Description

The following text describes the 'trade route' P-anchored by DCA, with permission from the landowner, The National Trust. All other sections of the mine are unstable, uncertain and not recommended.

Ideal and safest approach is from above the gorge on the north side, on shale, with a pull-through from large tree on north side (30m rope required) and descending into gorge - additional DMM anchor at top of limestone contact if (risky) single-drop preferred. Entrance to the mine is via lower section of the right-hand (north) vein fissure - left entrance is 10m deep with no anchors, but access is possible inside. When exiting, 2 P-anchors on north wall allow for pull-through down the gorge (30m rope required) to safety.

Descend rift into mine, sliding down an old tree trunk. Level beyond on Little Shaft Vein has two passages on south side - the first, a crosscut, leads to left-hand entrance rift on Odin Old Vein, with a large hole in the floor to the left below the entrance pitch that takes water in wet weather, destination uncertain. Right (west) is blocked. Second passage ends at a forefield after 10m. Just beyond the passage is a large 15m-deep hole in the floor from the 2011 collapse - rig a traverse on north wall to pass this, and immediately begin a very slippery 2m climb up to an equally-slippery sloping floor to a rebelay (fixed rigging in place). A 5m pitch up an awkward slot follows, to a landing on a level on a false floor heading west. Shaft in the floor after 10m (Weasel Pit) has a plank to step on, but is 20m deep and bells out, so a traverse should be rigged on south wall. A T-junction shortly afterwards has a narrow shaft in the floor on the vein, and a short crosscut on the right to the parallel Amy Gutter Vein, which has a stuffy blind crawl in shale back toward the entrance, or a short blasted passage into a very sketchy crawl into semi-collapsed workings to the west. The main level beyond the downward shaft is totally blocked by a collapse of vein material.

A tight and rather awkward descent of 8m lands on a col with a short slope to the west leading to the head of another shaft on the vein, with an old scaffolding frame in place. This pitch is 40m deep and leads into deeper and very unstable workings and has not been P-bolted. The slope heading east is steep and slippery, with an awkward 1m drop immediately - stay on the rope until this is passed. The Weasel Pit in the top level drops in through the roof here. At the base of the slope another ragged hole in the roof and a large spoil-heap result from the 2011 collapse, and great care should be taken crossing this and entering the stone-stempled passage which immediately follows. After thirty metres of stooping/crawling (avoid floor-hole on right), passage reaches a T-junction with the main cartgate level of the mine on Odin Old Vein. Right is another stone-stempled section that leads to a backfilled conclusion with a lovely drystone arch after 15m. Left is Chippendale Rift, with a scaff platform and a 4m pitch to another slope with a short drop to the cartgate chamber floor at the base - handline and stemple in place.

After the slope the way on intersects a small phreatic cave fragment on both sides of the passage, with water falling from another natural chamber 'Jose Hole' high above on the south wall. Climbing back up a slope of boulders and gravel, the cartgate roof, high above and stone-arched throughout, shows the original level before the false floor collapsed (or was stoped out). At the east end, a huge and very dangerous choke is reached, with no way on. Just before this, a drystone-arched crosscut in the cartgate arching leads for 5m to the parallel Widowers Vein. Left (west) is backfilled after 25m, and right leads for 5m to an internal shaft, 6m deep, which opens into the roof of the Bell Chamber, a further 6m deep. This is mainly natural, with pipe-workings on a ledge just below the shaft opening. On the south side of the chamber, opposite the entrance, a crawl through a hole in huge collapse blocks (care) leads to a further 15m pitch on Odin Old Vein to Knowlegates Sough level, but is blocked by backfill in both directions all the way down and there is no way on at the base.

Tackle