Slate

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site

The Story of Slate

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales was inscribed as Wales’s fourth World Heritage Site in July 2021. The three other Welsh World Heritage Sites are the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd, Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal.

It is a landscape worthy of recognition. The Welsh slate industry employed thousands of people, transforming parts of the agricultural landscape into the industrial centre for slate production during the Industrial Revolution.

The engineering and technological innovation used in the extraction, processing and transportation of slate is awe-inspiring, with quarrying activity carving out entire mountainsides in some instances. The towns, villages and communities which grew in quarrying areas also changed the landscape as well as helping strengthen the Welsh language. These communities also created literature, music and art of international significance.

Slate was a global product, it ‘roofed the world’. Technology and skills were exported too, as the extraction of Welsh slate became a model for quarries in other parts of the world.

Explore

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is made up of six areas, or ‘component parts’. To learn more about these areas and for ideas on what to do and see, click here.

Did you know?

Responsible enjoyment of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site

We encourage responsible enjoyment of the World Heritage Site. This is a living landscape, and we ask those who come here to respect local communities and the wishes of landowners, and to respect our special historic landscape. Visitor infrastructure varies between each component part, this should be considered when planning your visit.

We also ask people to enjoy this landscape in a safe manner. The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is undoubtedly fascinating, but by its very nature can be remote, dangerous and challenging. A significant proportion of the landscape is within private ownership and some of this on land where no public access is permitted.

Before you set off to explore, ask yourself, am I allowed to access this particular location? Do I have the right gear? Do I know what the weather will be like? Do I have the knowledge and skills for the day? Go to www.adventuresmart.uk to find out how to enjoy your visit safely.