If you are in the area of Blaenau Ffestiniog then this attraction is worth a visit. The guided tour takes you, by almost vertical train, 500 feet deep into the Llechwedd Slate Caverns where the best slate was mined for centuries. From there on the guide describes the terrible working conditions that those miners had to endure. We were lucky in that ours was a small party and the guide a rather comical character. I think that may be down to the group we were with, who were also comical. Interesting, informative tour. Take a coat, it is cold down there. Walking through numerous caverns with a son et lumiere description at each stop. Passing the Cheddar cheese storing area. We were told jokingly, that everyone was searched on the way out (we bought some in Sainsburys to try. The best Cheddar ever, flavour stays in the mouth for at least 30 minutes) Finally a slate splitting demonstration. The guy pulled out of our group a 9 year old young lady. He said that you had to be 12 to do this. Asked her age, coyly she said 12 LOL. After she had split the slate, he gave her the piece and told her to go back to her parents and become 9 again. As I said, a great character.
Highly recommended tour. read more