Thrill-seeker Gareth Owen made the impressive discovery, but claims the giant scrap heap highlights the devastating impact rubbish has on the environment
STUNNING photographs have revealed an eerie abandoned car graveyard hidden beneath a Welsh mountain.
Nature photographer Gareth Owen captured the shots after discovering the 'Cavern of Lost Souls' in the Ceredigion region of Wales.
The thrill-seeker decided to explore the disused mine, which has remained largely empty since it closed in the 1960s.
But the 30-year-old was shocked to find hundreds of cars stashed away in the "unrecognisable rubbish tip".
Incredible photographs show a singular beam of light hitting the pile of cars above the still blue water, with a Ford Cortina balanced on the top.
The electrician claimed it was a bittersweet sight that reminded him of the impact rubbish had on the natural environment.
Gareth, from Llanberis in North Wales, said: "Once your eyes adjust to the sudden beam of light you realise the sheer scale of the place. There are hundreds of cars on top of each other.
"They are mostly unrecognisable by now but then front and center of the pile is a Ford Cortina - it was the only real colour on the pile.
"I guess being so used to photographing the natural landscapes and their beauty, photographing this spot was bittersweet for me.
"As eye-catching as it is, at the end of the day it is a rubbish tip from a time when the environment was not in the forefront of our minds.
"But it is also a great reminder of how far we have come as a country to doing what we can to protect nature from now into the future.
"The reaction to the photo itself has been immensely positive.
"But the subject matter has had a mixed response with some people not quite happy about the fact these cars were dumped underground and others seeing beauty in the carnage."
