north wales walks in detail -
: Corris Slate Trail
Nearest Town :
Corris, probably named after Corus a 7th Century monk, nestles in the Dulas Valley just south of Cader Idris, the most prominent peak in southern Snowdonia. A mixture of conifer and broadleaved woodland covers the slopes of the valleys with a rich variety of mosses, flowers, birds and mammals. Amongst the wooded slopes are obvious signs of the area’s industrial past. The Corris quarries are the most southerly of the North Wales slate quarries. At their peak they employed 800, but today only a handful remain. Quarrying started in the Corris area in 1810 though there is some evidence that it began in Aberllefenni in 1500. The numerous quarries were at their most productive between 1850 and 1900. Initially the slate was carried by horse and cart to Derwenlas, then transported by boat to Aberdyfi. The Corris Railway was built in the 1850s and from then on slate was transported to Machynlleth. The railway closed in 1948, but today a short section has been re-opened for tourists. The area has an excellent choice of tourist attractions as well as a system of paths and picnic sites.
