Is there life on Mars.......?

Well it’s certainly been an action-packed few days here in North Wales, and having just waved off our lovely offspring and their respective partners, we’re sitting quietly listening to the birds singing in the still-sunlit garden and drinking yet another glass of wine .....

Today’s adventure takes us over to Anglesey’s other worldly Parys Mountain - the amazing landscape left by the old copper mines. The contaminated earth glows in shades of ochre, bronze and copper, very occasionally punctuated by yellowed water courses. Crumbled mine buildings litter the area around the crater-like depression left by excavation. Here and there the vivid green of resilient nature can be spotted as somehow plants secure a foothold in this toxic earth. Though not conventionally beautiful, this is stunning awe-inspiring stuff. 

A taster of its history follows, with a link to more below: 

Although archaeological evidence shows that copper was extracted from Parys Mountain as early as the Bronze Age, large-scale industrial production only developed after the discovery of a particularly rich lode in 1768. By the 1780s the Parys Mountain Copper Mines were the largest in the world. The copper ores were shipped from the port of nearby Amlwch to Swansea, then the global centre of copper smelting, and found particular fame when they were used to sheath the hulls of Nelson's naval ships.
https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/33752/


Extras show old mine buildings, and meeting up with G’s 91 year old mum earlier today. 

Thanks for all your lovely comments, stars and hearts over the last few days. I’m hoping to catch up soon!