Moorhen On Ice

I met up with an old metal detecting friend at Cwm Darren Park, Deri, Nr Bargoed. Much of the country park is built on the spoil heaps and workings of Ogilvie Colliery, which operated in Deri between 1920 and 1975. 

I'd driven past it many times previously but never called in. Today we had a walk around the two lakes and waterfall whilst we talked about various things, mainly photography, and took photographs.

The lakes were still partly frozen and the wildlife were making the most of it. Some of them were gingerly walking and sliding. I took a photo of one as I liked it's colours and reflection.

It's lovely to see these old colliery sites given back to nature. Bit's remain as a tribute to it's former history such as the colliery's powder store,  being one of the few remaining in Wales. The colliery itself was the last big mine sunk by the The Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company. It started to experience problems in the late 1960s, and a fire in 1971 helped lead to it's eventual closure.