Big Pit National Coal Museum – Big Pit Big Heart

Last but definitely not least, the Big Pit National Coal Museum was my final stop during my trip to South Wales where I also took in the Caerphilly Castle and Blaenavon Ironworks. Armed with only a flash light and gas mask, this offline, underground experience is the best way to fight your IG habit/addiction and really just enjoy the moment.

Visiting Big Pit National Coal Museum

It’s half subterranean exploration, half stand-up comedy. The guides/ex miners had me cracking up so much I nearly fell down a pit shaft, but that could have been the lack of oxygen!

tour with an ex-miner

Aside from being an interesting location to visit, the stories are really touching and the guides manage to paint a vivid picture of what life was like for the 100s of people who spent most of their working day underground.

experience the dark conditions

Claustrophobics beware! It’s dark, it’s damp, it’s cold, and did I mention it’s really dark. Not being a big fan of small spaces myself, I still felt comfortable and enjoyed exploring as the tour kept a good pace.

The mine might be an impressive 138 years old, but the seabed rock in one tunnel dates back 300 million years – now that’s what I call historic.

Not only was our guide, whose nickname was “Lucky”, a charming storyteller and fact machine, but the whole group of ex-miners were adorably joking around and defusing any last minute stress you might have being plunged into the darkness. It wasn’t much but seeing their enthusiasm and family-type bond was something special that I won’t forget anytime soon.

Have you headed deep underground before?

Combine your visit with Caerphilly Castle and the nearby Blaenavon Ironworks