Visit Ffestiniog: its Slate Mines and Quarries, ‘city of slates’ and Railway to Porthmadog, UK (UNESCO Site)

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In 1873, the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog was described as “dinas y llechi” [“slate city”], as it was the largest town in the slate quarrying areas. Investors from England and Ireland developed a series of quarries around the town – and some of these still operate. The five quarries that form part of the nominated area were owned by different companies. In this area, the most convenient method for quarrying slate was to work it underground. This resulted in developing over 100 km of levels and tunnels, and hundreds of underground chambers. Slate rock that was not good enough to be split and trimmed into roofing slate would be discarded, forming huge waste tips. Up to 90% of the rock extracted was usually classified as waste.

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