All walks › Llanidloes & the Cambrians
Llanidloes & the CambriansY Fan Lead Mines
The remains of what was briefly the richest lead mine in the world, on a hillside above Llanidloes, now grassed over and almost silent.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 50
- Ascent
- 200 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
Circle the old workings on tracks and field paths, climbing for the view over Clywedog before returning. The route skirts the mine site rather than crossing it.
Worth knowing
- The site has open shafts and unstable ground. Keep to the paths and keep children close.
- Spoil heaps here support metal-tolerant plants that grow almost nowhere else.
- Combine with Clywedog for a full day in the hills above Llanidloes.
What you’ll see
Mine spoil, ruined engine houses, and a view down to Llyn Clywedog.
Background
Van mine boomed spectacularly in the 1870s, producing more lead than anywhere else on earth for a few years, then collapsed just as fast. A railway was built to serve it and lifted within decades.