Sygun Copper Mine — Attraction in Beddgelert

AVOID! If you're a family or large group, do not waste your time or money! I say your time; this wouldn't waste much as it took the two of us 15 minutes to get around it. We thought we had missed a bit so went back to see if we had, but obviously not. We got there early and were already having to squeeze to the side to let people past, the mine is very narrow and rather an uncomfortable experience as opposed to being thrilling and impressive. If you go, make sure you get there upon opening. The helmets were clearly never cleaned, they were dirty and rather large; I hit my head multiple times throughout the tour and I'm not a tall man. On arrival we were met by 2 young boys who didn't seem happy to be there. We paid £10 EACH for a massively disappointing self guided tour and were given no information about the mine or what to expect, no safety briefing! On reflection we could have gone straight into the mine and noone would have known or cared. Understandably the mine it is very wet but the mine is so poorly lit, you cannot see your foot placement - not ideal for dogs, elderly, anyone over 5 ft 7", or young children. Not to mention the 200 odd near vertical, wet, gridded metal steps leading almost all the way through the mine. These are quite treacherous and require so much attention you spend 90% of the 15 minutes in the mine looking at your wet feet. There is a notice in the mine warning about the steps, this is the first we heard about the steps and at this point the sign may as well have written 'like it or lump it'. If you are slightly nervous and dont wish to climb the wet steps, your tour is basically over before it even begins. I would be happy to pay £5 or £6 max for this but £10 seems ridiculous. We only went as it was our last day on holiday and we were 10 minutes down the road. If you are travelling to this, be warned; the website photos make it seem larger than it is, the mine really isnt much more impressive in real life....

Probably everything has been said in previous reviews - so it's worth reading a selection before visiting, then you know what to expect. Having already visited the Great Orme Copper Mines we have wanted to try Sygun for a while. I'm glad we did but it was less enjoyable than the Orme as there is less to see underground, plus the very steep and wet metal steps that must be ascended on the way out, can be a challenge. Fortunately we went on a day when we had the whole mine to ourselves and our collie dog (who emerged a stained brown colour and needed a few dips in the river to get clean!). We were able to stop and rest heading up the stairways, without causing any queues. The 'path' back down to the visitor centre is more of a gulley filled with scree but we managed it without mishap - although I was glad of the hard hat inside the cave as I whacked my head - and I'm only 5'1" and took a torch with me!! We found the shop and mini museum display interesting but didn't try the café. Was it value for money? I guess you've got to consider the upkeep and running costs of this attraction so it is priced accordingly to keep going. £11 per adult and no charge for the dog. Car park was large and free. If you struggle to walk up the slope from the car park to the visitor centre, don't go in the mine! The information inside the mine does need updating. The sound recordings are muffled and the mannequins could...

We visited the copper mine on a very wet summers day here in North Wales. After paying for entry and collecting our hard-hats, we followed the directions on our laminated guide sheet to the mine entrance.

Be warned, if you're a tall man like me, you're going to be glad of the hard hat! The mine is quite cramped in places, fine for kids and average height ladies, but hazardous if you're any more than 5'11".

You follow the guide sheet instructions to get you to the various audio tour spots. Hit the green button and listen to a very well produced story about the spot you're in. Once finished you follow your guide sheet to the next spot.

Some of the mannequins are a bit tired, and you're given the impression that you're going to see huge caverns and rock formations, they probably are if you're 5. Our nine year old son really got into the spirit of the place, referencing Minecraft all the way along the tour. There are some very steep stairways to climb (186 steps), so make sure you're up to it before you go into the mine.

There is a great gift shop, small cafe and a small museum to see to. There is a little kids playground too, just be careful in the rain, the tracks are slippery.

The car park looks like it was the subject of a B52 carpet bombing raid in 'Nam, approach with caution or you'll break something on your car.

All in all a great way to spend a couple of hours in and...