Eerie photographs capture the wreckage of old cars piled high on top of each other in what has been dubbed the ‘Cavern of Lost Souls’ beneath a Welsh mountain.
Explorer Gareth Owen decided to explore the disused slate mine below Ceredigion, Wales, that has turned into an underground junkyard some 60 years after it closed.
Incredible images show a singular beam of light hitting the vehicles above the still blue water, with a Ford Cortina balanced on the top.
Despite the surprising beauty of the images, the photographer was shocked by the hundreds of cars stashed away in the ‘unrecognisable rubbish tip’.
Incredible images show a singular beam of light hitting the vehicles above the still blue water, with a Ford Cortina balanced on the top
The remains of cars and household appliances lie in a huge pile inside the cavern that was reportedly used by locals as a dumping ground when it closed in the 1960s
The photographs capture the wreckage of old cars piled high on top of each other in what has been dubbed the ‘Cavern of Lost Souls’ beneath a Welsh mountain
Gareth, an electrician, from Llanberis in North Wales, said: ‘Once your eyes adjust to the sudden beam of light you realise the sheer scale of the place. There are hundreds of cars on top of each other.
‘They are mostly unrecognisable by now but then front and center of the pile is a Ford Cortina – it was the only real colour on the pile.
‘I guess being so used to photographing the natural landscapes and their beauty, photographing this spot was bittersweet for me.
Up to 100 cars in various condition were discovered cascading down the inside of the cave in Ceredigion, Wales. The cars can be seen reflected in the standing water at the base of this area of the mine
A light shines through the old slate mine in Wales, where a mountain of 1970s cars were discovered by urban explorers
Incredible images show light beaming in through the crevices of the cave – illuminating the water inside (pictured) and shining a light on the forgotten cars
‘As eye-catching as it is, at the end of the day it is a rubbish tip from a time when the environment was not in the forefront of our minds.
‘But it is also a great reminder of how far we have come as a country to doing what we can to protect nature from now into the future.
‘The reaction to the photo itself has been immensely positive.’
It became an underground junkyard after mining operations came to an end in 1960. A small hole was reportedly used by locals as a dumping ground, swallowing up household appliances and cars.
Photographer Gareth Owen (left, and right, during the expedition) decided to explore the disused slate mine below Ceredigion, Wales, that has turned into a junkyard some 60 years after it closed
The car graveyard was found around 200 feet down an abandoned slate mine in Wales, which had closed in 1960
Mr Owen added: ‘The subject matter has had a mixed response with some people not quite happy about the fact these cars were dumped underground and others seeing beauty in the carnage.
‘I have done a number of underground explorations including natural caverns to old mines.
‘I really enjoy exploring the unknown beneath our feet, so having seen an image online I went on a hunt for the ‘Cavern of the Lost Souls’, as it is known.
‘The pleasures I get from exploring underground are amazing and it’s amazing to think what is right under our feet.’
The mine is thought to have opened up around 1836 and closed up around 1960 and has been abandoned since then.
It is not known how or why the cars ended up in this old slate mine in Wales. Pictured is a wrecked blue car and various tyres lying around
IT Engineer Gregory Rivolet (pictured), 31, spent four hours exploring the cave in 2016. He revealed the mine is ‘very unstable’ and dangerous without climbing gear. His team took pictures (left) as they made their way through the cave (right)
Most of the cars are from the 1970s onwards and the depth of the mine could be as much as 200ft underground, possibly more.
IT Engineer Gregory Rivolet, 31, spent four hours exploring the cave in 2016 and revealed the mine is ‘very unstable’ and dangerous without climbing gear.
‘Pieces of slate were falling from above our heads,’ he said at the time. ‘We had to use rope to climb down to the right level of the mine, the descent was around sixty-five feet deep, it didn’t feel very secure at all.
‘There was something so surreal about this exploration, it was totally dark, wet, slippery and very dangerous. And then you see the most unexpected thing, a mountain of old cars.
‘The road is pretty dangerous in this area, especially when wet. It was probably too expensive to tow cars up and out into the nearest town.’
‘A good friend talked me about this place and showed me a picture,’ said Mr Rivolet. ‘I was intrigued and started to do some research about it and realised it was in the UK. Once I found out the location of the mine, I asked a contact of mine in the UK to guide me down there.
‘The whole experience was pretty intense, but it was definitely worth the risk.’