Copper Mountain
Parys Mountain - Once the worlds largest copper mine
Parys Mountain is only a mile from Royal Oak Cottage. The mining company is currently evaluating the cost and benefit of reopening the mine for the extraction of minerals, not necessarioly copper. It is an intesting walk particularly afer a heavy shower of rain which exposes the fantastic colours.
There is a fascinating museum of the history of the mine at the Amlwch Heritge centre on the Quay. Also on the Quay during the summer months, visitors can support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by visiting the Gift Shop , run by the Amlwch and District Branch. in the old Lighthouse.
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There has been a mine at Parys mountain for at least 3500 years. It's heyday was the 19th and 18th Centuries when there where thousands of workers at the site providing most of the worlds copper. The centre of the mountain has been gouged out, and at one point was one of the biggest man made holes. All with a little bit of dynamite, pick, shovel and horse power ! |
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A Martian like landscape, red and brown is everywhere. Apparently it was used as a location for "Dr.Who" the cult English Sci-Fi series and featured in the BBC Restoration programme. It has also claim to fame for providing the copper hulls of the British Navy, in particular HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, commanded by Admiral Lord Nelson in 1805. This mine was one of the essential ingredients for the start of industrial revolution.
It is a great place to go for a walk, though one should be wary of big holes suddenly appearing, keeping to the sign posted ways is really essential. In late August there is masses of purple heather because of the acidic soil and lots of birds with the occasional butterfly thrown in !
The mine is a couple of miles from the port of Amlwch whose harbour was used to transport the copper by sea. It has a really nice museum explaining the history of Amlwch. the copper mines, the sea and even the tobacco industry which thrived at one point |
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