Brinchcombe Mine Limestone Level
History (Not a lot)
Brinchcombe Limestone Level is a small system near Soudley in the Forest of Dean with a complete exploration taking a maximum of an hour and a half (if you're not taking pictures that is). The small entrance opens into a short tunnel ending in a squeeze leading into the main system which consists of 1 main tunnel between 1 and 2 metres high and approximately 400m long. There is a 100m section of parallel passageway towards the far end of the system which has 3 entry points but has a sizeable amount of spoil left from the mining operation. There is a vertical shaft leading up to the surface about halfway along the system which the miners could have used to access the mine and which would also have provided some ventilation. It is possible to abseil down into the system via the shaft but climbing up it is not recommended without ropes from the surface as some parts are very loose. Care should be taken not to cross any taped sections and avoid any loose material on the walls/ceilings.
It is believed it was dug to extract limestone of which there appears to be a seam sandwiched between layers of mudstone or shale. It's not very long and is in fact a bit peculiar in that what you think is going to be a main passage with dry stone arches just peters out after a few yards and the main route is off to the right.
The Visit
Another GSS trip, this time to a fairly easy little adit as half of us were injured and the other half was ill. Even so, a good time was had by all, until we tried to climb out from the shaft which turned into a giant mud pipe about 40m up. so half slide half fall back down and head back out the way we came to much needed pint or two in the local.
If you intend to visit; wellies and a boilersuit are absolutely necessary unless you want to be freezing cold and covered in mud by the time you leave.
Oh and someone had a laser pointer, so we used it...
Survey
The Pics
Finally, poor Squirry the Squirrel with christ knows what growing on him!
Thanks for looking
History (Not a lot)
Brinchcombe Limestone Level is a small system near Soudley in the Forest of Dean with a complete exploration taking a maximum of an hour and a half (if you're not taking pictures that is). The small entrance opens into a short tunnel ending in a squeeze leading into the main system which consists of 1 main tunnel between 1 and 2 metres high and approximately 400m long. There is a 100m section of parallel passageway towards the far end of the system which has 3 entry points but has a sizeable amount of spoil left from the mining operation. There is a vertical shaft leading up to the surface about halfway along the system which the miners could have used to access the mine and which would also have provided some ventilation. It is possible to abseil down into the system via the shaft but climbing up it is not recommended without ropes from the surface as some parts are very loose. Care should be taken not to cross any taped sections and avoid any loose material on the walls/ceilings.
It is believed it was dug to extract limestone of which there appears to be a seam sandwiched between layers of mudstone or shale. It's not very long and is in fact a bit peculiar in that what you think is going to be a main passage with dry stone arches just peters out after a few yards and the main route is off to the right.
The Visit
Another GSS trip, this time to a fairly easy little adit as half of us were injured and the other half was ill. Even so, a good time was had by all, until we tried to climb out from the shaft which turned into a giant mud pipe about 40m up. so half slide half fall back down and head back out the way we came to much needed pint or two in the local.
If you intend to visit; wellies and a boilersuit are absolutely necessary unless you want to be freezing cold and covered in mud by the time you leave.
Oh and someone had a laser pointer, so we used it...
Survey
The Pics
Finally, poor Squirry the Squirrel with christ knows what growing on him!
Thanks for looking
Last edited:
cheers for posting it up.
