Report - Trefor Granite Quarry - Trefor, Gwynedd - July 2021

[MK83]

We have been visiting the Llyn Peninsula for many years for surfing and have seen this place on the way in many times. We've always wondered what it was and decided to check it out. Turns out its been covered a few times.

History - The Trefor granite quarry (also known as the Yr Eifl quarry) was opened in 1850. and owned by ‘The Welsh Granite Co. Ltd’. In 1911 the Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan quarries were joined with the Eifl ones to form the ‘Penmaenmawr and Welsh Granite Co. Ltd’.
In 1873 steam locomotives were introduced to work in the quarry and along the ½ mile long section from the foot of the quarry incline to the loading pier below . One incline was particularly steep with one section at a gradient of 1 in 1¾, said to be the steepest incline in any granite quarry in Britain. Trefor quarry developed to be the world’s biggest granite quarry, and by 1931 had produced 1,157,000 tons of setts.
A short branch line served the village of Trefor at the foot of the incline. This branch was lifted before 1920. From 1951 onwards the railway was gradually replaced by road transport. The main incline was abandoned in 1959 and the quarry finally closed in 1965.

Quarry men walking home from a shift in 1956.

Explore - We accessed this place by climbing up from the back of the mountain so effectively explored it from the top down. It's wasn't a walk for the faint hearted, we also had our 10 year old with us and while he did really well we have probably missed bits because this place surrounds a mountain and there's a lot of walking/climbing involved which he eventually got pretty exhausted with. The site is extensive and very epic. The views are spectacular and this place was a really fun explore all round.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Mikeymutt]

Really nice report that. And that is one impressive structure.

 

[MK83]

Thanks. Probably one of the most epic structures I've seen. Really blows your mind when you round the corner of the switch back roads and see it. Shame it's so badly collapsed you cant see much of the inside.

 

[Fluffy]

Just awesome. Nice one.
Pop that on my list for a look when I'm next up there!

 

[tigger]

Thanks. Probably one of the most epic structures I've seen. Really blows your mind when you round the corner of the switch back roads and see it. Shame it's so badly collapsed you cant see much of the inside.

You have to remember that it isn't one structure......it's numerous structures built up and on top of each other over time so 'inside' isn't as 'big' as it seems.
The lower part, for rail loading, is essentially just a set of huge hoppers for holding crushed rock before being dropped into wagons. They are more or less intact
Above that the crushers but these were built, then rebuilt on top etc. The highest part is for loading the rock from the quarry into the crushers. The crushers were removed when large scale quarrying ceased. Now they just blast away large chunks every now and again to make curling stones (and the cut slabs with cylindrical holes are dumped back up there)

Like most large quarries it was an evolving thing with buildings built, demolished, burried, built again

On a warm day the sett cutters shelters make a great spot to relax and enjoy the views....must have been different for the blokes in each cell hand cutting the setts in the winter. There were a lot more of them but again removed over time as areas were worked.

Lots of interesting stuff in the direction you approached from at Cae'r Nant, Nant Gwrtheyrn, Porth y Nant. I remember the quarry workers terraces in reasonable condition when I was very young...through them getting wrecked by the hippies (most damage was because they used all the wood for fires and roofs/windows need frames!). Now of course all restored again and in use.

 

[MK83]

You have to remember that it isn't one structure......it's numerous structures built up and on top of each other over time so 'inside' isn't as 'big' as it seems.
The lower part, for rail loading, is essentially just a set of huge hoppers for holding crushed rock before being dropped into wagons. They are more or less intact
Above that the crushers but these were built, then rebuilt on top etc. The highest part is for loading the rock from the quarry into the crushers. The crushers were removed when large scale quarrying ceased. Now they just blast away large chunks every now and again to make curling stones (and the cut slabs with cylindrical holes are dumped back up there)

Like most large quarries it was an evolving thing with buildings built, demolished, burried, built again

On a warm day the sett cutters shelters make a great spot to relax and enjoy the views....must have been different for the blokes in each cell hand cutting the setts in the winter. There were a lot more of them but again removed over time as areas were worked.

Lots of interesting stuff in the direction you approached from at Cae'r Nant, Nant Gwrtheyrn, Porth y Nant. I remember the quarry workers terraces in reasonable condition when I was very young...through them getting wrecked by the hippies (most damage was because they used all the wood for fires and roofs/windows need frames!). Now of course all restored again and in use.

Thanks for the info. I posted this report from my campervan with the worlds worst internet connection so really struggled to do much in the way of detailed research. It really is a great place to enjoy the views. There were a lot of interesting structures on the back of the mountain as well but we didnt have time to check them out. Will most probably revisit as we come here quite a bit. I photographed a few of the cut slabs with circular holes and wondered what they were. Quite random that they are for curling stones.

 

[MK83]

Just awesome. Nice one.
Pop that on my list for a look when I'm next up there!

Thanks. It's worth a visit. The views are really nice and theres plenty to mooch round. As I said in the report we missed stuff.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Great report. That build on build looks great to explore. That is so design. Opening snap is a peach

 

[A man called Martyn]

Would have made a great location for early 1980s horror film 'The Keep'

 

[MK83]

Great report. That build on build looks great to explore. That is so design. Opening snap is a peach

Cheers, it was great fun to explore if a bit knackering!

 

[mw0sec]

A similar but smaller unit here on Anglesey - near a hill fort adjacent to the TV transmitter mast at Llanddonna. Some nice machinery left there.

 

[MK83]

A similar but smaller unit here on Anglesey - near a hill fort adjacent to the TV transmitter mast at Llanddonna. Some nice machinery left there.

Really like the look of this, plus I'm fascinated by hillforts so would be a 2 for one for me. Might check this out if I get time over the next week. There's a few places on anglesey I like the look of. The brickworks looks really good as well.

 

[tigger]

A similar but smaller unit here on Anglesey - near a hill fort adjacent to the TV transmitter mast at Llanddonna. Some nice machinery left there.

Plenty of interesting limestone quarry remains around the coast there. This quarry was unusual in that it was considered worked out by the end of the 1800s but was briefly re-worked during the late 1940s to early 1950s due to the huge increase in demand for cement. Your photos show the new crusher house and stub of the new loading pier which were built just after WW2

@MK83 - "the brickworks".......there are several brickworks on Anglesey worth a visit not just the one at the tourbus terminus (best to avoid that at weekends now as it's more like a campsite).

 

[MK83]

Plenty of interesting limestone quarry remains around the coast there. This quarry was unusual in that it was considered worked out by the end of the 1800s but was briefly re-worked during the late 1940s to early 1950s due to the huge increase in demand for cement. Your photos show the new crusher house and stub of the new loading pier which were built just after WW2

@MK83 - "the brickworks".......there are several brickworks on Anglesey worth a visit not just the one at the tourbus terminus (best to avoid that at weekends now as it's more like a campsite).

@tigger I meant the brick works at porth wen that's been covered on here before. Is this the one your referring to? I don't know anglesey well.

 

[tigger]

@tigger I meant the brick works at porth wen that's been covered on here before. Is this the one your referring to? I don't know anglesey well.

Porth Wen.....tourbus compulsory stop (much like Octel). It is a wonderful place but often full of litter and tents nowadays. Plenty of other places (mills, mines, quarries, rail, brickworks etc.) far less documented within a short travelling distance - it's an IA paradise! When you go back to Yr Eifl look to your left when you park the bus....masses of interesting quarry remains there, several days worth of exploring, but very few people bother with them as the paths aren't so good.