2014

CALCH Project Phase 2 : 2014
(With funding from the Aggregates Levy Fund for Wales, the Brecon Beacons Park Sustainable Development Fund, and the Cadw Heritage Tourism Project)

 

In both March and May 2014 there were litter picking days when volunteers helped clear litter from around the Black Mountain Quarries.

A CALCH presentation was given to the 80 attendees of the Brecon Beacons National Park's 2-14 Heritage day held at the Brycheiniog Theatre in Brecon.

 

The Brecon Beacons Young Archaeologists' Club held two sessions about the lime industry and the CALCH project. They enjoyed learning about lime and its uses, and visiting the Black Mountain Quarries.

A talk about progress of the CALCH project was given to the Brynaman Heritage Group at the Black Mountain Centre.

A talk on the Black Mountain lime industry was given to the Trapp Heritage Group.

The Brecon branch of the University of The Third Age came on a tour of the Black Mountain Quarries.

The UK National Parks Historic Environment Group had a study tour of the Quarries as part of their visit to the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Volunteers from Lloyds Bank spent a day on the mountain moving rocks to mark the trail route and building picnic benches!

With the help of our volunteers, we spent two days moving and arranging the large limestone way-markers around the walking tour trail which winds its way through the quarries.

CALCH attended a very busy Fforest Fawr Geopark Activity Day held at Craig y Nos Country Park during which over 800 people learnt about the project.

A Lime Heritage Day was held on Llangadog Common in June, during which we had displays about CALCH, the Fforest Fawr Geopark, a lime burning display by Ty Mawr Lime and the horses and riders of the Welsh Horse Yeomanry.

We recorded a program on the CALCH project for the BBC Radio Wales ‘Country Focus' presented by Rachael Garside.

The Black Mountain Festival event incorporated lime themed experimental archaeology with glass making, soap making, and iron working; a preview of the on-site interpretation panels, local artwork displayed around the site and live music!

We helped record another feature on the CALCH Project for the Welsh Language TV programme ‘Prynhawn Da'.

Towards the end of the project the interpretation panels were installed on site.

The trail markers have been installed as well, and you can now listen to an entertaining audio trail app as you walk around the site.

You can download this from

www.breconbeacons.org/blackmountainquarries

In September, the Black Mountain Quarries Trail was officially opened by John Griffiths, AM Minister for Natural Resources, Culture and Sport; John Cook, CEO of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority; Duncan Schlee of Dyfed Archaeological Trust and Roy Noble.

There is now a great audio-visual display about the Black Mountain Quarries at the Black Mountain Centre in Brynamman where you can pick up information for visiting the site, and have a cuppa and a bite to eat!

You can now download all the information you need for a visit to the Black Mountain Quarries from:

A handsome booklet and trail guide can be obtained from Brecon Beacons National Park Tourist Information Centres, or downloaded from:

The Black Mountain Quarries also feature on YouTube!

We have now completed an extensive educational resource for Key Stage 2 and 3. These documents can be downloaded from this website.