(from Council Leaflet)

Bonc yr Hafod country park is a hill covered in woodland and grassland, and lies on the site of Hafod Colliery. The hill is made from mining waste dug up from the mine shafts and tunnels deep underground. The colliery once employed over 1900 local people, mainly from the villages of Rhos, Ponciau and Johnstown. The pit was closed in 1968. In the mid 1990’s the spoil heap from the mine was landscaped and the soil improved to allow trees to be planted and grassland to grow. The success of the reclamation of the spoil heap is reflected in the diverse and beautiful habitats present at Hafod today...
...The park has a number of sculptures celebrating the men who worked in the local coal mines and the park’s wildlife. The Park is now a SSSI(Site of Special Scientific Interest) and a SAC(Special Area of Conservation). This is due to the presence of Great Crested Newts, a protected species which breed in the ponds on site. The Park’s rich wildlife also includes skylarks, kestrels, butterflies and dragonflies.