This Is Cornwall's Giant Quarry! | Delabole Slate Quarry | Part 1.

Have you ever seen a quarry this enormous? This is Delabole Slate Quarry in North Cornwall, one of the most impressive working quarries in the Southwest. The scale is incredible, and much of the quarry is now filled with water, hiding even more of the workings beneath the surface. Delabole slate has been quarried here for generations and is prized for its exceptionally flat slaty cleavage, making it ideal for producing thin, durable roofing slates. The slate has been used across the Southwest and in major buildings in London, including the paving around Guildhall. The quarry also has a fascinating industrial history, with old winding machinery, inclined railways and connections to the national railway network once helping transport the slate away from Cornwall. And there's another geological story here that isn't immediately obvious: groundwater. Quarrying and pumping have altered the natural groundwater levels, which could have implications for the surrounding area if the quarry were ever to close. A huge hole, a huge history, and some fascinating geology. Subscribe for more geology, quarries, fossils and hidden geological stories:    / @downtoearthgeologist   #Geology #Delabole #DelaboleSlate #Cornwall #Quarry #Slate #IndustrialHeritage