Dinorwig - Time & The Landscape

When I was a young boy (I know, it’s a miracle I can actually remember that far back), my parents would take us to North Wales for most of our annual holidays. We were always coastal based but occasionally we would venture out inland to explore on a coach. In those days they were referred to as a ‘Charabanc.’

Travelling along the roads at that time was very much different from today. For a start, the traffic was a lot lighter as the concept of ‘your own car’ wasn’t even a thought in most people’s heads. The majority used public transport and only ‘the few’ had their own vehicles. Cars were an aspirational commodity and it would be the mid to late 60’s before my father came home in his own Ford Cortina.

During one of our earlier holidays, we took a coach trip on a tour of Snowdonia. That day provided me with a sight that would remain etched in my memory and as fate would have it, eventually become a part of my working life as a professional landscape photographer. 

My mum had made a flask of tea and sandwiches, the staple diet for a day trip. As we walked to the bus station in Rhyl and getting onto the ‘Chara,’ I had no idea what this trip was really about. 

Initially, it ‘trundled’ along coast then country roads that cut through farmland, before heading off towards the mountains. I say we travelled towards them but only knew that because the driver informed us via a muffled microphone announcement that crackled through the tinny speakers above us. 

The first ‘viewing’ wasn’t great as all the tops were shrouded in cloud and it had been raining. There’s a surprise….

As we ponderously passed through Llanberis by the shores of Llyn Padarn, I vividly recall seeing this huge, ‘dark mountain’ looming out of the clag on our left-hand side. It really stood out from its surroundings. The usual green and grey of the summer landscape was bisected by this foreboding intrusion. It stood out considerably and was enhanced by glistening, fleeting rays of the sun that were reflecting upon what I now know where the many shades of slate.

I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

As a six year old, I was mesmerised by this vast mountain that appeared to have been ‘eaten away’.

We continued along the twisting road, on our upward ascent of the what I now know is the Pen Y Pass and I did my best to keep the view in sight. I kept looking back for as long as I could, straining to keep this behemoth in sight.

Determined to keep it in view, I clambered around on the seat turning back the other way to glean as much of it as I could. Then it slipped away and was gone…….

I didn’t know it then but I had just had my first glimpse of the fabulous slate quarry at Dinorwig.

When work began there in 1787, the industrial revolution had taken a hold and throughout the United Kingdom, factories and manufacturing needed purpose-built buildings along with housing for workers. The roofs therefore needed a product of substance to withstand the rigours of weather and slate was ideal for the job. 

Dinorwig, along with the Penrhyn slate quarry, which was just over the mountain near Bethesda, were literally supplying their product across the globe. Consequently, the phrase, ‘Wales roofed the World’ was penned. This was the best slate you could get anywhere. How proud those workers must have been to be a part of it. However, it regularly came at cost which had devastating consequences for the men and families. Life changing injuries and deaths were not uncommon but the sense of community never wavered.

They were without doubt not only a proud people but a resilient one and naturally hard working.

Villages became towns and towns became cities, quickly developing in size and as the demand for slate grew, the work force at Dinorwig increased to over 3500 men. It was now a vital commodity not just here but across the world and the importance of this quarry was vital to the economy.

As the centuries went by, the importance of Dinorwig grew and grew and other uses were found for this material, thus elongating its longevity as a viable product.

So, it continued but eventually, as the 20th century entered its middle phase, new materials had been developed and the demand for slate began to fall off. 

It was a forlorn and bleak outlook for the men and families of those made redundant in 1969 when production was halted. Whilst some found work in other industries many did not. It was difficult. Some ventured off to work at the new steel town of Corby and the community was consequently affected.

Most of the working machinery was put up for auction and whilst some did remunerate, a substantial number remained in situ.

A decision had to be made by the authorities as too what was to be done with this enormous section of the landscape?

You couldn’t feasibly build on it without a mammoth project to see it through (well I think some would try nowadays!) and so from a saleable perspective, it was not the kind of attractive land purchase that would see a housing estate or other development emanate. It was a conundrum but the answer lay in its own illustrious past.

It was a bold one to take but ‘they’ simply decided to ‘let it be.’ By deliberate inaction and allowing it to lay there dormant, actually contributed to it as a memorial, what Dinorwig stood for, especially remembering those who had worked tirelessly not only to produce the slate but to deliver an honest working wage to support their families.

In my opinion, by allowing it to remain as an historical site, thus acknowledging its fabulous heritage was the most honourable solution.

What a fantastic tribute and memorial to what Dinorwig is and stands for.

In July of 2021, it was granted the status as a ‘World Heritage site.’ Whilst I cannot disagree with elevating its status, ‘WE’ have a collective responsibility to ensure that ‘we’ preserve it as best as ‘we’ can and just as importantly ‘we’ should never forget that this magnificent place was also the scene of many tragedies. Respect is paramount.

With this in mind we should always treat this site with the utmost thought and respect for those who worked tirelessly in the most awful conditions to put bread on the table.

How ironic that a place once the subject of hard graft and survival is now a place of leisure….

As an integral part of the Snowdonia Slate Trail I would urge anyone who visits here to first go to the National Slate Museum in Llanberis which is fascinating and will give you the background and understanding as to the importance of Dinorwig. We should never just arrive here and visually take what we see. Understanding is the key to this magnificent place.

From my perspective, as a professional photographer, the opportunity to document how time has taken over the landscape is one I have been attracted too for many, many years and now it has become a passion for me.

Each time I walk there, I see something completely different and can almost feel the presence of the workers still around me. Whilst the ruined buildings are fascinating to explore, I am always taken by the way nature has begun reclaiming the land that was once ripped from it. The natural way that nature has begun to creep and crawl across the landscape has given the view a softer vista. The waste piles produce some of the most incredible images and the way the slate has been discarded, how it has fallen and been stacked, has created shapes and abstract designs that are awe inspiring.

Don’t forget its location though. The setting is breath taking no matter what the weather.

The quarry directly faces the magnificent Snowdon or ‘Eryri’ to give its true name and the views across the Pass are worth the trip alone.

Once in the Quarry, the trail and legal footpaths afford you the chance to walk through time. Care is always a priority and with little effort the rewards are splendid.

As mentioned, I embarked upon my own project there many moons ago and not only will this become the fourth talk in my series of lectures but a book or two as well, with the first one entitled ‘BUILDINGS’ now also available to buy here as an ebook.

From a teaching perspective, it is a great place to take people who wish to develop their landscape skills. As well as my usual Lakes workshops I offer them here in Snowdonia (Eryri) too and should you wish to work with me there, I will be delighted to take you as it also forms an integral part of my two and three day workshops in Snowdonia (Eryri).

Without doubt, it is the most ethereal experience for anyone who visits there. We should tread with reverence, respect and understanding each time we go, affording the dignity it deserves.

 #timeandthelandscape