Lost Mines

rossinator

Dunno if this is in the right forum, but I was wondering if anyone knew directions to The "Lost Mines" in Co.Wicklow. I can only find a small bit of info on them and that they MIGHT be somewhere between Laragh and the Vale of Glendasan.
If someone could help me with this it would be great as I would love to go for a bit of an explore.

Cheers

wildwolf1

Here are two links that might help you. Also, if you call into Lynham's Hotel in Laragh, or the Glendalough Hotel, they should be able to give you directions. I think you can only access the mines on foot though.

http://www.glendalough.ie/heritage_of_glendalough.php or here http://www.glendaloughmines.com/contact_us.html

Dr Strange

There is an old mining village at the very end of the Upper Lake at Glendalough. Just follow the walking trail beside the lake and it'll end at the village which is at the foot of the small waterfall.

rossinator

Cheers for the help but I don't think were talking about the same mines here.

This is the best info I could get on the mines i'm talking about http://www.abandonedireland.com/LostMines.html

Cheers though

wildwolf1

OMG that's amazing - i have no idea where it is though - now i want to know too! I will PM you if i find out - have asked a few people that might know

mcrtchly

The 'lost mines of Wicklow' are actually about 120km away in North Tipperary. These are the lead/zinc/bartyes workings at Silvermines, which worked up until the mid-1980's. Most of the extant remains are either from the mid-C19th (engine houses, mine manager's building) or from the 1950's (underground workings). The Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland in conjunction with the Geological Survey of Ireland and North Tipp. County Council have just spent over €300,000 on conservation works on some of the C19th buildings from the InterReg3B Green Mines Project. <<snip>>

Martin Critchley
Chairperson, Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland

wildwolf1

Thanks for that Martin - my curiosity is now satisfied! Thanks for the link too!

outonthehills

Looks to me like the mines above Laragh? I was out with me dogs right by that very place last week. Next time I'm passing I'll take a few pics if it is the same place

Silverfish

Wait so, is the one in the link the one Preusse said was in Glendalough, or are they actually in Tipperary?

Do you need the guide to get in and look around?

jaffa20

Looks brilliant. i'd love to visit these. Wish there was a list of unusual places like this around ireland.

Silverfish

I'm working on compiling one.

Alun

Silverfish wrote: »

Wait so, is the one in the link the one Preusse said was in Glendalough, or are they actually in Tipperary?

There are a few disused remains of lead mines in that area, the most well known ones are those at the far end of the Upper Lake in Glendalough in the Glenealo Valley. There's certainly nothing even remotely like the photos in the link for the Tipperary mines, though.

All I can say (as an ardent hillwalker who's walked past/through them dozens of time) is that as far as the mines at the end of the Upper Lake in Glendalough go there's virtually nothing left apart from a few spoil heaps and just the outer shell of a few stone buildings, nothing worth 'exploring' really. One or two small rusty pieces of machinery remain too.
If you're lucky you might come across the ancestors of the goats that the miners kept for meat and milk that were released into the wild when the mines closed and have gone feral, but that's about all that remains.

There are also some remains on the road that leads from Glendalough up to the Wicklow Gap (that's the Glendasan Valley). If you're heading for Glendalough, just take the right fork in the road just before you get to the visitor's centre car park, signposted Wicklow Gap, and it's about 3km up the road on the left. Again, not much to see really, just a few ruined buildings. Interestingly, if you're ever bored enough to watch the film Reign of Fire (a post-apocalyptic film about dragons taking over the Earth!) you'll recognise the site as it was used as the main site for the film. They actually built a complete set there, and had to completely remove everything and 'restore' it to it's former state afterwards. The spoil heaps and the remains of some smaller buildings actually extend quite a way up the slopes of Camaderry to the south west.

paulme

Dunno if anyone is paying attention to this thread anymore but, I was down in the Shallee mines in Tipperary recently, and there's some fairly extensive tunnells there to check out. I'm trying to find out if there are other accessible mines in the area, as I've heard that the mines go on for about 4 km, but information isn't easy to find.

Anyone know if there is?

Cookie_Monster

Alun wrote: »

All I can say (as an ardent hillwalker who's walked past/through them dozens of time) is that as far as the mines at the end of the Upper Lake in Glendalough go there's virtually nothing left apart from a few spoil heaps and just the outer shell of a few stone buildings, nothing worth 'exploring' really. One or two small rusty pieces of machinery remain too.
If you're lucky you might come across the ancestors of the goats that the miners kept for meat and milk that were released into the wild when the mines closed and have gone feral, but that's about all that remains.

If you go up the hill to your right as you approach the miners village via the purple route from the carpark there is a mine entrance about half way up the slope apparently. You can see the track from the top of the Spink, Just after the trees finish and slag heaps begin there is a zigzag track up the valley side.

Alun

Yes, I've seen that and wondered where it went. Not that I'd be remotely interested in actually going in unless I had a death wish or something

White_Wolf

A tad off topic here but on abandoned Ireland there is also the Spirit house. http://www.abandonedireland.com/Spirit_House_1.html

Anyone know where this is, looks like a creepy place but would love to find some history about it.

recedite

White_Wolf wrote: »

A tad off topic here but on abandoned Ireland there is also the Spirit house. http://www.abandonedireland.com/Spirit_House_1.html

Anyone know where this is, looks like a creepy place but would love to find some history about it.

Yes I discussed this with knowledgeable people and the consensus is that, like "the lost mines", it does not actually exist in Wicklow.
That is a well made and entertaining website; the guy goes to a lot of trouble, so I can't figure out why he puts in all the false information.

paulme

From what I've heard he doesn't want to advertise the exact locations of these places so as not attract any unwanted attention to them, ie. people might wreck them

Wailin

Hey guys,

Does anyone know if the abandoned mines in the glendalough/glendasan area can be entered? Looking at the East/West maps they show tunnels leading from the mines into the mountains in some areas. Im wondering has anyone actually went into these mines? Bit spooky I'd imagine but would love a look!

recedite

Wailin wrote: »

Hey guys,

Looking at the East/West maps they show tunnels leading from the mines into the mountains in some areas.

I think the circles on the map indicate excavation sites, not tunnels.
Never investigated them myself, but if there was a decent tunnel I would have a look. Terrain is often very rocky and difficult to explore around the vicinity.

Wailin

recedite wrote: »

I think the circles on the map indicate excavation sites, not tunnels.
Never investigated them myself, but if there was a decent tunnel I would have a look. Terrain is often very rocky and difficult to explore around the vicinity.

No they are actually mine entrances, stated on the map legend. I have found one or two of them on the slopes of Camaderry but they are full of water and inaccessable without waders. Alot of the entrances have been filled in also, probably to prevent access.

krieture

Found this website online, http://www.abandonedireland.com/LostMines_3.html
and would love to go out and go on an adventure. So anyone know here it is??????

Matt Le Tissue

not a clue, but very interesting

sensibleken

AFAIK its in tipperary not wicklow. There have been discussions on either the photography or heritage forums

Estera

paulme wrote: »

From what I've heard he doesn't want to advertise the exact locations of these places so as not attract any unwanted attention to them, ie. people might wreck them

yes as you said people might wreck them...I've already explored that place....but left everything as it was , Lost mines exist

Neptune_Alpha

Can you Share It's location?
Im looking to do a photo shoot in the next month and cant seem to locate it online. i have no intentions to disturb the place but the backdrop is exactly what im looking for.

tnethacker

Neptune_Alpha wrote: »

Can you Share It's location?
Im looking to do a photo shoot in the next month and cant seem to locate it online. i have no intentions to disturb the place but the backdrop is exactly what im looking for.

If you ever found this place, please let me know as well so i could pop in and take some photos of it.