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Karen and Gerwyn | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Dare Valley Country Park. A history of coal mining. tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Dare Valley Country Park. A history of coal mining.

The Dare Valley Country Park occupies the majority of the area of the small tributary of the River Cynon from Cwmdare to Aberdare. It was heavily mined from the mid 19th century for almost 100 years. Powell's Pit opened in 1851 followed by Merthyr Dare Colliery, 1851. Bwllfa Colliery opened in 1853, Nantmelin Colliery, 1860, Lleynhelig Colliery 1906. There were dozens of small levels or drift mines sunk into the mountain side with the largest being the Windber Colliery which opened in 1903. Windber was the first colliery in South Wales to use electric coal cutters.

The area was covered in millions of tones of coal waste and reclamation began in 1971 in the wake of the terrible Aberfan disaster to remove dangerous coal tips. The park officially opened in 1973. The Bwllfa Colliery was still in use at this time being connected to the Mardy Colliery in the Rhondda Valley when it was used to transport men to the coal face and for pumping water. It finally closed and was demolished in 1989.
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DSC_5060.jpg
DSC_5060.jpg		 Nant Melyn and buttercups.
Nant Melyn and buttercups.		 Ragged Robins and Buttercups.
Ragged Robins and Buttercups.		 DSC_4821.jpg
DSC_4821.jpg
Site of Bwllfa Colliery.
Site of Bwllfa Colliery.		 Upper reaches of the River Dare.
Upper reaches of the River Dare.		 Resting under the tree.
Resting under the tree.		 Track to Bwllfa.
Track to Bwllfa.
The Bwllfa and the Starship Enterprise.
The Bwllfa and the Starship Enterprise.		 Bwllfa Colliery site.
Bwllfa Colliery site.		 Bwllfa Colliery in spring.
Bwllfa Colliery in spring.		 The Bwllfa and broom.
The Bwllfa and broom.
Broom enjoying the acidic ground of the old waste tip.
Broom enjoying the acidic ground of the old waste tip.		 Top lake early May.
Top lake early May.		 Reflections.
Reflections.		 Nantmelyn Colliery head gear and spring colours.
Nantmelyn Colliery head gear and spring colours.
Top lake and Perhiwllech.
Top lake and Perhiwllech.		 Top lake and Penrhiwllech.
Top lake and Penrhiwllech.		 Canine fun.
Canine fun.		 Walking the dogs.
Walking the dogs.
Gorse and The Bwllfa.
Gorse and The Bwllfa.		 Top of the valley.
Top of the valley.		 Old cherry trees at the Bwllfa Colliery site.
Old cherry trees at the Bwllfa Colliery site.		 Edge of the path.
Edge of the path.
Spring greening.
Spring greening.		 Trees and scree.
Trees and scree.		 Footbridge in the glacial cwm.
Footbridge in the glacial cwm.		 Bwllfa headgear wheel.
Bwllfa headgear wheel.
New life amongst the trees.
New life amongst the trees.		 Top lake reflections.
Top lake reflections.		 Enjoying the spring sunshine at the top lake.
Enjoying the spring sunshine at the top lake.		 Bwllfa reflection.
Bwllfa reflection.
Bwllfa Colliery shaft and wheel shadows.
Bwllfa Colliery shaft and wheel shadows.		 Bwllfa Foel
Bwllfa Foel		 Nant Melyn Colliery shaft.
Nant Melyn Colliery shaft.		 Alders.
Alders.
Inside the glacial cwm on an ancient landslide.
Inside the glacial cwm on an ancient landslide.		 A path through the alders.
A path through the alders.		 River Dare in the glacial cwm.
River Dare in the glacial cwm.		 Into the glacial cwm.
Into the glacial cwm.
The glacial cwm.
The glacial cwm.		 Deadwood.
Deadwood.		 Track to the glacial cwm.
Track to the glacial cwm.		 Track to the Bwllfa Colliery site.
Track to the Bwllfa Colliery site.
Footbridge.
Footbridge.		 Bwllfa Terrace.
Bwllfa Terrace.		 River Dare.
River Dare.		 River Dare.
River Dare.
Brick bed.
Brick bed.		 Destruction of the culvert bed by recent storms.
Destruction of the culvert bed by recent storms.		 Bed of the River Dare culvert.
Bed of the River Dare culvert.		 Old fence posts.
Old fence posts.
Top lake on a spring morning.
Top lake on a spring morning.		 Top weir.
Top weir.		 Aberdare Brick Company culvert.
Aberdare Brick Company culvert.		 Gnarly oaks.
Gnarly oaks.
Picnic spot.
Picnic spot.		 Alders.
Alders.		 Enjoying a run.
Enjoying a run.		 Photo bombed.
Photo bombed.
Follow me.
Follow me.		 Early spring photograph.
Early spring photograph.		 Top lake, the terrace and Craig yr Ysgol.
Top lake, the terrace and Craig yr Ysgol.		 Resting shadows.
Resting shadows.
Shower clouds building.
Shower clouds building.		 Path from the old TVR railway line to visitor centre.
Path from the old TVR railway line to visitor centre.		 Winter oaks.
Winter oaks.		 Footbridge over the Afon Dar.
Footbridge over the Afon Dar.
Remnants of the Aberdare Brick Company.
Remnants of the Aberdare Brick Company.		 Cormorant at the top lake.
Cormorant at the top lake.		 Picnic and being watched.
Picnic and being watched.		 Top lake.
Top lake.
Lake inhabitants.
Lake inhabitants.		 View towards the Cynon Valley from the old Bwllfa Colliery site.
View towards the Cynon Valley from the old Bwllfa Colliery site.		 Top lake reflections.
Top lake reflections.		 Top lake.
Top lake.
Tarren y Bwllfa.
Tarren y Bwllfa.		 Frost on the Bwllfa.
Frost on the Bwllfa.		 Top lake weir.
Top lake weir.		 Top lake.
Top lake.
Top lake in winter.
Top lake in winter.		 Footbridge and shadows.
Footbridge and shadows.		 Which way now?
Which way now?		 Dog walkers.
Dog walkers.
River Dare.
River Dare.		 Cold January morning.
Cold January morning.		 Upper reaches of the park.
Upper reaches of the park.		 Leaden skies and frost on the ground.
Leaden skies and frost on the ground.
The conversation.
The conversation.		 Frost.
Frost.		 DSC_2952.jpg
DSC_2952.jpg		 Walking in the December fog.
Walking in the December fog.
Afon Dar
Afon Dar		 Walking in the glacial cwm.
Walking in the glacial cwm.		 Misty and cold in the glacial cwm.
Misty and cold in the glacial cwm.		 Foggy abstract.
Foggy abstract.
DSC_2938.jpg
DSC_2938.jpg		 Bwllfa Colliery sentinel.
Bwllfa Colliery sentinel.		 Top lake and Craig Lwyd.
Top lake and Craig Lwyd.		 Bwllfa House and Farm.
Bwllfa House and Farm.
Cwmdare Village.
Cwmdare Village.		 Feeding the ducks at the top lake.
Feeding the ducks at the top lake.		 Top Lake and Craig-yr-ysgol.
Top Lake and Craig-yr-ysgol.		 Top Lake and Graig Lwyd.
Top Lake and Graig Lwyd.
Autumn begins.
Autumn begins.		 Pony trekking.
Pony trekking.		 Top Lake on a damp September day.
Top Lake on a damp September day.		 Walking the dogs.
Walking the dogs.
DSC_1084.jpg
DSC_1084.jpg		 DSC_1108.jpg
DSC_1108.jpg		 DSC_1058.jpg
DSC_1058.jpg		 DSC_1054.jpg
DSC_1054.jpg
Nature relcaims.
Nature relcaims.		 Bwllfa House, the original home of the Bwllfa Colliery owner.
Bwllfa House, the original home of the Bwllfa Colliery owner.		 Pepper photo bombing.
Pepper photo bombing.		 Wildflower walk.
Wildflower walk.
Afon Dar.
Afon Dar.		 Bwllfa Colliery leftover.
Bwllfa Colliery leftover.		 Craig-y-Bwllfa
Craig-y-Bwllfa		 History lesson.
History lesson.
Where's the Bwllfa gone?
Where's the Bwllfa gone?		 A foggy top lake.
A foggy top lake.		 Path from the glacial cwm.
Path from the glacial cwm.		 All that's left of the Bwllfa Colliery buildings.
All that's left of the Bwllfa Colliery buildings.
DSC_8715.jpg
DSC_8715.jpg		 A day for wrapping up warm.
A day for wrapping up warm.		 Frost in the glacial cwm.
Frost in the glacial cwm.		 Frost and fog at Bwllfa.
Frost and fog at Bwllfa.
Winter beckons.
Winter beckons.		 Top lake in Autumn.
Top lake in Autumn.		 Nantmelin.
Nantmelin.		 Autumn colours at Bwllfa.
Autumn colours at Bwllfa.
Stream bank in the Glacial Cwm.
Stream bank in the Glacial Cwm.		 Upper reach of the River Dare in the Glacial Cwm.
Upper reach of the River Dare in the Glacial Cwm.		 In the glacial cwm beneath Craig-y-Bwllfa.
In the glacial cwm beneath Craig-y-Bwllfa.		 August evening at Bwllfa.
August evening at Bwllfa.
Walking in the park.
Walking in the park.		 Nant Melin.
Nant Melin.		 Craig-y-Bwllfa.
Craig-y-Bwllfa.		 Running towards Craig-y-Bwllfa.
Running towards Craig-y-Bwllfa.
The old Aberdare Brick Works' leet, or what's left.
The old Aberdare Brick Works' leet, or what's left.		 Upper reaches of the River Dare.
Upper reaches of the River Dare.		 Spring comes to the valley.
Spring comes to the valley.		 Frost at Nantmelin.
Frost at Nantmelin.
Muddy puddle at Bwllfa.
Muddy puddle at Bwllfa.		 Fire and Ice.
Fire and Ice.		 Late evening light on the River Dare.
Late evening light on the River Dare.		 Allowing the light through in the glacial cwm.
Allowing the light through in the glacial cwm.
Green shoots of Spring.
Green shoots of Spring.		 Nant Melyn downcast.
Nant Melyn downcast.		 Bwllfa downcast at the beginning of Autumn.
Bwllfa downcast at the beginning of Autumn.		 Bwllfa downcast and headgear.
Bwllfa downcast and headgear.
Looking towards the Bwllfa Colliery site.
Looking towards the Bwllfa Colliery site.		 Moss and lichen on a branch overhanging the River Dare.
Moss and lichen on a branch overhanging the River Dare.		 Old cherry tree.
Old cherry tree.		 Tunnel entrance to the old leat.
Tunnel entrance to the old leat.
River Dare below the leat. Autumn.
River Dare below the leat. Autumn.		 Some damage due to nearby ground works.
Some damage due to nearby ground works.		 Old Leat (now carrying the River Dare) near Bwllfa Colliery
Old Leat (now carrying the River Dare) near Bwllfa Colliery		 Nant Melyn Downcast.
Nant Melyn Downcast.
'Top Lake' Dare Valley Country Park.
'Top Lake' Dare Valley Country Park.		 Bwllfa Upcast.
Bwllfa Upcast.		 Bwllfa Colliery.
Bwllfa Colliery.		 Cwmdare Reservoir.
Cwmdare Reservoir.
Cwm Dar and Windber
Cwm Dar and Windber		 Natural Beauty
Natural Beauty		 Ice Age
Ice Age		 Unexpected
Unexpected
Power Cut
Power Cut		 Bwllfa Colliery Downcast
Bwllfa Colliery Downcast		 Bwllfa Colliery
Bwllfa Colliery		 Nant Melyn Colliery and Bwllfa Dare Terrace
Nant Melyn Colliery and Bwllfa Dare Terrace
Bwllfa Downcast with the scree of Craig-y-Bwllfa
Bwllfa Downcast with the scree of Craig-y-Bwllfa		 Bwllfa Downcast
Bwllfa Downcast		 Bwllfa Downcast
Bwllfa Downcast		 Nant Melyn Downcast
Nant Melyn Downcast
Nant Melyn Downcast
Nant Melyn Downcast		 Bwllfa Downcast and House
Bwllfa Downcast and House		 Bwllfa Dare Terrace
Bwllfa Dare Terrace		 Old Leat and colliery feeder pipe near Bwllfa Colliery.
Old Leat and colliery feeder pipe near Bwllfa Colliery.
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comment | share
Greg Christie06-Jan-2025 08:20
Fantastic shots. There is a place here called Rhonnda with a now long closed colliery. Now it'sobvious where the name came from. V.
joseantonio05-Apr-2020 18:43
wonderful collection.V.
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