Not only are the quarries spectacular, they are a reminder of the role of the landscape in the heritage, culture and politics of the area, as well as being a result of the hard graft of the forebears of many locals today. Great video and suitably atmospheric weather, cheers!
7:35 It's a short sequence but this is probably one of the best you've done. Takes advantage of scenery, music, editing skills, location, emotion. Fantastic.
Thanks Thomas 🙂 was very pleased with that bit. In my head the fading versions of me reflect the history and the lives that have come and gone in this place. Also I thought it would just look cool 😁
Oooh! I really liked this one :) For a film maker you have to try and film in a way that imparts what are are seeing, feeling, smelling, and hearing, so that your audience is there with you. I really felt it, I felt like I was there - felt you awe, excitement, interspersed with danger and caution. It was brilliant :)
that quarry is amazing. I understand all too well about working in places that didn't have many safety standards. I'm from West Virginia and every male member of my family has either died in or due to the coal mines . they were miners back in the early 1900s to the 1970s and there were a lot of injured workers and workers killed in mine accidents. I'm very glad I decided to fix cars instead. much safer profession
... no, what's really crazy? Is that even after all those deaths and injuries they just kept doing it and never thought for a second that maybe they should like you know change professions or get an education or maybe move out of the area or you know literally do anything else other than dying and coal mines for menial amounts of money. ...? Just a thought...
@LadyBits2023 well I might agree with you if you had the slightest clue of what it's like in that area. there are generations upon generations of people living there that are part of that land and would never leave it. they love it as I do . there are very few places in America where the people would rather starve than leave but that small area of the Appalachian mountains is one of them where tradition far outweighs the ridiculous liberal thinking that has attempted to destroy this great nation. Dwayne
@@LadyBits2023Get an education from where, exactly? Travel to new opportunities with what money, precisely? West Virginia in particular has a legacy of company towns that debt trapped workers and made it literally impossible to leave. Even as those practices were curbed later on, the damage was done. The same companies still owned the mines, the equipment, and the resources to seek and gain control of political office. They continue to extract the vast majority of wealth while cutting off the services that would allow improved mobility. Moving, particularly in the US, is expensive. You need, at minimum, enough liquidity to pay for several months of lodging in your new destination up front and to own or rent a vehicle to cover the distance and carry anything you want or need to keep (public transit is either incredibly barebones or outright nonexistent in many places, so at minimum you’d need to reach a major hub to then get on busses or the handful of trains). Then there is food, basic healthcare, the costs of job searching, care for any family who can’t care for themselves… it really adds up. It’s about $4,000-$8,000 to move states on average, and that’s almost all got to be ready cash-not loans or property value. The median worker in the US has less than $5,000 in savings, and you’re talking about some of the poorest people in the country. They literally cannot afford to move, and if they did, could not afford to purchase the education and training to attain better jobs in the area they moved to. Stop blaming the victims of our system for the systemic forces designed to victimize them.
Thanks for the video. It brought back wonderful memories of my trip inside the mountain 30+years ago. I’m now aged 78 and although still very fit may find it more of a challenge.
Wow - looks like Mordor is in Wales not in Middle Earth. Visited the quarry about 6 years ago , as was watching Clash of the Titans movie and there a scene filmed there. So checked on line and decided to make a visit. 👌👌
The climbers renamed sections with their own names (which is contentious and seen as disrespectful to the heritage and original names), but the first section he enters from the big lake through a short tunnel is known by climbers as Mordor, and the next section where a chain hangs from tunnel mouth is known as California. The lake with fence round it gets called Dali's Hole, water can rise in a storm very rapidly, I've seen that lake level go up by two metres in 2 hours!
A beautiful haunting landscape. Amazing to see those old quarry houses. My family are from South Wales and some of them worked in the coal mines. My gran's house use to overlook the pit wheel, such a dramatic landscape, all gone now, houses the lot. Really enjoyed the watch - great filming and beautiful goats 😊!
Thanks! Filming in weather like this with my higher quality camera was a new challenge. Everything took twice as long and the camera got blown over twice. Was worth the effort though, the place has so many amazing views
Was that an intentional pun at 4:30, miner injuries😂 Crackin video as usual Stephen, it was like watching Journey to the centre of the earth! Seriously though, some amazing scenery, thanks for sharing.
😂 I didn’t notice that until Louise pointed it out. Not planned. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Ended up shooting it over 2 days as I couldn’t fly the drone on the first day.
I climbed through the tunnels in Dinorwic in the autumn of 1984 in exactly the same weather. It was like Moria inside, and a really tough, slippery climb in the dark. I was 16. I finally came out at the bottom of a cone shaped open cast mine that I had to scale, back up to the ridges of the mountains, to find a path back to civilization.
I first discovered Dinorwic in 1963 riding down the pass on a motorbike, obviously it was still being worked at the time. Ever since I've been fascinated by slate so I've watched many TH-cam videos about this quarry none of them come close to the quality and presentation of this one. Brilliant stuff. Top of the pile mate.
Thank you for this educational and courageous video. Beautiful and sad, stunning, all at once. Cities are both beautiful and hideous. Manmade wonders and disgusting absence of nature in some cities. Keep on making videos ❤
This is my local haunt! Walk the dog here almost every morning (on the main paths lol). Lovely to see you got to experience it, I'm glad you enjoyed and appreciated our local area and history!
An absolutely brilliant video..even though it was wet, gloomy, dark etc your filming told a brilliant story. Even in the depths of darkness colours were evident, the lake and vegetation...A superb video. Many thanks and best wishes.
We were there 7 years ago on a misty day and saw about the same number of people you did . Spent an amazing 8 hours hiking around even doing the less sketchy pair of ladders to get up a level . The scale of the site is unreal . Great video brought back a highlight of our Wales trip . Check out the museum next time too . Greetings from Canada
Hi, great video. The rain really helps to show off the slate. A hard landscape indifferent to us puny folk. Puts me in mind of the opening sequence of Prometheus (Alien), and a bit Tolkien. The North Wales landscape also makes for some hairy driving conditions. 😨
Visited there quite a few years ago, and this brought back some great memories of exploring. Your filming really shows just how amazing this place is. Many thanks for sharing
I have been there before and done some climbing, also camped up at the top section theres a suitable flat area there. absolutely epic place! There's also a hut somewhere near the top section which still has shoes of the miners in it.
I find that quarry fascinating because my work has it's origins in the little clinic they had onsite to sew miners back together, or at least tidy the pieces into a bucket. As you say worth reflecting on our good fortune to have safe jobs, and remember the people who still work in appalling, dangerous conditions. Places that are beautiful and ugly? Well anywhere I can turn my back on the town and head into the landscape.
One and a half minute in and I just have to say it: What gorgeous camera work. You've made me feel like I need to put on rain/wind gear, cuz hey, I'm *there* ! Except it's 30 degrees here today, and Im melting, so I'll go enjoy the cooling effect of the rest of the video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Initially I was upset that the weather was rubbish, but quickly realised that it made this place look incredible. My microphone nearly didn’t survive though!
So stunningly gorgeous..a reminder of how when mother earth takes back what belongs to her..she covers up the scars with explicable beauty! Thank you for sharing videos like this!
Stephen, That was a wonderful piece of work. Some of your cinematography is really outstanding, and the back stories ring true for all of us who have mining etc in our family history. Well done, mate!
Going back for the fourth time to the Quarry in 9 weeks (plan to go two full days in the 14 day span I'm in Snowdonia)) and even I think I just scratched the surface... Must say your video gave me the lure to go on a rainy stormy day like you had this time around... It's a whole different atmosphere... Tnx for sharing this different look...
Yes Stephen it was TNT they used. There's a small village nearby called Cwm-Y-Glo which was named after a cartload of the stuff went off and caused one of the biggest explosions on record, if what I was told were true. It must have been quite the event if they named a village after it!
Cwm y Glo translates as Coal Valley so unlikely to be true. Didn't hear any tale along those lines from the old quarrymen - I say old, some were still in their forties and fifties at the time.
@@bobwightman1054 Yeah what do I know, I only used to work around the corner, knew several poeple in the village and was told this by a local. Oh well eh.
Loved this, Stephen! It absolutely is a juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness. I can’t think of any places I’ve been that are like this in that way but maybe one day I’ll find one. Lovely photography as usual! I love how the quarry seems like it’s slowly being reclaimed by the wild. (On a side note, I really appreciate that you take the time to properly edit and grade your footage! As someone who works in the film industry myself it’s these little details that keep me coming back to your videos! Stay wild!)
Thanks Leigh! Glad the work was appreciated. It was one of my toughest shoots with the wind and rain. Lens constantly needing wiped, had to be careful with the mic and the wind blew everything over twice🙈 I had a hard time matching the drone footage as it was shot the next day. The conditions on the day were too wet and windy to fly. Did my best to match the footage and added a subtle rain mist over some of the drone shots. 🙂
Stumbled upon this whilst doing some research on the quarry lakes there, what a brilliant film! Greatly deserves way more views, cheers for taking us on that adventure with you!
You people are just making to much great stuff to watch. I hate having to miss anything that I find interesting but this amount of great content from so many Tubers is a very new challenge. Bigger even than that little quarry lol.
for the love of god, Stephen, please stay safe during all your hikes. there were so many moments while watching your content when I just feared for your safety
This is definitely the best filmed dinorwic I've seen. You definitely need 2 or 3 days to truly see everything. I've walked up through the woods at the bottom before and it's taken us 4 hours to get to Anglesey barracks. There's loads of things along the way and plenty of closed off bits. You did the right thing starting from the top. There's plenty camp spots there too.
Thanks Phil 🙂 I watched quite a few TH-cam videos of the place from other people and was determined to capture it in a different way. The wind & rain was very difficult to film in but actually I think the quarry looks best in those conditions. It’s much less dramatic in the sunshine. I had arrived 3hours before I started but the rain was torrential so I waited for it to settle down a bit. But it meant I was limited in where I could explore, figured the pool, caves & waterfall was a good focus. I did spot quite a few spots I thought would be good to camp in! Is it somewhere that camping is tolerated?
@@StephenJReid as with all places it's down to popularity and time of year. I reckon lower down is frowned on, but side bits where some of the old engineering works are have been fine from what I've seen. I've not camped there yet but it's on the list! I know in the tops no-one bothers about vans staying the night.
Tales of slate told by the cold biting wind . This slippery, grey beauty Raised and shaken By tens of thousands of rains Memory of men! That was to come. Great in their empty hunger These surroundings threw walls to the sky. Inspired by Stephen J Reid and Slate by Edwin Morgan
If you enjoyed the slate quarry you should come and do the Snowdonia slate trail. It's a great 86 mile walk on rough terrain all around the old slate mines and some isolated areas. There are some beautiful off the beaten tracks to see and it is a brilliant challenge.
The blue pool is called Dali’s Hole and was a very popular rock climbing area. The gateway to another world leads to what’s called, the lost world. Enjoyed climbing and walking that area over many years. Great video 👍
A really excellent piece of work, seamlessly incorporating the different media. I've explored Dinorwic on many occasions and the weather was always excellent but the weather on your trip really adds atmosphere. I'm visiting the quarry next month and want to explore the hidden waterfall area which I haven't been to before (hope the hole in the fence is still there! but I think you can get to the cave from the other direction). I'm impressed with your camera & sound equipment and in particular, the 360 camera footage, What camera did you use?
Thanks Brian! 🙂 I make videos for a living so I have good kit. This was shot on a Sony A7siii with a weather sealed 24-105mm lens. Also used a DJI action 4 for most of the walk and talk shots as it’s just easier to work with when it’s raining.
I visited down the bottom museum last year, really interesting place, I have saved route to the upper Car park/ Bus terminus for another trip. Loved the fading shots as mentioned below, im going to look into how to do them. Regarding beautiful & hideous my choice is my local town Fort William . All the best and thanks.
I really appreciate the approach you've taken with this video, acknowledging the history of the place. So many others just treat it like a playground. Beautiful cinematography!
That's a lot more rugged than my adventures at "Elephant Rock" granite quarry in eastern Missouri. But it's also a state park area, lots of scenery and if you ever get to the states I recommend it.
I'm so enjoying playing catch up, and my mum and comes from Anglesey, so I've got lots of family there, that place is amazing and it really puts things into perspective. Thanks again Steven.take care of yourself and yours, Alan 💯👍
You capture the place so well. I too have been around the quarry a couple of times so many thanks for bringing back the memories. Your images and music are beautiful.
Hi Stephen, I came across you recently in a video with the big dog Messner and subscribed. I'm glad I did. You are very engaging, and your footage is spectacular and thoughtful. Enjoyed this. Thanks, Paul
What an incredible place! Would have been an interesting place to camp. Your camera and drone work is equally incredible, you captured the beauty of the Quarry wonderfully. Thank you for taking us on your adventure. :) :)
Amazing video stephen thanks for sharing that i have been on top of the mountain above elider fwar a few times and the contrast in scenery over the ogwen valley to this side is unreal this is one i will look to do next visit best wishes steve 👌🏻👍🏻
Only getting to see it now. But well worth the wait! I’ve ran in around and over that mountain and few routes and ridges in that area! Fabulous place no matter the weather! Great film and might be your best so far!
Thanks for posting this video, it truly is a beautiful and hideous place. Whenever we're in the area I always try and go running round there, Glad you caught sight of the goats, in my experience you can usually smell them before you see them
Go and sit awhile up on the level with the long building with the benches, You almost expect a quarryman to come in for a tea break. The stillness and silence is out of this world. then you hear it the low thrum from the power station buried inside the mountain. A stunning place and a lasting reminder of what the quarrymen had to face. And if your lucky you might see the wild mountain goats too.
Stunning video Steve. I spent many a weekend/ weeks in my youth exploring the area and was inspired to go to some places further afield. About 20 or so years ago, I had an old customer who had the most wonderful collection of B&W photographs that he took in days gone by of him (and some well known locals) climbing the vertical slate faces - truely inspiring. Not too inspired by the goats though! Scared the living s..t out of me once when I was scrambling up Tryfan 😂😂😂.
Your pit zips were open on that walkway with that gale blowing - refreshing 😊😎😎😎. Was thinking you were gonna climb up that sheer wall 😂😂. Brilliant video as always 👌
Excellent video we love Going to dinorwic , I saw that fence hole but never braved it lol ,for every ton of usable slate there was 30 ton of waste ,allegedly,,the goats where at the cottage ruins last year ,,well wiffy,
Incredible video...the weather added to the atmosphere. You're in a very special place. Manufactured, and still being utilised in ways that I can only guess at 🤐🤔
my uncle helped install the turbines in the power station, he used to live just round the corner up on the hill overlooking llanberis and snowdon, one of the best views i have ever seen.
Thanks! This was a real challenge for me trying to shoot a cinematic style in really raining and wet conditions. The lens was covered in water ever few minutes and had to keep a lens cloth in a plastic bag and it was tricky getting the audio in the wind. Glad I put in the effort though! Was good experience and less effort wouldn’t have done the place justice 😊
@@StephenJReid yeh, I thought you had spent some thought on it, but great cinematography once again. Another story… when you looked down to the electricity scheme down by the lower lake there was big open area and it was used for the film set of ‘Willow’ there were piles of bones and skeletons hanging up everywhere, it wasn’t long before you started getting to climbing belay stances to be met with a skull or something else just as random!
@@StephenJReid Driving into acklow, think it was copper mining. I think it was on the same road the prison on, Shelton Abbey. Some big holes and steep bits I found when I had a car over 25 years ago.
Hi, I like your vlog. The place looks amazing and I wish to visit it. What's the correct pist code for the upper car park please? Also, how to get to that lake and "gate" from that car park? ✌️
Not only are the quarries spectacular, they are a reminder of the role of the landscape in the heritage, culture and politics of the area, as well as being a result of the hard graft of the forebears of many locals today. Great video and suitably atmospheric weather, cheers!
Yeah so much history up there!
7:35 It's a short sequence but this is probably one of the best you've done. Takes advantage of scenery, music, editing skills, location, emotion. Fantastic.
Thanks Thomas 🙂 was very pleased with that bit. In my head the fading versions of me reflect the history and the lives that have come and gone in this place. Also I thought it would just look cool 😁
I second that, amazing.
Oooh! I really liked this one :) For a film maker you have to try and film in a way that imparts what are are seeing, feeling, smelling, and hearing, so that your audience is there with you. I really felt it, I felt like I was there - felt you awe, excitement, interspersed with danger and caution. It was brilliant :)
Thanks! That’s exactly what I was trying to do. Very slow approach but it takes it to do the place juisticec
that quarry is amazing. I understand all too well about working in places that didn't have many safety standards. I'm from West Virginia and every male member of my family has either died in or due to the coal mines . they were miners back in the early 1900s to the 1970s and there were a lot of injured workers and workers killed in mine accidents. I'm very glad I decided to fix cars instead. much safer profession
It’s crazy how dangerous so many jobs used to be and it was just accepted
... no, what's really crazy? Is that even after all those deaths and injuries they just kept doing it and never thought for a second that maybe they should like you know change professions or get an education or maybe move out of the area or you know literally do anything else other than dying and coal mines for menial amounts of money. ...? Just a thought...
@LadyBits2023 well I might agree with you if you had the slightest clue of what it's like in that area. there are generations upon generations of people living there that are part of that land and would never leave it. they love it as I do . there are very few places in America where the people would rather starve than leave but that small area of the Appalachian mountains is one of them where tradition far outweighs the ridiculous liberal thinking that has attempted to destroy this great nation.
Dwayne
@@LadyBits2023Get an education from where, exactly?
Travel to new opportunities with what money, precisely?
West Virginia in particular has a legacy of company towns that debt trapped workers and made it literally impossible to leave. Even as those practices were curbed later on, the damage was done.
The same companies still owned the mines, the equipment, and the resources to seek and gain control of political office. They continue to extract the vast majority of wealth while cutting off the services that would allow improved mobility.
Moving, particularly in the US, is expensive. You need, at minimum, enough liquidity to pay for several months of lodging in your new destination up front and to own or rent a vehicle to cover the distance and carry anything you want or need to keep (public transit is either incredibly barebones or outright nonexistent in many places, so at minimum you’d need to reach a major hub to then get on busses or the handful of trains).
Then there is food, basic healthcare, the costs of job searching, care for any family who can’t care for themselves… it really adds up.
It’s about $4,000-$8,000 to move states on average, and that’s almost all got to be ready cash-not loans or property value.
The median worker in the US has less than $5,000 in savings, and you’re talking about some of the poorest people in the country. They literally cannot afford to move, and if they did, could not afford to purchase the education and training to attain better jobs in the area they moved to.
Stop blaming the victims of our system for the systemic forces designed to victimize them.
@@LadyBits2023 most people didn't have a choice. How incredibly unempathetic of you.
Thanks for the video. It brought back wonderful memories of my trip inside the mountain 30+years ago. I’m now aged 78 and although still very fit may find it more of a challenge.
Wow - looks like Mordor is in Wales not in Middle Earth.
Visited the quarry about 6 years ago , as was watching Clash of the Titans movie and there a scene filmed there. So checked on line and decided to make a visit.
👌👌
I used to live there, we affectionately called it Mordor around there. No fibs!
The climbers renamed sections with their own names (which is contentious and seen as disrespectful to the heritage and original names), but the first section he enters from the big lake through a short tunnel is known by climbers as Mordor, and the next section where a chain hangs from tunnel mouth is known as California. The lake with fence round it gets called Dali's Hole, water can rise in a storm very rapidly, I've seen that lake level go up by two metres in 2 hours!
A beautiful haunting landscape. Amazing to see those old quarry houses. My family are from South Wales and some of them worked in the coal mines. My gran's house use to overlook the pit wheel, such a dramatic landscape, all gone now, houses the lot. Really enjoyed the watch - great filming and beautiful goats 😊!
Thank you! 🙂 I think the goats were sheltering from the storm down in the woods.
The most visually dramatic vlog you've done. Incredible!
Thanks! Filming in weather like this with my higher quality camera was a new challenge. Everything took twice as long and the camera got blown over twice. Was worth the effort though, the place has so many amazing views
Was that an intentional pun at 4:30, miner injuries😂 Crackin video as usual Stephen, it was like watching Journey to the centre of the earth! Seriously though, some amazing scenery, thanks for sharing.
😂 I didn’t notice that until Louise pointed it out. Not planned. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Ended up shooting it over 2 days as I couldn’t fly the drone on the first day.
I climbed through the tunnels in Dinorwic in the autumn of 1984 in exactly the same weather. It was like Moria inside, and a really tough, slippery climb in the dark. I was 16. I finally came out at the bottom of a cone shaped open cast mine that I had to scale, back up to the ridges of the mountains, to find a path back to civilization.
I first discovered Dinorwic in 1963 riding down the pass on a motorbike, obviously it was still being worked at the time. Ever since I've been fascinated by slate so I've watched many TH-cam videos about this quarry none of them come close to the quality and presentation of this one. Brilliant stuff. Top of the pile mate.
Thank you! My aim was to try and show the place off in a way that was different to all the other videos about it
Thank you for this educational and courageous video. Beautiful and sad, stunning, all at once. Cities are both beautiful and hideous. Manmade wonders and disgusting absence of nature in some cities. Keep on making videos ❤
Thanks Cathy. Hmm yeah you’re right about cities
If you haven’t already visited, you’ll love Parys Mountain on Anglesey. A former copper ore mine & great to explore
I haven't yet, a few people have mentioned it to me. Not sure when I'll get a chance to visit but its on my list!
This is my local haunt! Walk the dog here almost every morning (on the main paths lol). Lovely to see you got to experience it, I'm glad you enjoyed and appreciated our local area and history!
An absolutely brilliant video..even though it was wet, gloomy, dark etc your filming told a brilliant story. Even in the depths of darkness colours were evident, the lake and vegetation...A superb video. Many thanks and best wishes.
Thanks Andy! The weather was a huge challenge but it definitely was the best conditions to show this place off
Quality film work!
Thanks! 🙂 took my time with this one, was there for 4 hours. Could have spent another 4 hours there.
We were there 7 years ago on a misty day and saw about the same number of people you did . Spent an amazing 8 hours hiking around even doing the less sketchy pair of ladders to get up a level . The scale of the site is unreal . Great video brought back a highlight of our Wales trip . Check out the museum next time too . Greetings from Canada
Hi, great video. The rain really helps to show off the slate. A hard landscape indifferent to us puny folk. Puts me in mind of the opening sequence of Prometheus (Alien), and a bit Tolkien. The North Wales landscape also makes for some hairy driving conditions. 😨
Hmmm yeah the entire place feels like Mordor, no doubt Tolkien had places like this in mind.
Visited there quite a few years ago, and this brought back some great memories of exploring.
Your filming really shows just how amazing this place is.
Many thanks for sharing
Thanks Ivan 🙂 was an amazing place to film in, so many great compositions in the place. I love a good silhouette
I have been there before and done some climbing, also camped up at the top section theres a suitable flat area there. absolutely epic place! There's also a hut somewhere near the top section which still has shoes of the miners in it.
I’m going to have to go back and explore more
Saw you in tesco today but didn't want to bother you, awesome seeing you anyways!
You wouldn’t have been the first to say hello in Tesco! 😂
Looks amazing, incredible footage Stephen, love the back ground music too.
Thanks Nigel 🙂
I find that quarry fascinating because my work has it's origins in the little clinic they had onsite to sew miners back together, or at least tidy the pieces into a bucket. As you say worth reflecting on our good fortune to have safe jobs, and remember the people who still work in appalling, dangerous conditions.
Places that are beautiful and ugly? Well anywhere I can turn my back on the town and head into the landscape.
wow, was the clinic pioneering new techniques? I could have spent another day or 2 exploring that place fully.
Not quite but it was state of the art in 19th C, no thought of preventing harm.
One and a half minute in and I just have to say it: What gorgeous camera work. You've made me feel like I need to put on rain/wind gear, cuz hey, I'm *there* ! Except it's 30 degrees here today, and Im melting, so I'll go enjoy the cooling effect of the rest of the video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Initially I was upset that the weather was rubbish, but quickly realised that it made this place look incredible. My microphone nearly didn’t survive though!
You make some spectacular audio choices for your films! Chef's kiss!
So stunningly gorgeous..a reminder of how when mother earth takes back what belongs to her..she covers up the scars with explicable beauty! Thank you for sharing videos like this!
What a beautiful comment, Gunhilla!
Stephen,
That was a wonderful piece of work. Some of your cinematography is really outstanding, and the back stories ring true for all of us who have mining etc in our family history. Well done, mate!
Going back for the fourth time to the Quarry in 9 weeks (plan to go two full days in the 14 day span I'm in Snowdonia)) and even I think I just scratched the surface... Must say your video gave me the lure to go on a rainy stormy day like you had this time around... It's a whole different atmosphere... Tnx for sharing this different look...
Initially I was gutted it wasn’t going to be sunny but decided to go with it and I’m glad I did!
Yes Stephen it was TNT they used. There's a small village nearby called Cwm-Y-Glo which was named after a cartload of the stuff went off and caused one of the biggest explosions on record, if what I was told were true. It must have been quite the event if they named a village after it!
Yikes!
Cwm y Glo translates as Coal Valley so unlikely to be true. Didn't hear any tale along those lines from the old quarrymen - I say old, some were still in their forties and fifties at the time.
@@bobwightman1054 Yeah what do I know, I only used to work around the corner, knew several poeple in the village and was told this by a local. Oh well eh.
@@EverythingYouDoIsABalloonCwm Y Glo is named after the charcoal that used to be burned in the valley there when it was more wooded.
Stunning and very atmospheric place. As always beautifully filmed 👍
Thanks! 🙂
Beautiful film Stephen thank you! What a fascinating place 🤩
Thanks Sarah! 🙂 I could have stayed and explored for hours, but would have been difficult in the 🌚
Loved this, Stephen! It absolutely is a juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness. I can’t think of any places I’ve been that are like this in that way but maybe one day I’ll find one. Lovely photography as usual! I love how the quarry seems like it’s slowly being reclaimed by the wild.
(On a side note, I really appreciate that you take the time to properly edit and grade your footage! As someone who works in the film industry myself it’s these little details that keep me coming back to your videos! Stay wild!)
Thanks Leigh! Glad the work was appreciated. It was one of my toughest shoots with the wind and rain. Lens constantly needing wiped, had to be careful with the mic and the wind blew everything over twice🙈
I had a hard time matching the drone footage as it was shot the next day. The conditions on the day were too wet and windy to fly. Did my best to match the footage and added a subtle rain mist over some of the drone shots. 🙂
Well it looks fab :) Looking forward to your next video!
Stumbled upon this whilst doing some research on the quarry lakes there, what a brilliant film! Greatly deserves way more views, cheers for taking us on that adventure with you!
You people are just making to much great stuff to watch. I hate having to miss anything that I find interesting but this amount of great content from so many Tubers is a very new challenge. Bigger even than that little quarry lol.
Such a stunning landscape! Great footage
Thanks! I think actually it probably looks best in rain, although more so the need to have the right kit
Beautifully captured! 🙌
Thanks Jeff!
for the love of god, Stephen, please stay safe during all your hikes. there were so many moments while watching your content when I just feared for your safety
This is definitely the best filmed dinorwic I've seen. You definitely need 2 or 3 days to truly see everything. I've walked up through the woods at the bottom before and it's taken us 4 hours to get to Anglesey barracks. There's loads of things along the way and plenty of closed off bits. You did the right thing starting from the top. There's plenty camp spots there too.
Thanks Phil 🙂 I watched quite a few TH-cam videos of the place from other people and was determined to capture it in a different way. The wind & rain was very difficult to film in but actually I think the quarry looks best in those conditions. It’s much less dramatic in the sunshine.
I had arrived 3hours before I started but the rain was torrential so I waited for it to settle down a bit. But it meant I was limited in where I could explore, figured the pool, caves & waterfall was a good focus.
I did spot quite a few spots I thought would be good to camp in! Is it somewhere that camping is tolerated?
@@StephenJReid as with all places it's down to popularity and time of year. I reckon lower down is frowned on, but side bits where some of the old engineering works are have been fine from what I've seen. I've not camped there yet but it's on the list! I know in the tops no-one bothers about vans staying the night.
Tales of slate told by the cold biting wind .
This slippery, grey beauty
Raised and shaken
By tens of thousands of rains
Memory of men! That was to come.
Great in their empty hunger
These surroundings threw walls to the sky.
Inspired by Stephen J Reid and Slate by Edwin Morgan
That’s excellent! 🙂
Lol xx
Another belter. What an amazing place. Thanks for sharing it with us.
thanks!
Wow! The fossils that must be in that slate. Beautiful place and thank you for your bravery for showing us.
Take care and stay safe
If you enjoyed the slate quarry you should come and do the Snowdonia slate trail. It's a great 86 mile walk on rough terrain all around the old slate mines and some isolated areas. There are some beautiful off the beaten tracks to see and it is a brilliant challenge.
The blue pool is called Dali’s Hole and was a very popular rock climbing area. The gateway to another world leads to what’s called, the lost world. Enjoyed climbing and walking that area over many years. Great video 👍
I really enjoyed this, there are some serious Mordor vibes going on with that weather beating down on you 😄
Felt like I was crawling into Mount doom. 🤣
Watching you go through that tunnel felt like a video game. I kept thinking "you're not checking for items enough!" Lol
Missing them loot boxes 🤣
A really excellent piece of work, seamlessly incorporating the different media. I've explored Dinorwic on many occasions and the weather was always excellent but the weather on your trip really adds atmosphere. I'm visiting the quarry next month and want to explore the hidden waterfall area which I haven't been to before (hope the hole in the fence is still there! but I think you can get to the cave from the other direction). I'm impressed with your camera & sound equipment and in particular, the 360 camera footage, What camera did you use?
Thanks Brian! 🙂 I make videos for a living so I have good kit. This was shot on a Sony A7siii with a weather sealed 24-105mm lens. Also used a DJI action 4 for most of the walk and talk shots as it’s just easier to work with when it’s raining.
That was some seriously gorgeous footage. 🤩
What an amazing piece of presentation and editing indeed, including the drone work.
I visited down the bottom museum last year, really interesting place, I have saved route to the upper Car park/ Bus terminus for another trip. Loved the fading shots as mentioned below, im going to look into how to do them. Regarding beautiful & hideous my choice is my local town Fort William . All the best and thanks.
Breathtaking, beautiful, humbling and haunting all at once.
I really appreciate the approach you've taken with this video, acknowledging the history of the place. So many others just treat it like a playground. Beautiful cinematography!
My son was on his 3/4th visit this week he is still finding things hes not seen before, Beautifully scary place. Brilliant video 👏 👏
Another fascinating video, thanks.
Dartmoor is both stunningly beautiful and it can be awful well worth a visit if you have never been, great video by the way.
Gorgeous video!
Makes me wanna visit ireland tbh!
That's a lot more rugged than my adventures at "Elephant Rock" granite quarry in eastern Missouri. But it's also a state park area, lots of scenery and if you ever get to the states I recommend it.
Well the weather definitely added to that video! Stunning looking place and great footage Stephen.
Thanks! Yeah the weather made it I think. Glad I didn’t wait until the next day as it was dry but boring and overcast
I'm so enjoying playing catch up, and my mum and comes from Anglesey, so I've got lots of family there, that place is amazing and it really puts things into perspective. Thanks again Steven.take care of yourself and yours, Alan 💯👍
You capture the place so well. I too have been around the quarry a couple of times so many thanks for bringing back the memories. Your images and music are beautiful.
Amazing video Stephen. Absolutely beautiful. I look forward to every single one.
Thank you! 🙂
Well that's it snakes and ladders is now on my todo list. Thats after I've fixed my broken back. 😂 great video and amazing to bump into you at the NEC
Yeah the snakes and ladders route looks pretty epic. Although maybe one for a dry day. Heal up!
Hi Stephen,
I came across you recently in a video with the big dog Messner and subscribed.
I'm glad I did. You are very engaging, and your footage is spectacular and thoughtful. Enjoyed this.
Thanks, Paul
Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed it 🙂 can’t promise I’ll put this much effort into every video!
What an incredible place! Would have been an interesting place to camp. Your camera and drone work is equally incredible, you captured the beauty of the Quarry wonderfully. Thank you for taking us on your adventure. :) :)
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 I might return in the middle to camp in it.
Amazing video stephen thanks for sharing that i have been on top of the mountain above elider fwar a few times and the contrast in scenery over the ogwen valley to this side is unreal this is one i will look to do next visit best wishes steve 👌🏻👍🏻
Great content - well filmed - subscribed - thumbs up too !!
Only getting to see it now. But well worth the wait! I’ve ran in around and over that mountain and few routes and ridges in that area! Fabulous place no matter the weather! Great film and might be your best so far!
Thanks! 🙂 very pleased with the video, was one of those videos where it ended up being exactly what I hoped.
@@StephenJReid yes a nicely made one! Good edits and to the point in what you were doing! Fun too which is important! Keep it real dude!
Thanks for posting this video, it truly is a beautiful and hideous place. Whenever we're in the area I always try and go running round there,
Glad you caught sight of the goats, in my experience you can usually smell them before you see them
the goats really do stink! 🤣
Superb film, thank you for sharing this amazing and ghastly place!
You’re welcome!
Absolutely incredible Stephen!..what a place to go see😮
Thanks Mark! I nearly skipped it too because the weather was so bad. Glad I didn’t!
Go and sit awhile up on the level with the long building with the benches, You almost expect a quarryman to come in for a tea break. The stillness and silence is out of this world. then you hear it the low thrum from the power station buried inside the mountain. A stunning place and a lasting reminder of what the quarrymen had to face. And if your lucky you might see the wild mountain goats too.
I’m going to have to go back and spend more time there!
Stunning video Steve. I spent many a weekend/ weeks in my youth exploring the area and was inspired to go to some places further afield. About 20 or so years ago, I had an old customer who had the most wonderful collection of B&W photographs that he took in days gone by of him (and some well known locals) climbing the vertical slate faces - truely inspiring. Not too inspired by the goats though! Scared the living s..t out of me once when I was scrambling up Tryfan 😂😂😂.
You can feel the history in the place. The goats are freaky looking and they smell terrible
Your pit zips were open on that walkway with that gale blowing - refreshing 😊😎😎😎. Was thinking you were gonna climb up that sheer wall 😂😂. Brilliant video as always 👌
I was warm the entire time, sweating if anything 🤣 I'll return with a grappling hook
@@StephenJReid The paramo is some job , I don’t think I would use anything else in the winter now 👍. Yes grappling hooks and remember your helmet 👌
Wonderful film completely caught the grimness and the appalling beauty of the place.
“Appalling beauty” is a brilliant phrase
It felt like you were taking us on a tour through Mordor in lord of the rings!
Stunning
"ok tour and if you look to the left you'll see a giant spider waiting in the darkness, we will need one volunteer as a sacrifice"
I enjoy this so much! Amazing content, best wishes to you and your future projects! 🌻
Absolutely stunning !! The video work is second to none.
Thank you! 🙂 cameras and mics completely soaked by the time I was done.
@@StephenJReid I can imagine, least it wasn’t salt water
Amazing place, thanks for sharing, great video. 💯👏
Thanks Frank 🙂
Like the Mines of Moria! Brutal, but Beautiful!
Ha definitely had a dwarven kingdom feeling about it
Excellent video we love Going to dinorwic , I saw that fence hole but never braved it lol ,for every ton of usable slate there was 30 ton of waste ,allegedly,,the goats where at the cottage ruins last year ,,well wiffy,
The goats really do stink, last time I was in the area it was summer and they were extremely stinky
Beautiful area! (Was that a Loch Ness Plushie on your dashboard?) 😇
Thanks and yes it is indeed! 😃 Picked that up a couple of years ago at a gift shop near the beach in Dores
@@StephenJReid Too Cool.👍😇
Watched a couple of your videos and had to sub, you take us to incredible places... thank you!!
Another stunning video. 👏🏻
Thanks!
Great vid. Loved this.
Thanks David 🙂
That was VERY cool. Just a delight to watch! I will say there seems to be many, MANY sharp rocks there.
Thanks Woody! 🙂
Beautiful place sir....But where there is beauty, there is danger.... Be safe sir
Thanks Ajay! I do my best to be safe when making these videos
@@StephenJReid oh that's good.. you are welcome sir
Amazing place and thank you for the history on it, really interesting 👍
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
What an amazing place! The weather was ideal for such a jagged landscape. No midges there!
Midges probably all still larvae hiding in that water!
Thanks for risking life and limb for such a cool video.😊
Thanks Greg. I was being careful
Incredible video...the weather added to the atmosphere. You're in a very special place. Manufactured, and still being utilised in ways that I can only guess at 🤐🤔
Great video deffo going to take a look 👌
This was an amazing video! It's one of my favorite edited videos you have done! Love watching. Keep it coming!
Thank you! Putting more effort into developing my style for these kinds of videos.
You are talented for sure.
my uncle helped install the turbines in the power station, he used to live just round the corner up on the hill overlooking llanberis and snowdon, one of the best views i have ever seen.
Great video by the way, I really like your camera work and editing, you captured it really well.
Thanks! This was a real challenge for me trying to shoot a cinematic style in really raining and wet conditions. The lens was covered in water ever few minutes and had to keep a lens cloth in a plastic bag and it was tricky getting the audio in the wind.
Glad I put in the effort though! Was good experience and less effort wouldn’t have done the place justice 😊
@@StephenJReid yeh, I thought you had spent some thought on it, but great cinematography once again.
Another story… when you looked down to the electricity scheme down by the lower lake there was big open area and it was used for the film set of ‘Willow’ there were piles of bones and skeletons hanging up everywhere, it wasn’t long before you started getting to climbing belay stances to be met with a skull or something else just as random!
Bet that was a surprise 😂
Fab video, and yes, we got the “miner injuries” pun! Quality. 😂
thanks Phil and that pun wasn't even deliberate! 🤣
Seen something similar in Wicklow, great video, love watching.❤❤
Thanks Alan! Do you know where in Wicklow? Sounds like it might be worth a visit
@@StephenJReid Driving into acklow, think it was copper mining. I think it was on the same road the prison on, Shelton Abbey. Some big holes and steep bits I found when I had a car over 25 years ago.
Amazing adventure ! Interesting plase.
Thanks!
Thank you for the Adventure! Great video! That is a place i would never be able to find or get to !
Place looks epic, the bad weather almost makes it more cinematic.
Yup! the weather made it perfect
@@StephenJReid I can also imagine it on a s sunny day the light reflecting of the shear surfaces
Definitely need more than a day to explore. We only had 4 hours so much to see . The 360 cams not the best in drizzle . Cracking footage n editing
Yeah I ended up with only 4hours as well. Didn't use the 360 too much as yeah it's not the best in those conditions.
Hi, I like your vlog. The place looks amazing and I wish to visit it. What's the correct pist code for the upper car park please? Also, how to get to that lake and "gate" from that car park? ✌️