“It is not generally known that drifts are now made underground for the purpose of stone getting, but such is the fact, and this kind of work renders the life of the quarrymen doubly dangerous.”
There isn’t much information on the web about Scout Mine. It’s a pillar and stall sandstone mine, where miners would quarry Haslingden Flags which were once in great demand to pave the streets of Victorian towns and cities. The quote above is from a 1902 newspaper article entitled, “How the Miner Earns hi Daily Bread”, but records show stone mines existed as far back as 1820 and were in their peak around 1870.
As far as Scout Mine goes, it was converted into an air raid shelter in 1938 in case of air attack. This included some strengthening work, using beams taken from local mills. And creating an airlock in case of chemical attack.
My Descent
I have now got a list of explores as long as my Argos Christmas list when I was eight, but I have been dying to go down a mine for some time and put them to the top of my list. Scout mine wasn’t on the top of my list, but @The Lone Ranger recommended it as a good place to start exploring mines. And since this would be a solo mission, I decided to take his advice and the map he gave me.
I parked up and made my way up the hill to find the mine. Too far up the hill. So far I didn't find the mine. Getting lost outside the mine was not a good start.
After a bit of a wander down the hill I found where I was supposed to be and the very obvious entrance to the mine. Obvious when I knew where it was. The first thing that hit me was the cool air churning out the gaping chasm, which after the unnecessary walk up the steep hill in the sun was a cracking turnaround in fortunes. Quick assemblage of my equipment and down the hole I went.
Looking back up the hole.
It's at this point the coolness hit me. I was a little perplexed as this was my first time in a mine (if you exclude the trip into a coal mine when I was a kid on a school trip). It's pretty obvious where you should go in a drain. And mills have doors and floors. This mine, at first glance, was a warren of possibilities. And I hadn't a fucking clue which way would be best, if there was such a thing as best. I decided to take a few snaps of the pillar and stall technique around the entrance.
I always try to use natural light as much as possible because I think the snaps look prettier. That's a far cry from my colourful beginnings.
By now I was starting to feel quite at home. It was cool, dark and pretty serene. Off I popped around to the right, since looking at the map that's where all the good stuff lay. Not long into my dark serenity I heard the sound of running water and wondered if there was an underground stream or something. But, it turns out it was one of the entrances to the mine that backs onto someone's garden. There was a series of these, so I used the natural light to get a few snaps. The light and the dark.
Arty shot of a support through a passage. It was better in my head.
This is probably a bit better, but less arty.
I found an artifact of previous explores. This is definitely not a teenage party beer. It's an old safety brew.
From here I took a passage with a bit of broken beamage to go deeper into the mine. There were a few broken beams knocking about the place. More on the floor than holding up the ceiling as it goes.
Deeper into the mine and another support. Around about here the ceiling starts to glimmer under torchlight. On the map there is an area of the mine called, the Diamond Mine. It's not really diamonds, so the map explains - it's how the light refracts on water droplets. I reckon it's some kind of mineral, but I don't know.
From one side.
And the other...
There was a rusty chain around here, so I thought I'd snap that...
I quite like an exploring selfie, but none of them turned out this time. This is probably the best of a bad bunch under the bling ceiling.
From here I ventured deeper into the mine. I think this is the Diamond Mine. It was one of the larger open areas and there were signs of partying. It does look like a decent place for a party, but not sure a melting plastic with aftershave party is the kinda party I'd be in for. I prefer a beer and music orientated party. There was an attempt at a pentagram too. Which looks like it had been hastily crossed out after. I was more interesting in the ceiling.
Around here I got a little disorientated (not lost, because I soon figured out where I was) but I did find what looked like the old tracks.
And I did like this large rusty old nail in the wall...
I am not sure how deep I went or how much is left. There was an area off to the left of the Diamond mine, which it looks like someone had made a bivvy out of blue plastic sheeting. So I still have that area to explore when I go back, if there is much to be explored.
Some of the snaps above were taken on the way back. I've just presented them as I was wandering in.
I say this about every explore I do, but that really was a cracking few hours well spent and an awesome introduction to mines. Thanks very much TLR for the recommendation.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
EOA
There isn’t much information on the web about Scout Mine. It’s a pillar and stall sandstone mine, where miners would quarry Haslingden Flags which were once in great demand to pave the streets of Victorian towns and cities. The quote above is from a 1902 newspaper article entitled, “How the Miner Earns hi Daily Bread”, but records show stone mines existed as far back as 1820 and were in their peak around 1870.
As far as Scout Mine goes, it was converted into an air raid shelter in 1938 in case of air attack. This included some strengthening work, using beams taken from local mills. And creating an airlock in case of chemical attack.
My Descent
I have now got a list of explores as long as my Argos Christmas list when I was eight, but I have been dying to go down a mine for some time and put them to the top of my list. Scout mine wasn’t on the top of my list, but @The Lone Ranger recommended it as a good place to start exploring mines. And since this would be a solo mission, I decided to take his advice and the map he gave me.
I parked up and made my way up the hill to find the mine. Too far up the hill. So far I didn't find the mine. Getting lost outside the mine was not a good start.
After a bit of a wander down the hill I found where I was supposed to be and the very obvious entrance to the mine. Obvious when I knew where it was. The first thing that hit me was the cool air churning out the gaping chasm, which after the unnecessary walk up the steep hill in the sun was a cracking turnaround in fortunes. Quick assemblage of my equipment and down the hole I went.
Looking back up the hole.
It's at this point the coolness hit me. I was a little perplexed as this was my first time in a mine (if you exclude the trip into a coal mine when I was a kid on a school trip). It's pretty obvious where you should go in a drain. And mills have doors and floors. This mine, at first glance, was a warren of possibilities. And I hadn't a fucking clue which way would be best, if there was such a thing as best. I decided to take a few snaps of the pillar and stall technique around the entrance.
I always try to use natural light as much as possible because I think the snaps look prettier. That's a far cry from my colourful beginnings.
By now I was starting to feel quite at home. It was cool, dark and pretty serene. Off I popped around to the right, since looking at the map that's where all the good stuff lay. Not long into my dark serenity I heard the sound of running water and wondered if there was an underground stream or something. But, it turns out it was one of the entrances to the mine that backs onto someone's garden. There was a series of these, so I used the natural light to get a few snaps. The light and the dark.
Arty shot of a support through a passage. It was better in my head.
This is probably a bit better, but less arty.
I found an artifact of previous explores. This is definitely not a teenage party beer. It's an old safety brew.
From here I took a passage with a bit of broken beamage to go deeper into the mine. There were a few broken beams knocking about the place. More on the floor than holding up the ceiling as it goes.
Deeper into the mine and another support. Around about here the ceiling starts to glimmer under torchlight. On the map there is an area of the mine called, the Diamond Mine. It's not really diamonds, so the map explains - it's how the light refracts on water droplets. I reckon it's some kind of mineral, but I don't know.
From one side.
And the other...
There was a rusty chain around here, so I thought I'd snap that...
I quite like an exploring selfie, but none of them turned out this time. This is probably the best of a bad bunch under the bling ceiling.
From here I ventured deeper into the mine. I think this is the Diamond Mine. It was one of the larger open areas and there were signs of partying. It does look like a decent place for a party, but not sure a melting plastic with aftershave party is the kinda party I'd be in for. I prefer a beer and music orientated party. There was an attempt at a pentagram too. Which looks like it had been hastily crossed out after. I was more interesting in the ceiling.
Around here I got a little disorientated (not lost, because I soon figured out where I was) but I did find what looked like the old tracks.
And I did like this large rusty old nail in the wall...
I am not sure how deep I went or how much is left. There was an area off to the left of the Diamond mine, which it looks like someone had made a bivvy out of blue plastic sheeting. So I still have that area to explore when I go back, if there is much to be explored.
Some of the snaps above were taken on the way back. I've just presented them as I was wandering in.
I say this about every explore I do, but that really was a cracking few hours well spent and an awesome introduction to mines. Thanks very much TLR for the recommendation.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers,
EOA
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