King Arthur's Labyrinth

Information Sheet for Educational Visits

Historical Context
The stories of King Arthur in Wales are based on traditional legends from original sources including the Mabinogion and the Tales of Taliesin. As in these source documents, the tales include both historical references and imagined or literary tradition. The narrator (who eventually turns out to be Taliesin himself) introduces the stories of Merlin at Dinas Emrys and the battle between the white and the red dragon, the battle with the giant Rhitta, the legend of Bran’s head, the battle of Cam Ian and the voyage to Avalon. There are also references to the lost land of Cantre’r Gwaelod and the legend that Arthur still sleeps in a cave in the Welsh hills waiting for the call to rescue the Cymry when in danger again.

The presentation, which is available in English or Welsh, offers something for all age groups from primary to college students and can be understood on every level from simple story-telling to the interpretation of myth and legend in cultural history. It is also great fun!

Place In the Syllabus
King Arthur’s Labyrinth is both enjoyable and educational and meets the requirements of Key Stages 2 and 3. The stories told in the Labyrinth are designed to stimulate discussion and to promote follow-up work.

The Labyrinth covers topics studied across the Welsh and English curriculums especially history, geography, Welsh and English.

Within the Key Stage 2 History curriculum King Arthur's Labyrinth fits with the Myths and Legends requirement of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons & Vikings in Britain programme of study. Within the Key Stage 2 Geography curriculum their is a natural fit with the study program for Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development.

For students of Key Stage 3 Geography, the Labyrinth provides an exciting casestudy illustrating changing economic activity (from primary to tertiary activity). The vast caverns of King Arthur's Labyrinth are the surviving workings of the Braich Goch Slate Mine which operated between 1836 and 1970.

The storytelling environment of King Arthur's Labyrinth lends itself to the programmes of study for English and Welsh.

An activity pack (published by Domino Books, £2.00) is available based on King Arthur’s Labyrinth. Our own booklet, “King Arthur’s Labyrinth” (£2.00), provides a more advanced historical background. Secondary pupils and college students will find that the presentation lends itself to further work in the social studies and literature curriculum.

Organising a visit
A visit to King Arthur’s Labyrinth occupies a little over an hour and a further hour can be enjoyed visiting the craft workshops and adventure playground. Please wrap up warm as the underground caverns are cool. The 45 minute tour of the caverns involves a walk of about half a mile along level gravel paths unsuitable only for the very frail. Visitors travel into the Labyrinth in groups of 20, leaving every 15 minutes. Groups may book in advance but it is important that they arrive about 30 minutes before they are due to go underground as the tours leave promptly and groups have to go through the ticketing procedure and be fitted with helmets prior to their departure.

The boats operate to a tight schedule and they are not able to wait beyond their appointed departure time as this will delay visitors already underground.

If a party is running late we ask them to let us know as far in advance as possible so that we can try to make alternative arrangements. As spaces on subsequent tours may be booked up it may not be possible to offer a reasonable alternative.

There are two ways of booking a group into King Arthur’s Labyrinth:

1) pre-booking with a £5 deposit will reserve seats on tours at the time you require them. Parties should then arrive 30 minutes before the booked time. If the party has not arrived by then the seats will be sold if there is a demand for them. We regret that the deposit is not refundable.

2) pre-booking with payment for the full amount of the admission charge will ensure that the seats are available until the trip departs. However, it is essential even for pre-paid parties, that they arrive at least 10 minutes before their tour time so that they can be fitted with helmets, etc. The payment may be refunded (less a £5 administration charge) should the visit be cancelled sufficiently well in advance for us to resell the tickets.

For 2008, the rates for groups of 15 or more are £5.20 for Adults, £3.70 for Children and £4.65 for Senior Citizens.
For School Groups, one teacher is admitted free with every 10 children.

For further details please refer to King Arthur's Labyrinth own schools page.

The Labyrinth is open from 10 am to 5 pm each day from 17th March to the 2nd November 2008.

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