Or maybe I’m in a group and I don’t feel free to go on a recce. But after our Moelwynion adventure, Neil and I walked past, and I thought this might be the moment to change that. Neil was happy with that. 

It is a huge wheel pit! It made us both feel a bit funny to look down into it. Imagine the size of the wheel this was designed for. But Neil had heard that this wheel pit had never been in use. It may never have had a wheel! But still. It's an impressive structure! From whichever angle we looked at it.

Small-looking Neil om big wheel pit

View from the side

I suppose we were on a roll. The next thing you walk past is Conglog mine. I had never had a close look at that either. But he was up for staring into these strange, more or less concentric, holes in the flank of the hill as well.

The first one we looked into was not very spectacular. It looked like it had collapsed, and you couldn't see any passages lead on. But when we moved further towards Rhosydd we saw that some of the others do. Given that the mine doesn't have big spoil heaps, I thought it would be very small, but having started into the abyss I had to change my mind. It was bigger than I thought! And I figured some of it may still be internally connected.

On the Cwmorthin side: big holes

On the Rhosydd side: small ones

When I thought I had come to the end of the mine I kept walking, just in case. And found an entrance. It was dry. I quickly went to get Neil. I was sure he would want to see this! And he did. And we both had brought head torches. 

It was a very tidy passage, and after not much time it opens up into a big chamber. Downwards. My caving headlight would be better able to check just how big it was! My surface head torch barely reached the far end. And Neil's absolutely didn't.

I saw there was an anchor in the wall. People have clearly explored this! Of course they have. But the anchor looks very old. I don't think this is a well-trodden mine. I suppose that means it doesn't really connect internally. If it did, people would be all over it! Or maybe, you can get everywhere without this descent. Still, it would be tempting to descend one day. Too bad I retired my rope and do not intend to buy another one. But who knows! It just might happen. And an explore for a different entrance would totally be on the cards. 

I was really glad to have ticked these two items off the list! At least with regards to a first explore. It had already been a good day, but this was some unexpected bonus on the way back. Always nice!