Tamar Valley & Tavistock · AditNow Community

Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians

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Red78
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

8 years ago

I'm off for a week to the SW land and wonder if there was anything I should particually look out for?

I have a few old guide books: The Mines & Mineral Railways of E. Cornwall & W. Devon (D.B. Barton), Industrial Archeology of the Tamar Valley (F. Booker) & a little book on Devonshire Open Mills (J. Woodward-Nutt) & a selection of OS Maps from St. Austell in the west to Paignton in the east.

I see that are lots n lots of mines, wheals, bloomeries, & old quarries and just wanted to try an narrow down the best places to visit.
I am quite prepared to walk a good few miles off a tarmac road to see historic sites. And happy to go underground if its safe. Are the Carnglaze Caverns worth a look?:tongue:

Geology:
the study of rocks & similar substances (minerals n such) that make up the Earth''s surface.
Minerals:
are the building blocks of rocks. They are a naturally occuring,inorganic, solid, crystalline substance which has a fixed structure. (and some of them are really pretty)

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B175
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

Working west to east in the limits you've mentioned, these are the areas I would suggest as starting points though all will involve a fair bit of walking and maybe mapwork:

Luxulyan Valley from Luxulyan to Par
Caradon hill circuit based upon Minions
Devon Great Consols and Bedford United trails
Wheals Betsy and Friendship, and Devon United around Peter/Mary Tavy
Haytor granite quarries and tramway

A copy of Helen Harris's I.A. of Dartmoor would be a good companion to Frank Booker's tome if you can find one but both are somewhat dated.

Tamarmole
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

Devon Great Consols is worth a look, particularly the 1920s arsenic works.

Skinners shaft at Clitters has a good group of engine houses. Sticking with engine houses Holmbush is also worth a visit.

New Consols and Wheal Sheba at Luckett.

Tavistock Canal can be walked from Tavistock and is a very pleasant stroll.

Wheal Brothers is very interesting and has a magnificent rock cut wheel pit.

Kit Hill is worth a visit, more mining remains than you can shake a stick at and breathtaking panoramic views across west Devon and East Cornwall.

If you fancy a walk pick up the Tamar Trails leaflet which includes waymarked guided walks which include a lot of mine sites.

If you want to do the touristy thing the mine train at Morwellham Quay is worth doing.

royfellows
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

This is reading like my 1990s diary
:lol:

My avatar is a poor likeness.

Margot
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

I've been gone too long to know where the PCG have locks, but I do know they're a lovely bunch who will be most obliging if you ask them about visiting any mines they have keys for. Contact details on the website (http://plymouthcavinggroup.org.uk/).
Enjoy!

devondorset
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

Pcg have very little locked,most stuff is open and accessible and nothing to do with them anyway . I'm in pcg,but the club is not very active these days. Also in dcme I which gets out every Thursday evening, can meet up one evening after work next week if you want to go underground for an easy walk in? I'm based near Ashburton. Just pm me. Tony 😉

Getting underground, zero impact, zero politics.

Red78
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

8 years ago

"devondorset" wrote:
Pcg have very little locked,most stuff is open and accessible and nothing to do with them anyway . I'm in pcg,but the club is not very active these days. Also in dcme I which gets out every Thursday evening, can meet up one evening after work next week if you want to go underground for an easy walk in? I'm based near Ashburton. Just pm me. Tony ;D

Much appreciated Tony, i'm not going down to Tav' until the 17th and will be in the area until 22nd when I head up to Minehead.
Plus I would break into a mine...that's just silly !

RJV
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

8 years ago

[mod]Maximum drivel quotient reached, thread locked/pruned - RV[/mod]