Another slate mine, over the hill from the Honister and Yew Crag mines and working the same band of greenish Kimberley slate.
There’s no report on here but it’s a well known spot being directly on a footpath up to Dale Head.
History. Not much information available but it’s thought to have been worked from the mid-1700s to the 1940s, mostly under the control of a local family.
Explore. I knew from AditNow there were at least a couple of levels open in 2015, and a 2009 CATMHS map (below) showed quite a few more.
There are two lines of adits going up the side of hill at a steep gradient, most with little ruins outside.
All of these turned out to be explorable even if none of them were particularly long.
On the slate haulage side, sections of what were probably inclines can still be seen, but these have been mostly obliterated.
There are also remains of an aerial ropeway which I’m guessing was probably installed around the same time as the ones in Honister (1920s).
Pictures are mostly phone and are ordered according to the map, starting at the bottom and working up.
Looking up the valley from the nearest road, with waste heaps on the left about half way up.
Heading up to the first hole, this led into some caverns with tracks and an air pipe.
Up to the next one which is near a climbing hut. Outside are some bits of aerial ropeway.
The climbing people seem to have used the adit as a rubbish dump with everything including the kitchen sink in here.
Through a tunnel made out of waste.
These ‘Spedding’ tunnels are common in the region, allowing good slate to be wheeled out easily from the back of the mine, with waste being dumped on top of the tunnel to save it having to be wheeled out as well.
Looking back.
Next one up, with some old (1850) graffiti at the entrance and a water tank for the climbing hut just inside.
This eventually leads down to the level below.
The next one was blocked about 20 yards in.
Now a cave-type excavation.
The next collapsed adit has a collector for the climbing hut water tank at the end.
Then a pair of either collapsed adits or open workings - there’s supposed to be trial copper level in this area as well.
On up.
continued
There’s no report on here but it’s a well known spot being directly on a footpath up to Dale Head.
History. Not much information available but it’s thought to have been worked from the mid-1700s to the 1940s, mostly under the control of a local family.
Explore. I knew from AditNow there were at least a couple of levels open in 2015, and a 2009 CATMHS map (below) showed quite a few more.
There are two lines of adits going up the side of hill at a steep gradient, most with little ruins outside.
All of these turned out to be explorable even if none of them were particularly long.
On the slate haulage side, sections of what were probably inclines can still be seen, but these have been mostly obliterated.
There are also remains of an aerial ropeway which I’m guessing was probably installed around the same time as the ones in Honister (1920s).
Pictures are mostly phone and are ordered according to the map, starting at the bottom and working up.
Looking up the valley from the nearest road, with waste heaps on the left about half way up.
Heading up to the first hole, this led into some caverns with tracks and an air pipe.
Up to the next one which is near a climbing hut. Outside are some bits of aerial ropeway.
The climbing people seem to have used the adit as a rubbish dump with everything including the kitchen sink in here.
Through a tunnel made out of waste.
These ‘Spedding’ tunnels are common in the region, allowing good slate to be wheeled out easily from the back of the mine, with waste being dumped on top of the tunnel to save it having to be wheeled out as well.
Looking back.
Next one up, with some old (1850) graffiti at the entrance and a water tank for the climbing hut just inside.
This eventually leads down to the level below.
The next one was blocked about 20 yards in.
Now a cave-type excavation.
The next collapsed adit has a collector for the climbing hut water tank at the end.
Then a pair of either collapsed adits or open workings - there’s supposed to be trial copper level in this area as well.
On up.
continued
