School Trips Wales: Caving & Mine Exploration
School Trips Wales: Caving & Mine Exploration
Due to the geological makeup of Wales, School Trips Wales can only offer caving and mine exploration from Brecon in South Wales and Conwy in North Wales. However, interestingly the first recorded caving trip took place in 853 B.C. by the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III at Lidje in Kurdistan, near the source of the Tigris.
School Trips Wales: Caving And Mine Exploration
It was part of the victory celebrations after a battle that took place nearby. However now-a-day you don’t have to win a battle to visit one of our beautiful cave systems in South Wales. If you are visiting Brecon for your school activity trip ask us about caving activities in the area.
Caving and Mine Exploration is a torch-lit activity gives pupils a real life perspective on their studies of history, geology and geography. Caving is an outdoor activity that involves walking, climbing and sometimes even abseiling. It is a challenging activity, which can push pupils outside their comfort zones, but it also encourages great team work and communication skills.
School Trips Wales: Caving And Mine Exploration
If you and your pupils are doing this for the first time, choose to visit Solution Caves, which is the most common type of cave, and we have lots of them in South Wales. Its characteristics are that it has a wide variety of rock formations, and spacious passages. There is a standard caving protocol that forbids cavers to touch the stalagmites and stalactites. These formations took centuries to develop, so the no-touch policy is very strict. Caving can be such an enjoyable experience so take your time, listen to your instructor, look around, and appreciate the beauty of nature. Caving enables us to discover the environment in its natural formation underground, learning about cave formations, underground rivers and much more! It takes your pupils into a hidden world of peace and tranquillity to free the mind and learn a breadth of new experiences.
School Trips Wales: Caving And Mine Exploration
Mine exploration typically involves less crawling and more walking than caving, since mines were purposefully excavated to allow human access. Gaining access to other mines may require technical skills such as abseiling, but this is unlikely in the mines that we tend to visit. Such techniques may also be used inside a mine to explore a shaft, or steep incline. Similarly, some traverses and slopes may be roped for safety. Step back in time and see first-hand the working conditions of the miners and experience the atmosphere and ambience of this once labour intense occupation. Relics and artifacts found in abandoned mine workings may include equipment such as pumps, cranes and drills. Almost all working mines require pumps to remove water, with the exception of those being self-draining via deep drainage adits. Once a mine is abandoned, the pumps are usually turned off and the mine slowly fills with water until a level is reached where water can drain out. This is usually the lowest adit. At Friog, the site of our famous Blue Lake Buzz Day, the workings were largely on the surface, but several shafts and tunnels were driven in to test the quality of the rock in the interior. Nearly all being sealed off when the working ceased at the quarry.
Fitness:
Basic, however if there are any issues please discuss this with us so that we can ensure the activity is fully inclusive.
Other Requirements:
None
Duration:
3.5 Hours approx.
Locations Where Caving And Mine Exploration Is Available:
- Conwy: North Wales Coast
- Beechwood Court: North Wales Coast
- Llanberis: Snowdonia National Park
- Snowdon Ranger: Snowdonia National Park
- Brecon Beacons
- St Briavels: Forest Of Dean
- Wye Valley: Forest Of Dean
School Trips Wales: Caving And Mine Exploration
Available:
All year round
What We Provide:
- Helmet
- Caving Light
What Pupils Will Need To Bring:
- Waterproofs
- Fleece Layer
- Wellies Or Sturdy Boots
For full details of your pupils packing list and information, please see our Info For Parents page.
School Trips Wales: Caving And Mine Exploration
Other activities available through Pro-Active Adventure include the list below. Just click on the link to go the relevant page. However, please be aware that what is available at different locations may vary, very slightly. Check on the page of your chosen location to see what is available there, or simply take a look at the sample programmes for each location, alternatively Contact Us for full information regarding your school trips in Wales:
Archery | Blue Lake Buzz Day | Body Boarding | Bush Craft | Caving | Climbing & Abseiling | Coasteering | Coastal Trekking | Forest Trekking | Gorge Walking | Mine Exploration | Mountain Biking | Mountaineering | Orienteering | Raft Building | Sit On Canoeing | Sit On Kayaking | Team Initiative Games
