AN OLD MINING SITE

  Another late start today saw us heading off across the mountain to look over Tirpentwys. This is an old colliery site where the first coal from it came to the surface in 1881, the winding gear being unusual for having two winding wheels, one above the other. Sadly, in 1902 eight miners were killed when a winding cable broke. In 1908 112 horses were working there and at its peak in 1926 it employed 1.682 men. It was finally closed in 1969. Looking at an old black and white, 1909 photograph on welshcoalmines.co.uk it is hard to believe the huge difference between then and now. It has, in more recent years become an area reclaimed and regenerated by Gwent Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve with easy access from a new car park. It is now a pleasant place to walk or ride horses through. Overlooked by peaceful farmland, it's difficult to imagine what it must have been like years ago. Though it is still very much in the memory of local farmers who themselves worked the coal when a farm was not enough alone to support the sons, as their Dad struggled on. Sadly today, very few of the latest generation of sons want to continue in their fathers farming tradition. It's a tough life. So ... much has changed, as seen today.

Earlier in the summer these were hayfields, wafting scents of new-mown grass upwards

One of the few local female farmers, has a lot of Welsh Blacks in her flock, nice to see ...

In Welsh farming folklore (contrary to the normal superstition) a black sheep was counted as lucky. In fact the old shepherds used dark coloured sheep as markers for their flocks when they were out grazing the mountain. The purer white fleeces earned extra money as the white is easier to dye, though the hand spun naturally darker wool added wonderful colour contrasts to the hand knitted, winter-warm jumpers and cosy socks that so few people see! In the days of acrylic easy-dry ... wool prices dived dramatically but they are now slightly better due to the increased demand for wool (no matter the colour) as enviro-friendly insulation: rather that than the fly-away polystyrene  tiny balls!

As I splodged steadily along the mud-puddled farm road, with my eyes open for future straight lengths of wood to make walking sticks, I was stopped in mid-track with this ....

A beautiful  reflection in a small rain-water pool.

But to give you an idea of the expanse of this ex-coal mining site, here's a view, left to right

Yes, hard to visualise
how it all must have looked like when the mine was active yet for many the memories still live on and as I close the gate on those years of history,

I am glad of these now peaceful scenes ... yet aware of those that I have come to know who were a part of that industrial tapestry.