Report - Singleway Mine & Devils Cave, Bath - April 2023

[Doozer]

I couldn’t really do two separate reports for these as it doesn’t really warrant it.
Singleway mine
Singleway Mine, is a small underground quarry probably as a result of the poor quality stone. The entrance had collapsed but was re-opened in 2009. A short vertical drop requiring a scramble down a boulder slope leads into a 3m high and 2m wide passage with passages branching off right and left to complexes of workings. The main passage continues straight ahead and terminates in a similar complex.
Devils cave
Devils Cave is about 1000’ long and more complex than Singleway. The passages are generally bigger with some pillars left. Part of it may have been a separate mine as there is a second entrance, now choked. A low tunnel divides into two passages, ending in a complex and confusing maze of workings.
Explore
Visted with my non member brother in law. We finished work and had time to fit in an explore so seeing as the weather was a foggy drizzle then what better mine to tick off the to do list than these two. We did devil cave first then wandered freely undetected across the golf course to do singleway. I enjoyed the challenge of this explore as it evolved a very steep hill climb, low crouching, climbing slippery banks relying on tree roots to take your weight or your slipping backwards fucking yourself and the man behind you. Both mines are larger than what I expected but not large to worry about getting lost. A nice way to loose a couple of free hours!
Devils cave photos

Singleway photos

 

[HughieD]

Nice set of pics and loving all the old graff. But please get yer sen's caving/climbing helmets.

 

[Doozer]

Nice set of pics and loving all the old graff. But please get yer sen's caving/climbing helmets.

To be fair we wear safety helmets all day at work and we have less chance of something falling on our head there so I don’t know why we don’t wear them in the mines.

 

[jezzyboo]

looks a good one great pics

 

[DaveFM]

To be fair we wear safety helmets all day at work and we have less chance of something falling on our head there so I don’t know why we don’t wear them in the mines.

I've seen many collapses that a helmet wouldn't have saved you from, I think helmets are more of a requirement if there is a risk of falling from height. To my mind there is a much greater risk of twisting or cracking an ankle on loose or unsteady rocks which often litter the ground in stone mines in particular. Yet some people go in these places wearing trainers!

 

[Doozer]

I've seen many collapses that a helmet wouldn't have saved you from, I think helmets are more of a requirement if there is a risk of falling from height. To my mind there is a much greater risk of twisting or cracking an ankle on loose or unsteady rocks which often litter the ground in stone mines in particular. Yet some people go in these places wearing trainers!

My ankles are fucked from years of playing football so I would never wear trainers in a mine or I’d end up rolling my ankle in minutes, I think in regards to wearing safety helmets in a mine I think they help more when climbing up over roof falls and you jump up and hit your head hard on the roof which I’ve done a few times 🤦🏼‍♂️. You’d need more than a helmet to save you from a roof fall that’s for sure!