The fine textured limestone has been quarried at Beer for around 2000 years resulting in a Labyrinth of caves and tunnels and the quarried stone has been used in such structures as Westminster Abby,Exeter Cathedral,London Bridge and many other famous buildings ..... hmmmm I thought on a Sunday late in March last year maybe worth a mooch.
I arrived at Beer caves about mid day and parked in the attraction car park and walked up to the small admissions shed.
I had a quick scan around in the gift shop and then joined the queue for the caves.
In front of me there was a young couple with two small children who where fighting and pushing each other,behind me there was an elderly couple ... the old gent pushing who I presumed was his wife in a wheelchair.
I stepped out of the queue and approached the counter and asked the lady behind it when the next tour would begin “About 30 minuets” she replied.
I then asked if am free to wander about the caves to take photographs by myself “
“Oh no”she said looking at me rather strangely ....”you must stay with the guide at all times “ .....”ok” I replied,and then rejoined the queue.
I stared out the window to my left at the grey skies and drizzling rain then to my right at the black admissions board pinned to the wall and the eight quid admissions fee, then too the front of me at the two misbehaving kids.... After five minutes of standing there I thought fuck it and went back to the car.
I knew there was an open cast quarry with a small underground section,leased to Hanson Aggregates by Devon Clinton Estates on the opposite side of the road from the attraction so decided to give that ago instead.
The Quarry had been the venue for some illegal raves around 2009-2010 and Hanson had installed some P.I.Rs around that time.
I had a cup of coffee and brought up google maps and planned the best way in as the main entrance had two large metal gates adorned with barbed wire and the obligatory keep out signs and was also overlooked by the admissions shed where I’d just been on the hill above.
I decided the best route in was to come down from the top,along the side and in.
I parked the car in a little lane that runs along the top of the quarry,climbed over the hedge and into the field adjacent to the quarry and made my way down the hill at the side of the quarry ...At the bottom an old dirt track ran into the quarry with a single strand of barbed wire running across it,i stepped over this and made my way down into the quarry.
I rounded the corner at the bottom of the track ....To my left the quarry face with an opening to the underground workings to my right just down the slope the quarry sheds and buildings.
I decided to do the underground stuff first and climbed over the gate sealing the entrance.
I was pleasantly surprised... I’d imagined probably one or two little caverns but there was a lot more than expected and spent a few hours here wandering around the tunnels and segments and fucking about with the settings on the camera.
After falling over several times and getting plastered in white dust .... because even the largest of boulders can crack and snap with ease due to the density of the rock I decided to have a look at the external buildings.
I climbed back over the gate and probably walked about three or four metres and suddenly set off one of those bloody P.I.Rs
Going off like a quarry blasting klaxon,making me jump,I made a hasty exit from whence I came .
I arrived at Beer caves about mid day and parked in the attraction car park and walked up to the small admissions shed.
I had a quick scan around in the gift shop and then joined the queue for the caves.
In front of me there was a young couple with two small children who where fighting and pushing each other,behind me there was an elderly couple ... the old gent pushing who I presumed was his wife in a wheelchair.
I stepped out of the queue and approached the counter and asked the lady behind it when the next tour would begin “About 30 minuets” she replied.
I then asked if am free to wander about the caves to take photographs by myself “
“Oh no”she said looking at me rather strangely ....”you must stay with the guide at all times “ .....”ok” I replied,and then rejoined the queue.
I stared out the window to my left at the grey skies and drizzling rain then to my right at the black admissions board pinned to the wall and the eight quid admissions fee, then too the front of me at the two misbehaving kids.... After five minutes of standing there I thought fuck it and went back to the car.
I knew there was an open cast quarry with a small underground section,leased to Hanson Aggregates by Devon Clinton Estates on the opposite side of the road from the attraction so decided to give that ago instead.
The Quarry had been the venue for some illegal raves around 2009-2010 and Hanson had installed some P.I.Rs around that time.
I had a cup of coffee and brought up google maps and planned the best way in as the main entrance had two large metal gates adorned with barbed wire and the obligatory keep out signs and was also overlooked by the admissions shed where I’d just been on the hill above.
I decided the best route in was to come down from the top,along the side and in.
I parked the car in a little lane that runs along the top of the quarry,climbed over the hedge and into the field adjacent to the quarry and made my way down the hill at the side of the quarry ...At the bottom an old dirt track ran into the quarry with a single strand of barbed wire running across it,i stepped over this and made my way down into the quarry.
I rounded the corner at the bottom of the track ....To my left the quarry face with an opening to the underground workings to my right just down the slope the quarry sheds and buildings.
I decided to do the underground stuff first and climbed over the gate sealing the entrance.
I was pleasantly surprised... I’d imagined probably one or two little caverns but there was a lot more than expected and spent a few hours here wandering around the tunnels and segments and fucking about with the settings on the camera.
After falling over several times and getting plastered in white dust .... because even the largest of boulders can crack and snap with ease due to the density of the rock I decided to have a look at the external buildings.
I climbed back over the gate and probably walked about three or four metres and suddenly set off one of those bloody P.I.Rs
Going off like a quarry blasting klaxon,making me jump,I made a hasty exit from whence I came .
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