Hello Undergrounders,
I have a few questions, and would be grateful if someone could answer them.
Colonel Mustard, what year did you take the photos of Silverband? Your penultimate photo, the hoops of Dufton mine are of interest.
My friend and I found a void nearby. Too dark to look into. We took some photos by putting a camera inside. Looking at them on a computer, we could see an old style paraffin lamp at the far end of a small cave. We went along a few days later to see if we could get access to the void. Managed to do so from the side of it rather than from the front. My friend was all of a panic, telling me to be careful as the aforementioned lamp might be fragile, as I passed it to him. He told me it had a bar code on it. I wasn't very polite to my friend thinking he was making fun. Not only did the lamp have a bar code but also an imprint "Made in the Czech Republic" So much for an early 1900's lamp. As Czechoslovakia split in 1993, the lamp post dates that time.
Other items in the small hole include, a petrol can (modern, as used for cars), various bottles, (one with a dubious substance inside, no we didn't investigate). Also a drum with a cut out at the bottom, this was used for a fire, a groundsheet that had some white material inside so could be a tent. A small sandwich box containing cigarette lighters, about eight. In the bottom of the cave was a corrugated iron sheet, similar in style to that used on the buildings around the “Golf ball” on Great Dun Fell. The sheet had rather a rather large rock on it. Looks like it dropped from the roof of the cave. The “cave” by the way was hewn out by hand tools. On a map of Dufton mine there is a small side branch to the main audit that then rejoins the main tunnel. Could this “cave” be part of it? It is in about the same position.
My friend jokes that all the kit belonged to someone on the run. I wonder if it belonged to someone digging for some sort of mineral, till such time as the rock came down. With all that kit he was going to be there some days/weeks. Thankfully we didn’t find a body, so I guess the chap is still running. He didn’t come back for his kit, but the front entrance of the cave was at least partially blocked up. We didn’t find any tools, but then didn’t dig around too much so could have missed them.
Can anyone throw some light on this matter. It would be nice to have an answer to this riddle.
A further question if I may. I need to get some SRT training, before I venture down some mines/caves. Is there a caving/mine exploration club in Cumbria? I live in Long Marton near Penrith.
Thanks to those that can help.
Zawisza.