May 2008

The annual GOES summer walks have resumed. Click here for the latest list.

March 2008

The newly discovered hole between Romans and Treweeks was successfully capped after applying for permission from CCW to carry out the work. Click here for the link to the photographic record produced for CCW (PDF file).

September 2007

The annual GOES summer walks are over for another year. The turnout was good, and on the whole the weather was kind.

If anyone has any suggestions for the 2008 programme then please contact Ali Davies

May - August 2007

The annual GOES summer walks have begun.

Everyone is welcome to attend. All walks start at 7pm and are usually gentle strolls which last approximately 2 hours. Sturdy footwear is recommended. Click here for the list of the proposed walks, all of which are subject to confirmation. Please check the community news section in the North Wales Weekly News every Thursday, which will provide full details of the walk and the arranged meeting place. If the weather is poor, it is very likely that the walk will be postponed until a later date.

March 2007

On hearing the news of a new hole to explore a good crowd of diggers arrived. A couple of visits later and a simple survey had been carried out. A smoke bomb had also been let off in Treweeks... which caused a rapid evacuation, but gave proof of a link between the two mines. There are indications that the passages continue past their existing blockages, so one day we may be back to investigate further.

11 February 2007

While walking on the Orme early on a frosty morning, Ali saw what looked like smoke rising out of the ground. On closer inspection it turned out to be a small rabbit sized hole billowing out a good stream of warm air. Geting all excited, she informed other GOES diggers. After widening the hole Ali was able to make an entry. The passage inside was large enough to accommodate several people. It sloped downwards to a chamber, and off this were 2 other passages. Pick marks could be seen everywhere and there were a couple of walls made up of 'deads'. In one of the passages was also the skull of what appeared to be either a cow or a horse. Copper staining could be seen in places.

16 October 2005

Work on the new shaft is planned to resume next weekend ( 23 Oct ). GOES are going to cap the shaft with sections of steel plate. Once the steel is in place, the area will be landscaped to blend in with the surrounding scenery.

A group of five visited a mine off the Orme this weekend. It was an enjoyable, but extremely exhausting trip, and not one that will be done again in a hurry

14 May 2005

13 members of the South Wales Caving Club visited the Penmorfa today. They were taken to the higher levels of the system and shown some of the interesting artefacts and workings, including the devil’s head chamber, the calcited passage, stemple shaft, rocking stone and various ore chutes etc.

A very enjoyable day was had by the GOES members who guided the SWCC around as they were such an enthusiastic group.

1 May 2005

Digging at the new shaft has been temporarily suspended while some paperwork is being finalised. A site meeting has been held at the shaft with all concerned parties in attendance. The work that has been completed up to this stage to make the shaft head safe has been given the thumbs up. Hopefully digging will resume shortly.

6 March 2005

GOES were back at the shaft today for another digging session, having been the previous 2 weeks also. Progress has now slowed due to the amount of soil/mud material in the shaft again. At a guess, we are down to the 20 foot mark. 3 or 4 skeletons of dog and cows were discovered last week and today.

A new hauling system was put in place today, comprising a windlass type construction, designed and built by Brian and Gaz. It coped very well with the full gorilla tubs that were hauled out, and you certainly couldn’t have managed that weight just by hand. The windlass even coped when it was required to assist the diggers out of the shaft, just, in one case.

A framework of steel “C” section is now also in place at the shaft head. This will be used to support the material utilised to cap the shaft in the future. This was also constructed by Brian and Gaz. It was cut, drilled and bolted up offsite, off measurements taken at the shaft head, then transported up to the dig site and reconstructed at the shaft. It has proved to be a very effective and sturdy design.

See photo’s of dig in the photo’s section of the site. Under the title New Shaft.

13 February 2005

On the 6th and 13th of February GOES visited a very interesting part of the Orme. One which has obviously seen mining activity in the past. It is on a flat piece of ground above the area of Ogof Tudno. The reason being, to dig a shaft that we have known about for a number of years. The top section of the shaft has had its ginging exposed for a considerable time, so it was decided on the aforementioned Sundays, to go and take another look at it. We have been there on a few occasions in the past, but only in small numbers.

Over the 6th and 13th two bigger teams have been to the site, and rapid progress has been made. All the material has been removed from the top section of the shaft, exposing all the ginging, which is in good condition, and we are now down to the bedrock below. A tripod is now required so we can start hauling spoil up the shaft, and plans are afoot to take one up on the 20th, along with some scaffold bars and planking. A fence has already been erected around the site.

The material in the shaft at the moment is a mixture of rock and soil, but it has been noticed that the soil is disappearing and we are coming down onto pure rock. This should speed up digging. It has also been noticed that the rock spoil being removed contains a large amount of mineral, including spoil with dolomite crystals which is a very good sign. The dig continues!!!!!!!

30 January 2005

A group consisting of Brian, Steve, Gaz, J.C., Dave Wrennal and Mark had a trip into Treweeks shaft, where they fitted lenghts of drainage hose from the top adit, down to just below the platform at the wagon gate. They also secured planking to the top of the platform.

A party consisting of Ali, Tony and Tom stayed on the surface and lowered equipment down the shaft.

It is planned to install more drainage hose so that more water can be diverted out of the shaft.

23 January 2005

A group consisting of Brian, Steve, Ben, Gaz and Dave Flowers had a trip down to the wagon gate level of Treweeks shaft, where a platform made out of scaffolding bars was erected. A ledge was cleared on the opposite side of the wagon gate level, and the platform was suspended across the shaft using this ledge as a secure foundation to build off.

This is the first stage of a project to ladder the shaft, with the view of making access easier for all parties visiting the bottom area of Treweeks. This will make it possible to avoid the 220 foot SRT which has to be the most unpleasant ascent on the Orme due to the large amount of water that is constantly cascading down the shaft. The next stage of the project is to install a drainage system in the shaft, that will deal with the water.

9th December 2004

Update for the Tyn Y Fron shaft. A dig was started by JC, Gaz, Paul and Dave Flowers in 2003 in the side passage off the main adit (see 2nd photo). This dig broke through into a bell chamber. The dig went uphill following the roof into the dome of this chamber. It is believed by myself that the blockage is comprised of the material that has fallen out of the dome, which isn’t a significant amount. By following the roof down over the mound of muddy/clay material, it is hoped that a breakthrough will be made into the continuation of the passage beyond. Hopefully the dig will recommence in the summer months of 2005. Volunteers welcome.

6th November 2004

On the 21st November 1999 a new section of Romans was found by Dave “Daylight” Wrennal. He was accompanied by a small party and his trusted chisel, which was used to good effect. He managed to chisel his way into a new section of tunnel running North-South.

On the 6th November 2004 a party comprising of Gaz, Ali, JC, Brian, Ben, Steve, Dave Wrennal and Dave Flowers, re-entered this new working and dug the tunnel in a Southerly direction. Approximately 25 feet of new tunnel was found but digging had to stop when an area of very unstable backfill was encountered.

After studying the plans of this area, it is the authors view that the unstable ground is in VERY close proximity to Higher shaft !!!