The UK is filled with all sorts of secret spots and hidden mysteries. Soon, there will be the chance to explore an abandoned mining quarry in Wales that has been submerged in water for the past 20 years, thanks to a new underwater museum.
A new diving centre is opening at the Vivian slate quarry in Gwynedd, north Wales. It’s the first underwater museum that will allow youngsters as young as 10 to visit, making it a ‘world first’.
The flooded Vivian Quarry was once home to the planet’s second largest slate mine, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Divers will be able to explore the abandoned buildings and mining equipment, including a circular blast shelter, that are now covered in 19 metres of water.
The quarry closed in 1960 and has been open to experienced divers for the past 12 years. It’s now hoped that it will be accessed without any prior scuba diving training. Diving expeditions are run by Scuba Scape, which said new technology will allow children to be able to dive after 10-minute safety briefing.
‘Our collaboration [with XPLOR Group] has led to the commercialisation of a unique underwater gaming programme and innovative technology. This enables individuals as young as 10 to dive in as little as 10 minutes after a safety briefing. Over the past eight months, we have implemented intense safety procedures and conducted rigorous testing of every component in some of the harshest underwater conditions,’ Scuba Scape told North Wales Live.
The Eryri slate quarry also offers a submerged escape room, where divers can play underwater games among the ruins of the old mine. Sounds scary.
Bookings for the museum are due to open ‘soon’, according to the Scuba Scape website, with tickets priced at £73.36.
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