National Slate Museum, Llanberis

After our train ride, we walked round to the National Slate Museum where we caught the info film and then the slate-cutting demonstration, by a time-served quarryman with a good sense of humour.

There was also the largest waterwheel in the world (50ft diameter!) which mum almost missed because it was houses in it's own slate nook, accessible by flights of stairs. There was a terrace of three reconstructed homes from various eras in the history of the quarries. In one, we heard the story of a family during the 3-year The Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike of 1900-03, from a lovely actor who really got us involved and taught us a lot. We also found a place to decorate our own slate coasters.

The sun was shining, so we could explore the outdoor area with all the dressed slates, before heading off to the lake...Read more