Terril and Abbartz Pond

A beautiful short walk in a pleasant and surprising setting. Great view from the top of the slag heap.
- 2019: No real changes to the route, but a fence has been put up to protect the entire inner area after checkpoint 2. Follow this route.

Details

266949
Creation:
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.07 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 63 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 65 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 112 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 39 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Abbaretz (44170)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.558482° / W 1.541974°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1221SB
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) Start from the leisure centre car park. Follow the yellow signposted "Sentier de la Mine" (mine trail) which runs along the right-hand side of the pond. At the start, follow the sign for "Jeux de boules" (boules), then take the hollow path down to the left and follow the main track. At the first end of the pond, turn left and continue around it.

(1) After walking along a field on the right-hand side, you will come to a wide path. Immediately turn left onto the path that climbs back up towards the pond. There are several viewpoints around the pond. Turn left at the end of the pond and return to the starting point.

(S/E) Cross the car park and the road (D2) with caution. Turn left/right, ignore the first path on the left and continue to the slag heap. 100 m further on, at the end of the car park, take the path on the left that climbs to the top of the slag heap. There is a lovely panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Descend by the same path.

(2) Head towards the road, then take the path on the left (yellow markings) which goes around the site of the old tin mine. Continue along the path and return to the entrance to the site. Cross the road and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 59 m - Parking at the water sports centre
  2. 1 : km 1.39 - alt. 63 m - Turn left
  3. 2 : km 3.37 - alt. 55 m - On the left, the climb up to the slag heap
  4. S/E : km 6.07 - alt. 59 m - Parking at the water sports centre

Notes

An easy ride, but quite technical. There are few flat sections around the lake (first part), but none are difficult. In the second part, the climb up the slag heap requires a good level of fitness, even though it is not long. After that, the ride around the slag heap area is fairly flat and partly through woodland.
Remember to bring water.
Do not leave anything visible in your cars and lock them securely.

Worth a visit

Former open-cast tin mine. This mine, which was one of the most important sources of tin in the world, was in operation until 1958. Today, the site is a very pleasant place for a walk, with a shaded path around the pond, trench passages, high vantage points and some very attractive walkways.
This 900-metre-long pond is now reserved for water skiing.
There are toilets at the entrance to the pond area, in the leisure centre building. We stop here before tackling the second part, the slag heap.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 24 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
tugny44
tugny44

Thank you for your comment. This is a route that I particularly enjoy showing my friends. There is so much to see in such a short distance, and it's all so different... a real treat.

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frevil35
frevil35

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike. In three parts: around the lake, around the mine and up the slag heap. Picnic at the leisure centre. A pleasant and surprising hike.

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Eliane44
Eliane44

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

we did this hike on 13 April 2024
riding on the Terryl
we didn't see many people

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Domi2935
Domi2935

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Climb the slag heap!

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lavazay
lavazay

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

the hike is divided into two parts,
the first around the pond, which is really very pleasant
and the second around the mine, where a few information panels explaining the mine's past history might be of interest to hikers
we enjoyed the site

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BrigitteBiche
BrigitteBiche

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, well-maintained trail. Quite busy on a Sunday afternoon. The walk around the pond is magnificent..
However, major water treatment and maintenance work is currently underway on the slag heap, which detracts somewhat from the charm of this part of the walk. You have to walk between fences... A very long and steep flight of steps (with no bends to ease the climb) means you need to be in good shape. Once the work is finished, it will certainly be great!

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rnard
rnard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice tour around the lake, surprising tour of the slag heap.
Not to be missed!

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plidenantes
plidenantes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This is the second time I've done this hike. Based on my first experience, I decided to start with the tour of the mine, then go up to the top of the slag heap and back, and finally walk around the lake. This allowed me to have a picnic on the edge of the lake, opposite the leisure centre building. It was all wonderful!

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plidenantes
plidenantes

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Reconnaissance of the route before a group hike. Thankfully! Access from Abbaretz is poorly signposted, and signage around the lake is rather poor. I eventually found my way, which was just as well because the hike around the lake is surprising and the view from the top of the slag heap is magnificent. Now that I know the route, I will happily do it again with others.

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Daegalen
Daegalen

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, with a tour around the Terril plus a slightly challenging climb, followed by a tour around the pond, which is quite different with fairly wild nature. A must-do if you're in the area.

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DaDoRando14
DaDoRando14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A rather surprising hike, very well organised. The path to the top of the slag heap starts at the back of the car park, which has no height restriction, and there is a beautiful view from the top.

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glaive44
glaive44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Many steps, especially around the pond. Otherwise, the trail is well maintained with many descriptive signs

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MICHAUX
MICHAUX

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Currently under construction, access to the slag heap is impossible, but there is a very pretty walking trail along the lake

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Daegalen
Daegalen

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very nice short hike, which could have been even better if access to the slag heap had not been closed to the public until the end of June 2021. So we did a little loop via the H. Pétin housing estate to extend the route a little and manage to do 3.5 km.

In short, we'll be back in six months.

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LECOURTJ
LECOURTJ

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

two-part tour: the lake, very green, with numerous educational signs about the variety of trees, an easy and relaxing walk. Then, something very different, the open-pit tin mine, more austere but also very educational. Climbing the slag heap is quite fun, with a 360° view of the entire northern Loire Atlantique region. The tour of the former mining area is interesting but obviously austere and sometimes monotonous. Good explanations about the reprocessing of acid sludge. No difficulty walking here either, but this second part of the walk is mainly worthwhile for the curiosity of the history of the mine and its damage to the environment, so very informative and a great discovery.

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