Static Caravan owners in North Wales will be well aware of the stunning views and spectacular scenery in and around Wales whether you own a Holiday Home on the coast or inland. However, less is known about what is under the surface where there are awesome and interesting caves which have not just shaped the landscape we see every day but have also played a large part in the industry of Wales. There are plenty of places to book day trips for the entire family to explore the caves. Certain organisers turn these trips into adventures where you can practice the following:
Taking a boat across an underground lake
- Zip – lining through caverns
- Abseiling down to unbelievable depths
- Scaling waterfalls
- Climbing vertical shafts
- Traversing an abyss
These activities are great if there is a rainy day but also cooling if there is a heatwave and here are some of our favourites:
Dolaucothi Gold Mines, Carmarthenshire
This is a place where you truly can step back in time, 2000 years to be precise, when Romans panned for gold in the mines. A guided tour around them is fascinating, giving you an insight into the different methods employed by the Romans and Victorians to extract the gold; taking you through the ages up until the 1930s, with much of the equipment and machinery used still on view.
Victorian Mine Tour, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Snowdonia
A guide will take you on a tour underground through enormous caverns so that you can experience the conditions in which Victorian families worked. Young children also worked in the mines since they were expected to contribute to the home from a very young age.
You can guarantee that adults, as well as children, will be impressed by the cable railway because it will take you deep underground. It is the steepest cable railway in Britain. Skilled craftsmen have worked in this mine since the early 1800s and continue to do so producing the most creative and inspiring items from the slate that is quarried there.
Great Orme Mines, Llandudno
You’ll need a hard hat to explore these mines which date back to prehistoric times. Discovered in 1987 the people of Llandudno had no idea that the enormous rock mass there was so significant in terms of the past. Bone and stone tools were found in the mines that date back to the Bronze Age and the entire chambers echo providing some of the atmosphere prevalent when the caves were being worked in.
More Challenging Cave Exploration
So far we have covered some tours that all the family will enjoy but we appreciate that some people who are seasoned potholers, cave explorers and climbers etc. might want something more physically challenging. There are many companies in North Wales offering adventure caving and they will make sure you are suitably and safely attired for your journey. Contact your park operator for information about such countries in the area.
Alternatively, you might want to visit the Morfa Bay Adventure Centre in Carmarthenshire where guided tours are conducted exploring their very own natural cave system. Legend has it that their Green Bridge Cave was used to stash treasure and other contraband by smugglers and pirates. If you have never been caving before, this is an excellent place to start. Exploring caves can be a great activity.
Static Caravan owners in North Wales can use their holiday homes as a base to explore the caves in North Wales or alternatively rent their caravans out to would be cave explorers. If you choose the latter, collect some leaflets from the Tourist information Office so that renters have them to hand. It’s a nice touch and anything that makes their lives easier will be appreciated.
