Hidden Wales BBC4

[psling]

Anyone else catch this programme https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bsrhh2?


Just watched it, fascinating insight into some of the hidden places and secrets of North Wales if you enjoy a bit of history.
Mid Wales next week...

[JohnClimber]

It was really good, that sub was something else wasn't it?

[whitestone]

Good that. Honest straightforward presenting rather than introducing false jeopardy or drama. The castle folly overlooks the A55 before you get to Colwyn Bay, far bigger than I thought.

I didn't realise the Cwmorthin mine went so deep. There's a few slate mines around Blaenau, they seemed to prefer mines to quarries in that area. The Manod mine where they stored the national art collection during the war is only a couple of km to the east from Cwmorthin. Next to Cwmorthin are two mines on either side of a mountain that link underground, the owners of each mine realised that they were close and that joining them would give an escape route should either entrance collapse. It's now one of the classic mine exploration trips, search for Croesor-Rhosydd.

The old lady looking after Plas Teg is completely barmy!

[ton]

ridden up through the Manod mines to the old miners village at the top, then down into the mtb trails at penmachno.
good it is too.

programme was good too.

[johnnystorm]

Best thing on terrestrial tv for ages.

[darbeze]

Enjoyed that, and learned lots too...

Si

[psling]

Looking forward to what next week's episode reveals now

[Bearbonesnorm]

There are some rare occasions when I wish I had a TV or at least a licence ... never mind.

[Zippy]

Best thing on terrestrial tv for ages.

It better be on iplayer!

[johnnystorm]

Best thing on terrestrial tv for ages.

It better be on iplayer!

Yeah, that's how I watched it on the turbo earlier!

I meant not Netflix/Prime Video.

[psling]

There are some rare occasions when I wish I had a TV or at least a licence ... never mind.

You should be able to watch it on iPlayer (may have to tell a fib first though...)

[yeha]

Haven't watched the programme mentioned yet, but thought that you may also want to watch this one too:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b ... -latitudes

Leon McCarron has cycled around the world but is also a good story teller. I've been following his exploits for a few years.

[voodoo_simon]

I tried the Leon one, he’s normally good but I was disappointed with this one.

Presenting wise, he was great but the programme was more of a history version of the story rather than him doing the journey and adding in facts along the way if that makes sense. Sadly turned off half way through

Will give it another go and see. Will be looking for the hidden Wales in i player

[99percentchimp]

Thanks for those - will watch those with the boys later and go exploring… there'll be loads I've missed right on the door step in there Ta muchly.

[summittoppler]

Watched it last night thanks to the heads up by John Climber. Even though its my 'back garden' i learnt some new things. I've biked at Cwmorthin quite a bit and what they showed on the show of the ruins at the surface is nothing compared to what's further up the hillside. Bloody shame that big house at BrynKir has gone to ruin. Manod quarry is active so be careful if you venture that way but the Penmachno side is great. Looking forward to the next one...

[summittoppler]

O and Grwych castle at Abergele has 24 hour security there just in case anyone has marked it as a bivvy spot

[psling]

I'm watching too much tv - side-effect of being house-bound at the moment. Just watched Ghillie Kettles being made on Made in Britain (ITV4) - amazingly basic process turning the parts out of flat discs of aluminium and hand shaping them with incredible skill

[voodoo_simon]

Nice programme that, enjoyed watching it

His programme on Papua New Guinea is also worth looking for, very much enjoyable

[BigdummySteve]

Thanks, that was fantastic. I really should do some more research about my family history. My great grandfather was a slate miner and I feel slightly ashamed that I could ride past such an important part of my family history and not know.

[paramart]

thanks for the heads up, just signed up to iplayer to watch it, great program

[RIP]

Stevo, "more research" - this is a cracking book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorian-Mini ... 1843060736. Just got it off my shelf for a re-read in the bath tonight. A no-brainer at only four quid too! I'll travel 100's of miles to gawp for hours at a towering and brooding slate tip as much as the next [wo]man (oh, er, just me then?), but this focusses on what it was like in the workers' cabans, homes, etc. Apparently the "doctors" of the time believed slate dust to be most efficacious in every case (*). In fact I think I might pop over to Blaenau for a sniff or two next time I feel a bit chesty...

R

(*) Scaffold anyone?

[Lawmanmx]

Enjoyed that

[psling]

Enjoyable 2nd episode (although Ian Barrington got to one of the features by pedal-power a few years previously https://ianbarrington.com/2014/11/21/the-lighthouse/ ).
I'd heard about the cave featured before but never realised quite how stunning the chambers are, nor how tight the squeezes to get there

[Episode 2 should be available to view via original link at post #1]

[RIP]

It was enjoyable wasn't it Peter? Roy Fellows is doing a top job at Cwmystwyth. Some of those false floors are pretty playful though by the look of it. Really must go and dig my gear out and get back into it.

Next week's preview was encouraging too. Glad someone has the courage to make these progs and similar ones; compared to the 'reality' (call that reality?)and pwoperdee shows, and all the rest of it, these are far more interesting and thought provoking.