5 Frames in a Welsh Quarry

Last summer I tagged along with the local geology group on a visit to a nearby quarry, taking my Super Ikonta 530/16 and a roll of Delta 100 with me. Health and Safety being what it is working quarries are normally out of bounds, but on a Sunday they let in groups of interested geologists (and naturalists) as long as they have hi-vis. jackets and hard-hats. I actually spent most of the time outside the limits of the working site, bare rock faces produce in me a ‘seen it, can I go now?’ reaction. These photos I took on the walk in and on the way back out again.

At the bottom of the quarry; huge boulders of Wenlock sandstone extracted from the vertical bedding of the quarry face. The excavator bucket is about 1 metre high to give an idea of size.

Interesting fact here: Peregrine falcons nest in the quarry, according to the quarry manager they always choose a location to nest right above where the quarry is parking the extraction equipment at the time (it moves around as the quarry faces move). That way Buzzards, Ravens and other birds that might predate the nest are put off by the disturbance from the quarry staff and the machines. The Peregrines seem to be not at all bothered by the presence of workers and large machinery.

On a working day it would be impossible to get anywhere near the hoppers, graders and loading conveyors (and far too dusty to risk a camera), but on a weekend it is possible to walk up to them. They are right beside a public road anyway.

For when you feel the need to do something creative on a wet weekend and are finding Duplo bricks too small and fiddly the quarry makes giant concrete versions that you can play around with using your tele-handler.

Share this post: