The Silver Mountain Experience is situated on the outskirts of Ponterwyd, about 25 minutes from Aberystwyth, west Wales. It’s just down the road from the Red Kite experience at Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre. Toby and I decided to go into the mine and try one of the mine’s experiences.
The seven-acre site also has a Discovery Park and a Mining Museum. The mine tends to run various theme tours throughout the year to coincide with Halloween, Christmas, as well as live history tours and scare experiences like the Black Chasm, paranormal experience and Terror Mountain.
‘Black Chasm’ Silver Mountain Experience
We opted for the Black Chasm tour. Met by our tour guide we were led on a quest for the key to the mine. Let me describe our guide … a 250-year-old dominatrix elf with an attitude problem (seriously!)
We were given instructions not to let the kobolds or orcs capture us. Ourselves and a party of three girls with their mum spent about 20 minutes going around a pitch-black maze/labyrinth looking for the key.
Monsters jumped out and many realistic sound effects scared us half to death. Upon finding our way back through the maze, with darkness falling, we were led to the mine entrance. Once there, we were allowed to unlock the door.
Don’t Believe the Elf!
The elf promised us slavery, chains and a war against orcs and dwarves as well as giving us the ‘elf and safety’ lecture. There was much elf abuse and tests of courage involving an anvil and a hammer and some explosions. Having come through all that, and being warned against mining hazards as well as being told some scary stories of mining tragedy, we trudged on. The headroom became lower and lower.
Finally, with our elf friend nipping in and out of our story, we made it to the Cave of Three Spirits where our mettle was tested. The atmosphere was tense with howling wolves, smoke, three skeletons and a gyrating possessed elf!
I am sure that I was scared, even if Toby wasn’t.
Escape to the Surface
We finally escaped the clutches of the overbearing elf and found our way to the surface and out to the main building.
A very reasonable restorative ice-cream was the order of the day. There was also very nice coffee and cake and a well-stocked souvenir shop. After our cake we went around the mine buildings and learned something about the history of lead, silver and zinc mining in the Aberystwyth area. The Llywernog silver-lead mine was preeminent in Wales during the end of the 19th Century for metal mining. It was eventually closed due to pressure of cheaper imports and the expense of pumping out the lower levels of the mine. The Silver Mountain Experience now provides a fabulous attraction for visitors.
Finally…
It was now getting really dark as it was towards the end of the day. The centre was closing. We said our goodbyes and promised to return again. Our elf was sweeping the floor of the souvenir shop when we left. She wished us good luck and said she was just off to count her gold. Honestly, I think the elf should get her own website. If indeed she hasn’t already 🙂
For more information, and to plan a visit, please visit the mine’s homepage here
