I am pleased to announce that Apedale is now offering on a limited basis extended mine trips which go way beyond the tourist route going to the deeper parts of the mine.
We did an approved photo trip on Saturday along the route of the extended trip and I have to say this is probably the best underground coal mine trip and one of the best underground trips available to the public in the UK in my opinion. It involves stoops, crawls, rope assisted climbs and ladders and at £15 is frankly astonishing value and genuinely good as you are seeing a real coal mine warts and all.

http://www.apedale.co.uk/attractions/extended-mine-tours/ 

It's proving a big hit and is available only by pre booking, the trip is 1.5 to 2 hours long and for the able bodied only, if you don't like confined spaces then its not for you.
Photography is not allowed except under approved circumstances as per our visit and was subject to pre approvals, but even then this is a must do.

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I have to say this is probably the best underground trip available to the public in the UK.

Have you ever visited Go Below or Corris Mine Explorers?

Best of luck all the same though, nice to see more available to Joe public.

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Yes you are right. Amended slightly... :flowers:

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:flowers:

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Was on the same tour so whole heartedly agree, best I've ever done (public access) and unimaginable that this is actually a public tour for the mear sum of £15

It is of course more taxing than a show cave/mine lots of confined spaces crawling and climbing, you will get mucky!

I do like a good colliery, though I work in slate mines myself...

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I did the standard tour a while ago at a NAMHO conference. This extended tour looks very interesting. At the moment the website doesn't look to have any dates but I'll keep an eye out for the next one. :thumbup:

It filled almost straight away... I think they were virtually full for next lot by last night... I think this will appeal to anyone with an interest in underground... explorer/adventure tourist alike

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Further tours now scheduled for Sat March 25th and Sat 29th April at 1100 and 1400 hrs. Parties limited to 10 persons on each tour.

good to hear...:):):)

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Managed to book 2 places for 29 Apr one, so there were vacancies yesterday.

Likewise, I got a slot on the second trip for 25 March.

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Absolutely super tour today (25th March). Very authentic mine. Lots to see. Thoroughly recommend booking a tour.

I'm booked onto a tour on the 29th of April

I'm on the 11.00 am one on the 29th, but it looks like they are all booked up now for the moment.

I'm sure there is something else over that way I've been meaning to look at when over that way, but can't remember what it is :confused:

Vague memories of an old chimney and mine in a valley?

might as well make my first post on this brill forum on a mine that ive lived a stones throw away for most of my life. as a kid I used to get told to get off the land surrounding what is now the heritage centre by the security.
ive been on the extended tour today and although different to what I'm used too (slate mines) it was good to see a different type of mining. altho short I did enjoy the trip its not a typical tourist style attraction like some mine trips can be with concrete paths and low level lighting. You will get your hands dirty and you will have to duck and scramble in parts I just missed the big chambers and slate piles to crawl up.
I do recommend going just don't go expecting massive inclines or technical ropework like most of you guys are used to.

The thing I took away from this trip (well the one last month) is how dangerous coal mines are. Did they drop the gas detector to the floor, and then the sump? And the CO2 levels went crazy.

yes mate near the end of the tour he dropped it down a hole in the floor where the oxygen level dropped to 12% oxygen. goes to show you wouldn't want to just wander into an abandoned coal mine without that meter. we were on the afternoon trip and he said the oxygen levels were lower in the whole mine on the AM trip

Interested in this trip! Will have a word with a few mining companions and see what dates are available 🙂

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