Disused railway tunnel, clydach gorge, wales, uk the. Gilwern canal old station clydach old iron works clydach gorge canal gilwern today, the clydach gorge is an attraction for walkers and photographers, but its past was very different. Inspired to find out more, last week i met with official welsh tourist guide eifion lloyddavies at gellifelen tunnels for a guided tour through clydach gorge and sure enough he did not disappoint with his bygone tales of the mythical legends associated with the area. Clydach station stood in the middle of a twomile section that climbed to the west at a tortuous 1. The line was closed in 1958 the eastern portals are on private property and are obscured by trees. In 2011, by which time i had a car, i visited clydach gorge and walked a section of the trackbed from clydach to the eastern end of gellifelen tunnels. A fivemile 8km part of the heads of the valleys road in south wales is being upgraded in the latest phase of the. Some people say that the great bard william shakespeare was inspired to write about me in a play he called a midsummer nights dream following a visit to the gorge over 400 years ago. Nant dyar railway viaduct is a grade ii listed building in clydach, monmouthshire, wales. The river clydach flows for six miles, from the southern slopes of llangattock mountain, north of brynmawr, to the river usk near gilwern, and for about 2 miles is impounded by steep, wooded slopes to form the clydach gorge, or cwm clydach. My journey up kilimanjaro at 300 pounds is the raw story of karas ascent from the depths of selfdoubt to the top of the world. It is science fiction, but a different type of science fiction.
The clydach gorge also known as cwm clydach is a steepsided valley in southeast wales down which the river clydach flows to the river usk. Problems on section i became apparent within months of work starting. The route is 8 miles long and links llanfoist, just to the south of abergavenny, to brynmawr. Buy the clydach gorge industrial archaeological trails by isbn. Gorge scrambling up clydach gorge in monmouthshire go live. Clydach station is virtually intact and privately owned, and while the trackbed here is now part of ncn route 46, the section through the station and the clydach tunnels is sealed off. Clydach iron works nr gilwern at foot of a465 black rock hill established in the late 18th century near the site of an earlier works and forge, clydach ironworks continued operating until 1884. Fairies, witches, spirits and shakespeare a guide to the. News uk this britain the clydach murder mystery nobody lives at 9 kelvin place any more.
In her decade tracking serial killers, fbi special agent kelly jones has seen some of the worst humanity can inflict. Clydach and llanelly hill past public group facebook. So 2230 7 this structure turns up on the 1899 os map and is described as a sewage works of brynmwr udc with an aqueduct approaching it from brynmawr. Man named police informant in new clydach murders book. Smarts bridge clydach ironworks near clydach ironworks smarts bridge was constructed in 1824 to link clydach iron works with sites and routes on the rivers west bank. Passing high above the clydach gorge you follow the line of the merthyr, tredegar and abergavenny railway. By 1989, the portals were completely clear of brickwork, thus permitting easy entry. The line was eventually closed in 1958, but remains of a station at gellifelen and these tunnels still exist, and now form part of the clydach gorge walk. The reason its different from most science fiction books is that it has old inventions, a plague, and and they eat mush, but in modern time. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The industrial archaeology of the northern clydach gorge. The clydach tunnel is near the gelifelen tunnel, both are in the clydach gorge area near ish abergavennybrynmawr the clydach tunnel is a twin tunnel set up but one tunnel is bricked up, although couriously there is an access passage between both tunnels. After passing through a substantial stone tunnel under the canal at so 2440 1450 the route carries on as a road. The clydach railroad an edge rail system permitted by the 1793 canal act was first to connect upland coal and iron works with.
The gorge was one of the first locations in the region to be industrialised though it still retains its natural environment. For best results, follow the instructions for your browser below. The clydach gorge is a fascinating place, containing historic sites dating from the iron age forts that flank the gorge, industrial revolution ironworks and tramways, the two disused tunnels on the abergavenny to brynmawr railway, not to mention beautiful beech woodlands, and waterfalls. The clydach railroad, built in 1810, left maesygwartha road at machine house so 2416 1439 to drop down and cross the llammarch tramroad just before the dock. Even if you dont like science fiction you might still enjoy this book. The tunnel is on the abergavenny to brynmawr railway. Both tunnels are connected by an adit as the older tunnel is blocked both ends.
The clydach gorge a natural route between coalfield and usk valley once possessed the highest concentration of tramroads in wales. The canal towards swansea continues only a short distance, beyond which was filled in years ago. Clydach gorge historical processes, themes and background introduction. The clydach gorge was not an easy place to build a road in the first place, but it was beginning to look like john morgans company were not quite up to the task of building it at all, and as the work went on, they were beset by one unfortunate event after another. In 1877 the line was doubled, and new tunnel bores at clydach and gellifelen were made. Houses and pylons near the three lane section of the heads of the valleys road on right in the clydach gorge wales uk beech trees in autumn at clydach gorge gilwern brecon beacons monmouthshire gm122. Flythrough of heads of the valleys upgrade through clydach gorge. A third furnace followed in 1826 and a fourth in 1843 and over 50 people were employed in 1841 by the works and its suppliers. The old iron works in the gorge are more than worth a visit, you get to it by crossing one of the oldest iron bridges in wales. The path is part of the heads of the valley route and joins route 492 at brynmawr. The line was eventually closed in 1958, but remains of a station at gellifelen and these tunnels.
Aug 28, 2007 the last explore of the weekend with jackal and even managed to drag my dad along. The story follows will burrows, a 14yearold archaeologist, who stumbles upon an underground civilization called the colony. We met up in brynmawr at 5, me trying not to be tempted by the sight of the pub opposite the car park and the smell of freshly cooked takeaway food. The windows are boarded up and the tv camerashave moved on. Clydach gorge south the industrial archaeology and history. Industrial archaeology trails in a north gwent valley 2nd edition by john van laun isbn. Beneath a wonderfully changeable sky and in the company of alan bowring the geopark development officer our lucky group walked part of the eastern edge of brecon beacons national park descending clydach gorge through beautiful beech woods. Then into 2 vehicles and drop down towards the gorge and out of the low hanging clouds. Clydach vale photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. The clydach gorge is a steepsided valley in southeast wales down which the river clydach flows to the river usk. Clydach gorge, near abergavenny railway paths public. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of clydach vale.
Gorge scrambling or gorge walking is, as it sounds, a wet river scramble or walk. Clydach ironworks so 2288 22 clydach ironworks was up and running in 1793 with a second furnace in 1797. From merthyr tydfil, take the a465 towards abergavenny, follow it past brynmawr, and down the clydach gorge. Clydach gorge cave location map caves of south wales. Just beyond the platform was the east portal of a 302yard tunnel, first curving northwards on a radius of about 10 chains before then turning south on a. Clydach s new tunnel, accommodating down trains, is to the south side of the original and has a more generous structure gauge. Nov 15, 2012 the crime scenes are both grim and otherworldly. A november 2017 update for the a465 heads of the valleys dualling through clydach gorge gilwern brynmawr subscribe i upload at least once a week, never miss a video s.
About eight km five miles outside abergavenny look out for a brown road sign for clydach gorge on the right hand side of the road, indicating a left hand turn. Clydach gorge the southwest portals of the twin clydach. Clydach gorge beautiful river valley in the brecon. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of. The tunnels formed part of the abergavenny to brynmawr railway, which opened in 1862 following part of the baileys tramway that existed here for ironworks. Jan 06, 2017 inspired to find out more, last week i met with official welsh tourist guide eifion lloyddavies at gellifelen tunnels for a guided tour through clydach gorge and sure enough he did not disappoint with his bygone tales of the mythical legends associated with the area. Her inspiring trek speaks to every woman who has struggled with her selfimage or felt that food was controlling her life. Having rekindled my love of cyclingthanks to my soni really enjoy riding this track national route 46 and viewing the awesome old railway line tunnels and the quarry along the route. What better way to end a wet bank holiday sunday, than an evening caving trip in the clydach gorge. The down bore right is 330 yards and up bore left, 302 yards. The merthyr, tredegar and abergavenny railway, also known as the heads of the valleys line, was a railway line which operated between 1860 and 1958 between the monmouthshire town of abergavenny and the glamorgan town of merthyr tydfil in south east wales. The original charcoal fuelled furnace at llanelly, now disappeared, was built in the sixteenth century and the clydach ironworks were. The clydach gorge is a steepsided valley in southeast.
Gellifelen railway tunnels the locations guide to doctor. Apr 24, 2019 gorge scrambling up clydach gorge in monmouthshire with inspire2adventure. It has long been an important transport corridor between abergavenny and the lowlands of monmouthshire and the northeastern quarter of t. The bodies of two female students are found mutilated and oddly positioned in the dark labyrinth beneath the schoolhaunting symbols painted on the walls above them. Passing high above the clydach gorge is a breathtaking and almost entirely trafficfree cycle and walking route. The gorge is an enchanting place, cutting deep through the rocks of the south. Clydach ironworks leat tunnel clydach ironworks leat tunnel spur and leat beside river. Escapes under the berlin wall and the historic films the jfk white house tried to kill mitchell, greg on. Clydach gorge gilwern 2020 all you need to know before.
You can witness some earlier restoration of the canal with the former lock in good condition. When it opened in 1877, mapping evidence suggests that the west portals of the two tunnels stood next to each other. Cwm clydach, a deep gorge cutting the northeast edge of the south wales coalfield, between llangattock mountain mynydd llangatwg and the uplands of north gwent, provides a natural route corridor. Arched iron girders cast in mediaeval gothic style support a metalplated roadway provided with hoof grips for draught animals, and grooves for wagon wheels. D who seemed surprisingly full of knowledge of the whole place, with storys of the tunnels used as storage during the war and so on. Clydach gorge and iron works the clydach gorge was one of the first areas in the region to be industrialised but still retains spectacular natural beauty, really summing up the idea of beauty and the beast. Clydach gorge historical processes, themes and background.
Report clydach gorge rail tunnel underground sites. The distance between the parapets was increased to 26 feet 7. A man named as a police informant in a book about wales notorious clydach murders claims to have been threatened with being doused in petrol and electrocuted as a result. The dramatic landscape and scenery of the clydach gorge is supplemented by its diverse historical and archaeological associations, and the variety of communication systems that have utilized the natural communication route of the gorge, which links the inhospitable uplands of glamorgan with the fertile valley of the river usk.
Follow a river through a gorge, scrambling over rocks, jumping into pools, climbing waterfalls and generally having lots of fun. Firefox set the paper orientation to match your screen. The clydach llanelly hill turn off the a465 grid ref. Clydach gorge is an area with outstanding natural and industrial heritage, located within the brecon beacons national park and on the edge of the blaenavon world heritage site. Starting at llanfoist crossing car park, this picturesque trail travels high above the clydach gorge, from llanfoist, just to the southwest of abergavenny, to brynmawr. The last explore of the weekend with jackal and even managed to drag my dad along. The area around the village is popular for hillwalking with many routes tracing the beauty of the nearby clydach gorge 1 or cwm clydach, and the old trackbed of the merthyr, tredegar and abergavenny railway is a cycleway and walkway and the monmouthshire and brecon canal can. A tunnel is an underground passageway with no defined minimum length, though it may be considered to be at least twice as long as wide. Rat sandwich message board welsh tunnels gellifelen. Its popular for walking, cycling, caving, gorge scrambling, abseiling and rock climbling. Clydach gorge is a real slice of victorian industrial history. From abergavenny take the a465 road in the direction of merthyr tydfil. It takes in breathtaking views of the clydach gorge area of outstanding natural beauty, the brecon beacons and. From the bus stop at clydach gr 695014, head on to the a4067, joining the canal towpath at the clydach lock left after 100 metres.
Home monmouthshire brecon beacons national park clydach gorge photo tour tunnels. Heading up this tributary for 50m shakespeares cave is found located on the left, in the base of a rock face. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building. Shakespeares cave photos and description caves of south wales. Clydach gorge north the industrial archaeology and history. Tunnels is a subterranean fiction novel by british authors roderick gordon and brian williams.
Photographs of the clydach gorge, monmouthshire, wales. It was initially selfpublished as the highfield mole in 2005, and rereleased as tunnels by chicken house in 2007. Then there are the old tramways and railway lines that used to run throughout this area. Industrial archaeology trails in a north gwent valley john van laun on. Day 33 3 past photos of clydach gorge and ironworks by the sale yard bottom of the heads turn right where a bus stop is across the road past where the caravan park used to be just before you go up the hill to llanelly hill turn right to the. Industrial archaeology trails in the southeast of the brecons national park 3rd revised edition by laun, john van isbn. Sited in a beautiful location rich in industrial archaeology, tramroads and pathways, the nearby beech woodlands are some of the oldest in wales. At the bottom, take the exit slip road on the left, which is the first exit since the brynmawr exit the brynmawr exit was near the top of the gorge.
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