Anglesey
Parys Mountain
Abandoned copper mine that looks like the surface of another planet, all orange and purple rock, and was once the largest copper mine in the world.
- Distance
- 2.5 mi / 4 km
- Time
- 1 hr 30
- Ascent
- 120 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
A waymarked trail circles the open pit and the spoil heaps with viewpoints into the workings. Rough underfoot but short.
Worth knowing
- The pools are extremely acidic and metal-laden. Keep dogs well away from the water.
- Stay on the marked trail. The ground is undermined and there are open shafts.
- The colours are strongest in low sun; late afternoon is best for photographs.
What you’ll see
The great open pit, coloured rock and spoil, windmill and engine house ruins.
Background
Parys dominated world copper production in the 1780s. The copper sheathed the hulls of the Royal Navy, which is where copper-bottomed comes from.