Ioan Lord, a 24-year-old student from Ceredigion, is on a quest to rediscover the forgotten mines of Wales. With over 1,000 mines in mid-Wales alone, many have been lost from knowledge for hundreds of years. By using old maps and satellite images, Ioan has accessed many of these sites and is the first person in hundreds of years to do so. His exploration has uncovered ancient objects, some dating back to the Iron Age.
Wooden crates still packed with dynamite sticks and even graves have been among his discoveries. In one abandoned mine shaft, he was shocked to see a tiny pair of boot prints next to his own in the darkness. They were made 200 years ago by child miners, the last people to set foot in the passage. It’s a pastime that requires next-level commitment, though, as Ioan often spends days deep underground at a time, digging passages or wading through partially submerged caves.
Ioan’s passion for mines began when he was a young child. Growing up without a television, he had license to roam and explore the countryside around his home in the Rheidol Valley near Aberystwyth. Mines have always been a fascination for Ioan, and he wants to preserve and document them while he can. Many of them are bulldozed yearly, and they hardly receive any protection.
To increase awareness about the ancient labyrinth of tunnels, Ioan turned to YouTube, where his videos have attracted tens of thousands of hits. Subscribers watch him snake down endless dark passageways and get very excited about his discoveries. One time, while exploring a flooded Victorian mineshaft with an underwater drone, Ioan discovered an entire tramway of intact rail carts and equipment, seemingly abandoned overnight over a century ago.
However, Ioan is always careful not to broadcast where he finds entrances, so he can preserve the “time-capsule” within. Mining can be dangerous, and it may involve trespassing, which should be avoided. The main dangers with metal mines include having rotten timbers in the false floors, which can mean hundreds and hundreds of feet to drop beneath you
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More