Hello,

Does anyone know if it is possible to get into any of the following mines or if any have been blocked/filled in?

Wheal Owles (group including West Owles, Cargondna, Drea, Boys, Grouse, Lower Boscean Mine)
Wheal Edward
St Ives Consols
Trenwith
Roskrow United
East pool and agar including (South Tolgus, great South Tolgus, Carn Brea and Tincroft setts)
St Austell Consols
Crowhill Mine
Egloshellen mine
Tinhill, Stennagwyn and Alviggan
Wheal Margery

Cheers,

Anya

I would be amazed if anyone was willing to discuss access to mines in Cornwall on a public forum.

Anya.

A lot of these mines are most certainly not on public open space and if they are, people who bump into open holes and mention it are perhaps ignorant of the potential knee-jerk reactions of authorities/landowners to having a "hazard" on their land.

It isn't about history, geology, exploration or the recording of a unique fact or feature. It's a hazard and someone might get sued, so fill it full of concrete!!!

Lots of people don't think for one instance about the potential of interesting material in a hole, it's a case of it's either a hazard, or somewhere to dump stuff.

I conclude that caving/mine exploration clubs don't visit any of these then? Are there any mines like this is Cornwall, i have been quite a few mines in Mendip and the peak district when you ask permission from the land owner.

Again, this is a dodgy area.

People do negotiate permission with landowners and some would rather not worry them. It depends whether the hole is in their garden or not.

The politics of all this is sadly huge and then you get into the whole dimension of empire building and people slagging each other off to various landowners.

Then you have the "what happens if someone gets in trouble?" and the whole subject of mine rescue gets raised and then loads of people point a finger at one bunch and call them names and the other people say how super they are and lots of people (with the same interests) get upset with each other.

....or you can just go and make your own arrangements with a few people you find are good company.

To answer your question, local clubs do not visit any of those mines. East Pool is a part of the Crofty site and no-one is allowed in there, period. There are quite a set of "classic trips" in Cornwall and generally people just keep doing those over and over and over. It's the mineral collectors who tend to be in everything everywhere, but they tend to keep quiet about it (£££)

mindat.org is a pretty good site. Some of the "site photos" would be frowned at if put on an exploration site.

Regional variations in the UK are very noticable.

As an example you can walk along a busy public footpath like the Coast to Coast through the Yorkshire Dales and walk past a dozen completely ungated lead mines.

I don't know Cornwall at all, but i've always got the impression thats not the case there.

I agree with what Stuey says, legals and liability tends to end up in a scrap.
I did know the chap who bought part of the Trenwith sett from South West Water some years ago, there was a block shed there enclosing a shaft that was rigged out with steel ladders, at that time, the ladders ran short of reaching the bottom, it might have been used for water storage?

Lozz.

Posted: 08/01/2013 12:52:14 Reply | Quote
Regional variations in the UK are very noticable.

As an example you can walk along a busy public footpath like the Coast to Coast through the Yorkshire Dales and walk past a dozen completely ungated lead mines.

I don't know Cornwall at all, but i've always got the impression thats not the case there

You obviously have not walked the coastal footpath between st Just and Lands end

You obviously have not walked the coastal footpath between st Just and Lands end

Nope. The one time I ventured that far south the oxygen was too dense.

In Cornwall the mine exploring situation is very different from here. I would say keep to the small mines about the cliffs, there are several of these which are more easily explored.
South Crofty are certainly quite strict about the whole Camborne region, they've had a lot of problems actually getting permission to mine there so the added issue of potential accidents means you can't really access mines around there, if someone gets hurt then Crofty would probably get the blame for it, not a good thing as they're now the only working mine in Cornwall.

Anya, it's not your fault that you weren't aware of this, Cornwall is very different to the rest of the UK in the regard of exploration. I think there might be a bylaw in Cornwall disallowing access to certain parts of the mines with a ''no-road'' sign, whereas in most parts of the UK this would be civil trespass and not criminal.

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Lozz,

I would love to have a crack at Trenwith. That would be seriously epic. Any chance you could swing something for me and a mate?

Lozz,

I would love to have a crack at Trenwith. That would be seriously epic. Any chance you could swing something for me and a mate?

Sadly not Stuey, I have long lost contact with the chap concerned, the site concerned is in St Ives as you probably know. I will PM you anyway.

Lozz.

Does he still own the site?

Trenwith was dammed (adit) and it was used for the water supply. There is a lot of stoping and work above adit but the dam stops people going in. As you know most of it has been capped/plugged/backfilled/built on and any access point would lead into potential awesomeness. I have seen a plan of the place and would pretty much give a kidney to have a go at it!!!!

Does he still own the site?

Trenwith was dammed (adit) and it was used for the water supply. There is a lot of stoping and work above adit but the dam stops people going in. As you know most of it has been capped/plugged/backfilled/built on and any access point would lead into potential awesomeness. I have seen a plan of the place and would pretty much give a kidney to have a go at it!!!!

Stuey, I have tried to send you a PM but it does not show up in my messages sent only in my outbox, can you check your inbox.

Lozz.

Does he still own the site?

Trenwith was dammed (adit) and it was used for the water supply. There is a lot of stoping and work above adit but the dam stops people going in. As you know most of it has been capped/plugged/backfilled/built on and any access point would lead into potential awesomeness. I have seen a plan of the place and would pretty much give a kidney to have a go at it!!!!

Hi stuey, I have just found out that he is at her majestys pleasure for a while as of summer last year, he might be out by now, he's a bit of a character, he's no thief or thug, it's a case of the little man (him) versus goliath (the planning dept) but it went a bit wrong, he's a nice bloke realy.

Lozz.

I would be in if it was on offer even if it meant a purpose drive down all 280 miles, sleeping in the car, and gloop gunge up to my ears getting in.
Only concern would be oxygen levels bearing everything in mind.

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I've tracked his son down and I'm on the case!

SW Water have some plans which I have eyeballed and it's exciting stuff! 😮

I've tracked his son down and I'm on the case!

SW Water have some plans which I have eyeballed and it's exciting stuff! :o

Good stuff, all I ask is that nothing too personal about the family is posted on this forum. Keep us informed.

Lozz.

His lordship sounds like my sort of bloke actually! :lol:

Don't worry about ruffling feathers, get in there and crack on and if some people get upset, well, that's their problem!

From what I can tell on the interweb, the council sound like they might have a bit of a grudge thing going on.

Trenwith, sounds very interesting, adit level goes potentially all the way to Rosewall Hill and St Ives Consols ! Maybe up for this one, just watch out for the Uranium secondaries !

As far as this thread is concerned I would agree with Stuey et al regarding East Pool, tolgus and Carn Brea. I would recommend that everyone stays out. As many on here know I work for the company that owns South Crofty and if anyone is caught, there is not alot I will beable to do to save your skin. At some stage there may be a chance to do visits but I can't promise anything at this stage. I did the last inspection of Carn Brea adit over six years ago and can't get permission to go in to do another.

As has been mentioned there are many other places worthy of visiting which are best not mentioned on here.

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