Places to visit Science and technology Wales

The Llechwedd slate quarries have 250 chambers linked by 40 km of galleries. We tell you all about the living conditions of the miners at a depth of several meters. Working by candlelight, in vast caves, on the banks of underground lakes. It's a journey to the heart of the country's culture and history. It's a must to fully appreciate the hard work of the miners.

There'salso a gigantic zip line for thrill-seekers (www.zipworld.co.uk) and an underground playground with nets and trampolines.

An artificial lake designed to supply a gigantic hydroelectric power station has been dug out of the Eliden mountain. It's like something out of science fiction! Today, the project is considered a global engineering prodigy. This energy laboratory, created in the bowels of the mountain, is the subject of impressive tours. The site is currently under restoration, but the view over the lake is well worth the detour.

Located on a former mine, the Alternative Technology Centre attracts convinced eco-lovers and curious people by the thousands every year. Originally, the C.A.T. was a community of idealists who decided to live in self-sufficiency. To do this, they had to produce their own electricity, recycle their waste, not use fertilizers, etc. The goal: to minimize its environmental impact. The experience almost immediately attracted the curiosity of ecologists from all over the world. More than 30 years after the foundation of this community, some of the idealists of the time still live at the C.A.T.

From now on, the Centre's vocation is to explain the basics of sustainable development by exposing the different ways of using renewable resources: the sun, wind, water; the funicular that runs on water provides an excellent illustration. The C.A.T. also tries to go further in its approach to promoting renewable energies: it offers, for example, courses explaining how to build a straw-based house or how to build panels using old radiators to heat water and your home... During these courses, you can be housed in the "eco-cabins" on site. You can also taste the specialities of the vegetarian tea room or buy organic products. It is really an exciting and worthwhile visit, to better understand the climate emergency and the challenges of global warming.

It is the largest camera obscura (darkroom) in the world. This Victorian period attraction has since benefited from technical advances in optics and allows a much clearer vision than it was at its origins. Today, more than 1,000 m² of landscapes are visible, and this in a very precise and detailed way. An impressive optical experience. To get there, you take a funicular to reach the hill. In the end, in addition to the camera obscura, we enjoy a superb view of the city of Aberystwyth.

It is the largest scientific and technological discovery centre in Great Britain. It makes science attractive and accessible to the youngest audience through experiments, exhibitions and performances. The topics covered are vast, from fossils to forensic techniques! It is an opportunity to discover a planetarium and the best of the hologram genre. An unmissable if you have time or if it rains, which appeals to children as much as to adults. We recommend it to you!