Snakes and Ladders

Have you heard of Snakes and Ladders? And no, I don’t mean the board game! Located in Dinorwic slate quarry, snakes and ladders is a must do for those seeking adventure.

Dinorwic quarry can be found in Snowdonia, in Llanberris and covers more that 700 acres of land. It was once the second largest slate quarry in the world, and today the remnants of its industrial past can be discovered, giving you a glimpse into its fascinating history. Here you can find the incredible snakes and ladders- a journey through the quarry that involves rusty old ladders, rusting industrial chains and abseils. This has been on my to do list for a long time, and was lucky enough to go with two photographer friends who knew the area well.

It was a completely exhilarating day out, involving squeezing into dark small holes in the slate into a tunnel, numerous ladders, completely epic landscape, thrills, fear and plenty of abseils. The ladders were something else- for someone scared of heights it took every inch of my resolve to get up them. They move, creak, are completely covered in rust and many have rungs missing with old rope in place instead. There are huge, thick industrial chains left over from days old to climb up and down, and some amazing abseils.

The whole place is steeped in history, and feels like a lost world. There are remains of the old industry, with remnants of buildings and equipment. It is a beautiful location to shoot and explore on a cloudy day. I feel this is a place you could return to daily, and still discover something new.

The last abseil involved abseiling into the freezing cold water of Dali’s Hole-a beautiful coloured deep pool. It was worth being freezing for, although the nerves set in when getting over the edge, I was very glad I took the ‘plunge’ (literally!). This is a place I would very much like to come and explore some more.

Photo credit: Adam Lawrenson