Jasonbirder
10 years ago
Hi everyone…a few quick Nenthead questions – as I’m taking some c*ving friends up there for a trip…
It’s been a while since I’ve been in different parts of the system…so can anyone update me on…
• State of the Calcited Ladders up from Caplecleugh up to the Cowhill X Vein, they seemed a bit iffy last time came up – and that’s about 4 years ago! Can we get up the ladders or does it need pre-rigging from Smallcleugh now?
• After dropping down from Scaleburn into Brownley Hill – there was a nasty fall on the way out…is that still passable?
• I’ve been up to the top of the Haggs connection in the Admiralty Flats..but never down and out Haggs…can anyone describe the route from the bottom of the ladder?
Many thanks!
christwigg
10 years ago
"Jasonbirder" wrote:

State of the Calcited Ladders up from Caplecleugh up to the Cowhill X Vein, they seemed a bit iffy last time came up – and that’s about 4 years ago! Can we get up the ladders or does it need pre-rigging from Smallcleugh now?


Not been for a long while myself, but I know a group have been through in the last few weeks.

"Jasonbirder" wrote:


• After dropping down from Scaleburn into Brownley Hill – there was a nasty fall on the way out…is that still passable?


gNick will be able to update you on that.

"Jasonbirder" wrote:


• I’ve been up to the top of the Haggs connection in the Admiralty Flats..but never down and out Haggs…can anyone describe the route from the bottom of the ladder?


Thats not Admirality Flats, they are further in-bye in Haggs, but from the bottom of the ladders you're talking about you can't really go wrong. Just follow the flow of water out.
Mr Mike
10 years ago
Cacited ladders, I believe are good to go, there is a fixed hand line in there that was put in about 2 years ago.

The fall on BH has been made safer gNICK, it is open but be careful passing through it in terms of shifting the dig timbers, some are loose.

If your planning on exiting Haggs via BH, the gate is locked by a bolt, so take an adjustable spanner if you don't want to have to go all the way back to BH.
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
royfellows
10 years ago
"Jasonbirder" wrote:

Hi everyone…a few quick Nenthead questions – as I’m taking some c*ving friends up there for a trip…
It’s been a while since I’ve been in different parts of the system…so can anyone update me on…
• State of the Calcited Ladders up from Caplecleugh up to the Cowhill X Vein, they seemed a bit iffy last time came up – and that’s about 4 years ago! Can we get up the ladders or does it need pre-rigging from Smallcleugh now?



I regularly do what I call the 'fish trip' Caplecleugh to Smallcleaugh via the deep water, hence my name for it, and I never have any problems ascending the calcited ladders (Double Rise) It has been reinforced with rope and a section of aluminium lader by some other people, although on timber over a hopper the whole lot appears to be 'cemented' solid.
I have every confidence.
My avatar is a poor likeness.
Jasonbirder
10 years ago
Mega - thanks for the speedy knowledgable replies...
Especially the one about the spanner...I'd have just assumed it was a lift up gate...with hilarious and frustrating consequences :)
Mr Mike
10 years ago
It did used to be, but the guy who bought the mine shop and turning it into a bunkhouse has added this little surprise.
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
RJV
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10 years ago
:lol: Have seen a couple people reduced to crawling by the time they've got themselves round the through trip. That could add some extra fun!
Mr Mike
10 years ago
Maybe the bunkhouse guy should fit a gate bell.....
Mr Mike www.mineexplorer.org.uk
RJV
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10 years ago
Nah, let 'em retreat & leave by Brownley. It'll be character building...
gNick
  • gNick
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10 years ago
"Mr Mike" wrote:

It did used to be, but the guy who bought the mine shop and turning it into a bunkhouse has added this little surprise.


He has added a light feature as well so it looks pretty at night...:)

Regarding the fall on Brownlees, the inbye section is a bit delicate, I haven't timbered it yet as I didn't want to disturb the rocks above, so be careful.

Also one of the falls further inbye, the one that causes the first lot of chin-deep water when to drop down from Scaleburn, seems to be moving a bit as when I was in a few weeks ago, there was airspace but you would have had to do a full duck to get under a timber. We dropped the level to chin deep again but the area is a bit mobile so it may well have moved again.
With this in mind it might be sensible not to pull your ropes through, or at least get the first person down to check that the passage isn't sumped before you do!
Don't look so embarrassed, it's a family trait...
sparty_lea
10 years ago
Route finding from the bottom of the Brownley/Haggs ladder is very simple, turn left when you join the main level and follow the water straight ahead all the way.
The Capelcleugh/smallcleugh ladder was absolutely fine three weeks ago.
There are 10 types of people in the world.

Those that understand binary and those that do not!
christwigg
10 years ago
"Mr Mike" wrote:

It did used to be, but the guy who bought the mine shop and turning it into a bunkhouse has added this little surprise.



I wasn't aware of that either, I suspect I personally might have cried had I got all the way through without a spanner and found out ;(
John Lawson
10 years ago
I have raised the issue of bolting gates before, and it appears to me that others, presumably who are not mine explorers are taking this pragmatic view.
An adjustable spanner is easily carried and not heavy!
RJV
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10 years ago
"John Lawson" wrote:

I have raised the issue of bolting gates before, and it appears to me that others, presumably who are not mine explorers are taking this pragmatic view.
An adjustable spanner is easily carried and not heavy!


A bolt means a gate and a mine with a gate on it is halfway to being locked even if there is good reason for that gate to be there.

Its a non-issue in North Yorkshire even if other areas love their gates. Hope it stays that way! :offtopic:
John Lawson
10 years ago
Richard,
I have been in many mines in Yorkshire and cannot remember ever seeing a gate!
The mines on Alston moor are often close to villages and the gating was carried out to discourage 'the curious'.Bolts would be a small price to pay, since eventually, one of these 'curious' types will get lost or fall down a shaft, such as Brewery.
ColinA
  • ColinA
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10 years ago
The gates were placed by CCC and therefore their property , so does the guy at the bunkhouse have the "right" to bolt it! Think not, leave the gates as they are at Nenthead, if exhausted explorers reach a gate they cant open after a long trip reversing direction through deep cold water will be the last thing they want to be doing and could have serious consequences.
ColinA
christwigg
10 years ago
On the two occasions i've found an unexpected bolt and couldn't be bothered to walk back to the car for a spanner, i've found the narrowing end of a krab usually does the job pretty easily.

Hammy
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10 years ago
This Nentberry bolt thing is hardly much of an issue - it's a little thing you can undo with your fingers and since it's right next to the road anybody considering a through trip can check the exit without going more than five steps from their car!
John Lawson
10 years ago
Thanks, Hammy for the update on the Nentsberry bolt.
For those of you out there too young to remember the death of the guy who fell down the shaft in Smallcleugh, I will just repeat that the clammer by the media for permanent sealing of the Nenthead mines was almost unstoppable.
Even the Nenthead mining guru, Eric Richardson appeared on the local T.V. news programme to emphasise that all these mines should be sealed.
A Derbyshire lock is the obvious way to try and overcome these media outbursts..
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