IELTS Listening · Cam 21

Test 2 Part 2

Here is some information about history and nature walks in the region. They can be completed in less than a day

Level: C1 · 73 sentences

Transcript

  1. Here is some information about history and nature walks in the region.
  2. They can be completed in less than a day
  3. and also be combined with a visit to Melby,
  4. a former coal mine now open to the public.
  5. The Marsden Coastal Walk is suitable for all the family
  6. as there are no strenuous climbs.
  7. The route begins at Marsden Harbour,
  8. where there are hourly ferries to and from the beautiful Hooker Island,
  9. a great place for fishing.
  10. The walk covers part of the coastal path trail.
  11. As there are clear signposts all along the way,
  12. you don't even need to take a map with you.
  13. At one point, the route goes inland slightly
  14. and passes a castle built in the 1400s,
  15. near to a now-vanished market town.
  16. The castle's now just a pile of stones,
  17. but it's a great place to take photos,
  18. and fascinating information boards show what it once looked like.
  19. If you set off early,
  20. you can be back in time for midday.
  21. The Melby Heritage Walk is a great place to take photos,
  22. especially of the night sky.
  23. At certain times of the year,
  24. people come here from far and wide.
  25. They climb to the top of the valley
  26. and take pictures of the stars.
  27. In the daytime, it's completely different.
  28. As you hike through the dense woods in the valley bottom,
  29. the only things you'll hear are the sound of your own footsteps.
  30. At the highest point, you can stop to take in the views,
  31. and those with lots of energy can climb the tower that's situated
  32. where there was once a 17th century hunting lodge.
  33. The route continues along the tops of the hills
  34. and brings you back down to the starting point.
  35. the car park at Melby Coal Mine.
  36. Melby Coal Mine has been open to the public
  37. for 20 years and has won awards for its visitor experience.
  38. Many of the buildings around the mine are still standing
  39. and have been converted into display areas.
  40. Firstly, there's an exhibition showing the history of the mine
  41. with many original black and white photos.
  42. You go from the car park via a covered
  43. walkway to the main visitor centre.
  44. Go through the ticket office to an area where
  45. there are lockers to leave heavy bags in and
  46. where you can borrow raincoats.
  47. Beyond that room is the exhibition.
  48. There's a small bath house where miners used
  49. to wash after their shift on the ground.
  50. You can see that in the building directly
  51. to the north of the engine house.
  52. The boiler has gone from there now but
  53. there are lines of tin baths on the stone floor.
  54. There's a display of early mining tools from the days before mechanisation.
  55. You can find that in a small L-shaped building
  56. in the middle of the northern boundary of the site.
  57. It's incredible to think how miners were able
  58. to use hand implements to cut through rock.
  59. The vehicle shed...
  60. where you can find wagons of different sizes,
  61. along with some of the high-tech cutting machines
  62. that were in use until the mine closed,
  63. is in the south-west corner of the site
  64. and can be accessed via a covered walkway.
  65. There is a field with ponies, which are always popular with children,
  66. on the north-eastern boundary of the site,
  67. not approached via a covered walkway.
  68. The other building to mention is the Education Centre.
  69. This is where school groups go when they visit the mine,
  70. but it's also accessible to the public,
  71. as it contains a library and small gift shop.
  72. The centre is connected to the ticket office via
  73. a short section of covered walkway.