Daylight Hole Iron Mine · AditNow Community

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Paul Marvin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

Hi Guys,

Does anybody know if the water/lake in here leads anywhere as we are cave/mine divers always looking for something new to explore ?

"I Dont Know Where I am Going, But When I Get There I will Know Where I am"

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peterrivington
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

The lake connects to the shaft because when somebody tips rubbish down the shaft it turns up in the lake. There used to be a prize flock of rats down there. If you still want to dive in it ask very politely and be sure to mention that you have nothing to do with CAT.

metropolitan liberal elite

Paul Marvin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

Nothing to do with CAT ???

"I Dont Know Where I am Going, But When I Get There I will Know Where I am"

Jeff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

I would have thought that the visibility in Daylight Hole would be extremely poor indeed.

Have you thought about diving in the Coniston Copper Mines?

Some time ago I wrote an article with extreme diver Mark Ellyatt who descended an amazing 170 metres down the flooded Old Engine Shaft. He did not reach the bottom! Visibility is good.
The article (PDF) can be accessed from this site if you are interested:
http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Coniston-Copper-Mine/
The title is: Deep Level - Deep Water - Deep Trouble.

Jeff

christwigg
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Isn't it a bit of a one trick pony though ?

A massive shaft that requires lots of experience and preparation with not a huge amount to actually explore, just very technical diving to great depths in a 2m square area ?

Jeff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

Good point.
It all depends on what the goals of the divers are.

The shaft is accessible and an alternative would be to descend the shaft and enter the first level (35 fathom) then follow it until it intersects the extensive Bonsor Vein. From here the vein could be explored up or down which would probable be new ground and could be very interesting...though always potentially dangerous.

Jeff

christwigg
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

"Jeff" wrote:
an alternative would be to descend the shaft and enter the first level (35 fathom) then follow it until it intersects the extensive Bonsor Vein. From here the vein could be explored up or down which would probable be new ground and could be very interesting...though always potentially dangerous.

Ah right, I didn't know there was the potential to get out of the shaft. But if its as downwardly mobile as most of Coniston then it could be very dodgy indeed.

Jeff
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

No doubt about it "very dodgy indeed."
Only extreme divers need apply!!!

My mistake the first level is at 20 fathoms, the 35 fathom level is the second.
Jeff

Paul Marvin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

Have dived Coniston copper mine although it is in very collapsed state, and very good line skills are needed here as the return journey has very very poor viz caused by divers bubbles would be better dived with a re breather.

"I Dont Know Where I am Going, But When I Get There I will Know Where I am"

fjällvandring
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#10

Regarding Daylight Hole:

My uncle dived down there, visibility was poor. Some divers collected a mine wagon from there a few years back and stuck it in. Basically Daylight Hole is on two levels, the lower of which is flooded and accessible from the main chamber, and also from deeper in the mine (as I remember from the map). Because of the messy Iron mud you may not see much but it would be interesting.
Last time I remember the lake in the main chamber had about 25 dead sheep floating on the surface...
Best to check first though, it may have changed since I was last there.

jeg elsker Norge, landets dialekter, folk, landskap og naturen!

Paul Marvin
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

12 years ago

#11

Thanks for the info.

"I Dont Know Where I am Going, But When I Get There I will Know Where I am"

Monty Stubble
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#12

So far as I remember, there are no exciting prospects when diving in the lake at Daylight Hole.

Take your expertise to Ding Dong - lots of opportunities there, and not ridiculously deep. Lots of flooded levels which eventually come back into air.

I know this because in times of extended drought (we haven't had any for quite a few years) some of the passages are accessible by non-divers. Some incredible workings are accessed by these, well on the way under the road towards B30 for example.

The best way in is through the 'trespass' site (a legal wrangle by 2 mining companies in the early 20th century led to one taking the other to court for trespass), usually this is flooded but does go back into air.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau

fjällvandring
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#13

Is Ding Dong the one with the tube like shaft for access? Looks fun.
Loads of Iron Mines around here but I think not many remains, so near to where I live yet I've never really looked at them.

There is a great mine in Borrowdale, which is deeply flooded, very extensive. I think this is called Brandlehow, there are a number of lead and copper mines in the area. Interesting thing is the water is salty

jeg elsker Norge, landets dialekter, folk, landskap og naturen!

Monty Stubble
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

12 years ago

#14

Ding-Dong is accessed by an 80' shaft. The first 40' is a steel tube.

The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
Henry David Thoreau