Deep Mine tour at Llechwedd Slate Mine, Zip World near Blaenau Ffestiniog, North Wales
Deep Mine Tour at deep mine tour Llechwedd Slate caverns, Zip World
The deep mine tour at Llechwedd is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
I have been there before and done the tour when I was in my early 30’s but have always wanted to go back and see the place again. Today was that day!
Booking at Ticket
Everything was booked through the Zip World website and I did take a short intake of breath when I’d added everything I needed to the ticket price and the website added the booking fee. Starting at £24, this ended up with me paying £37. This included the all day parking as well.
Initially I thought, Ouch!, that’s a lot of money for a 2 hour tour but after visiting I am actually happy with this price as I really enjoyed it.
Arriving at Zip World there’s a big car park and staff on hand to direct you and as I was in my Motorhome I was directed to an empty area well out of the way of the cars.
Check in was easy and after telling them my name I was given a wristband for my chosen attraction.
There lots of other activities here, the Zip line, Underground Gold, Bounce Below (which I did on my last visit), the Caverns, LLechwedd Quarry Tour (which I’ll do next time), Big Red and of course the Deep Mine Tour.
The Deep Mine Tour
The Deep mine tour is located in the heart of the Llechwedd mine site and as you walk out from reception you can see it directly in front of you. There’s a great big hole in the middle of the site and you cant miss it.
I did! I found the exit and had to double back, ask staff and walk round the other site to the entrance.
Once inside there was staff available to guide you to get a helmet to protect your head while down underground. Blue or Orange for the Deep mine tour or Green if you going to the Underground Golf.
I waited a little while for the rest of the party to arrive and I was so glad I’d booked as there was quite a few people on this tour.
The tour
Our tour guide arrive promptly at 1pm, Brian Jones, a man with a face weathered in the very Slate mine he has worked all his life, but what a tour guide.
Let me explain. His experience of the mine, working there, its history and also his enthusiasm was amazing.
Its a long time since I have been on a tour of an industrial relic where the guide has actually stood out and knew what he was talking about.
The last time I came across such a guide was on a tour of a Tin mine in Cornwall. Again a retired miner who had worked there all his life and another man whose knowledge and wisdom are etched on my mind. I think this man is actually one of the reasons I have such a fascination for Tin Mining and also mining in general.
Today’s tour guide was no exception and I hope he didn’t think my ignorant keep taking my phone out, but I was actually making notes of thigs to go and research. I also hope he didn’t think I was being a pain asking questions.
The tour starts by you entering the mine train which is an incline railway carriage which transports you 250 feet in to the mine on an incline of 33%. This is important and I’ll come onto this later.
We board the little train and descend down into the mine and within a few minutes reach the 250ft level where we all depart and begin the underground tour.
At the first cavern we stand and gather round Mr Jones, who sits on his walking stick chair and point things out with his torch and laser pen, while all the time the Underground Golfers walk backwards and forwards to the station to ascend or have descended.
I did find this quite distracting as I was trying to listen to the tour guide.
The first room is a typical cavern which the slate and spoil have been removed out to a width of 45 feet with a 30 foot pillar on either side. As you walk round the many cavers this becomes more noticeable in some of the larger caverns.
The size and shape of the caverns is dictated by the slope of the vein of Slate within the mine and most of the slate is found descending at an angle of 33%. See I told you the railways angle was important.
The miners would only take the slate from the mine in the angle in which the vein appears as is goes through the mine.
We proceeded deeper into the mine and at each cavern, Mr Jones would stop and tell us more about the history of the mine and how the miners lives where effected by the very living they had chosen. It really was fascinating to listening to this guy.
Summary
I was going to write more about the history and the men, and boys, who worked in the mine but, no. This is one of those attractions you need to visit and experience yourself and I just hope you get a tour guide with the breadth of knowledge and experience as Brian Jones.
Today I left Llechwedd with many words in my head, many things which I’d like to research more and also a re-ignited thirst for the history of mining in the UK.
For those thinking, you wouldn’t get me in a place like that, all tight and confined.
Most of the tunnels are about 5 foot plus and are wide enough for two people to walk side by side. A few places you do have to duck down a little but at 5 foot 10. Probably more with my boots on, I had no problem with height issues.
Its well worth the time, and money to go listen to an old miner at a place like this and I am so glad I went and did this today.
Below are some of the photos I took on todays, 28th October 2025, tour and I’ll post up a quick vide of the tunnels.
Overall, to me it was well worth the money and I’d easily pay double for a longer more involved tour with this particular tour guide.
I said it at the end of the tour and I’ll say it again. Thank you!
PS: If you’re going to do the tour, wrap up work and wear sensible shoes. Its cold and its wet down there folks.
Images of the Deep Mine Tour at Llechwedd Slate Mine
Quick video of the Tunnels at Llechwedd Slate Caverns
