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Hopewell Colliery

Hopewell Colliery, Coleford: Address, Phone Number, Hopewell Colliery Reviews: 5/5

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Hopewell Colliery

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Hopewell Colliery
5
333
#1 of 15 things to do in Coleford
Speciality Museums • Mines
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Popular mentions
5.0
333 reviews
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309
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19
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0
laurajj52
Milton Keynes, UK30 contributions
Top class family experience, a must do.
Aug 2021 • Family
Had an amazing mine tour with our guide Rich. Booked this activity not really knowing whether our teenagers would like it, but they were really engaged and asked lots of questions. A real insight into mining in the region and mining ‘in the olden days’ - at the end my teens surfaced saying that their part time jobs weren’t so bad after all! Quite a humbling experience at times.

Our guide Rich was very knowledgable, friendly and patient. Despite us being his last tour of the day, he spent far longer with us than he should of, answering all our questions and encouraging us to ask more.

The tour takes you down (and down and down!) into a mine. At the bottom you are shown how miners extract coal, the conditions, the tools used and how they ‘shut the gob’ once down. Lots of info on historical ‘safety’ measures, had us shuddering at the thought. We learned loads!

This experience is a million miles from those that take your money, promise amazing things, then leave you feeling let down. In fact the opposite is true, we went not knowing what to expect and were then blown away. Kids excitedly talked about it all the way home and into the evening. Value for money is incredible.

Big thanks to Rich who really is very amazing - stay safe down there Rich!

Practical tips. There is a large free car park. We took a picnic, lots of places to sit. There’s a play park for under 12s and a pretty walk up into the surrounding forest. There is a lot of mine artefacts, but a suggestion is to book your tour slot outside of breakfast/lunch times as much of this is placed around the cafe walls, which you can’t get to when people are sitting in the cafe. It’s cold in the mine but not freezing, about 10 degrees all year round - long trousers and an extra fleece did us.
Written August 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JPJN
Surrey9 contributions
Great tour
Sep 2021
We loved our visit to the colliery. We learnt so much from Rich and our children got a real sense about what their lives would be like as child miners. We went to Clearwell caves in the afternoon and the 2 visits really complimented each other. If you like new experiences and learning from a knowledgeable guide then I would highly recommend this tour.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Louise C
16 contributions
Brilliant - well worth a visit!
Jul 2021 • Friends
Great experience from beginning to end. The cafe was well run, great & friendly service. Clean & on site loos. We had hot drinks which were good, but because we had already had breakfast we weren't hungry enough to eat (but the menu was varied & homemade. While the homemade cakes & scones looked mouthwatering). Our introduction was well presented, the tour itself was fantastic because it was very well delivered with the necessary safety measures in place. Richard our guide was superb & an authentic Free Miner who is dedicated to his heritage & sharing all its nuances. He was very articulate & engaging with his explanations able to answer all our varied questions. I would highly recommend as our group of mixed ages (12 to over 60) all enjoyed the experience ☺️
Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Elaine C
Gloucestershire, UK63 contributions
Just brilliant
Jul 2021
Two hungry boys in need of a chip fix and couldn’t have popped in to a more obliging place! Boys were well happy with their generous takeaway portions served in decent foil plates with all the condiments they needed.
I have eaten here with friends on several occasions and never been less than 100% happy with what we have had. The ladies do a great job, work hard and do all they can to make sure customers are satisfied. Food is good value for money and it makes a change to have a good meal which hasn’t just been warmed in a microwave like so many places fo.
Written July 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
minkydoodad
England1 contribution
Interesting, educational and FUN!
Jun 2021 • Friends
Rich is a great guide, friendly, engaging and answered every question with his wealth of knowledge and experience. It was a fascinating insight into mining and the local area, and I plan on returning when then weather allows exploration to the deeper shaft.

Whilst I didn’t eat in the cafe, it was busy, the food looked amazing and our local Airbnb host heartily recommended it. Tickets are easy to book online.

As a side note, ensure you wear suitable footwear with grip. A fellow tour participant was lucky he didn’t slip in his leather brogues!
Written June 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
EA
1 contribution
Excellent tour
Jun 2021
A thorough introduction to a unique aspect of local industry - freemining in this area dates back centuries. Our guide was knowledgeable and approachable and his personal experience of working as a miner shone through. Highly recommend to anyone in the area - study shoes and sensible clothes recommended (you may want to wear gardening or work gloves, as the handrails are slippery in places). Not recommended for anyone unsteady on their feet.
Written June 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Claire F
1 contribution
A lovely place to visit
May 2021 • Family
We visited the colliery on bank holiday Monday, a very hot day! Rich, the long twirly bearded guide, was so friendly and informative, he made the visit very interesting. Our 3 boys (7,12 & 13) loved going down the mine and they all had a lot of questions for Rich, which he was more than happy to answer. The cafe is also fantastic with a large variety of food & drink on offer, and seating inside & outside. The cafe staff were also very friendly. Overall a very enjoyable visit for us all!
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jordon A
3 contributions
Fantastic place and staff
Jun 2021 • Couples
What an amazing place and amazing friendly staff! The tour of the coal mine was fabulous and made even better because of the tour guide rich. He has extensive knowledge on the mine and would answer any question thrown his way. Super friendly guy, he’s also great with the children! If your in the area it’s well worth a visit and for £8 you won’t be disappointed. Great work hopewell team keep up the great work. Will be back again most definitely.
Written June 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
TS
1 contribution
An immersive historical experience
Aug 2021 • Family
Very informative trip. Our guide, Rich, was very good at setting the scene for a working colliery. He was also very reassuring when my wife felt uneasy at being underground and engaging enough for my children to ask lots of questions. For me, definitely worth the trip.
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
MRAAW
Boston, UK27 contributions
Mine - great visit, with cakes to follow!
May 2021 • Couples
Really enjoyed our tour of Hopewell Colliery Mine today. On arrival we were shown where the tour started and provided with a helmet with a headlamp by our free miner guide. We descended into the depths along a fairly steep path with a hide rail. We stopped at various interesting places during the trip to find out about the the mine and miners. We were able to take pictures and our guide was happy to answer questions. It was great to emerge from the other end of the mine in the forest for the walk back to the start. Then time for tea and lovely cakes - of which there were a great variety!Thanks to all the staff for their efforts to have this great attraction COVID safe and friendly.
Written June 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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